Conventions of a Soap Opera featured in Eastenders 10-11-2011

This clip from East Enders contains many conventions commonly used in Soap Operas. These conventions are used to create a domestic, real-life; imaginable situation for the audience which they feel personally involved in and can relate to. Themes are often recognizable as they are often things that we expect to happen every day, however at the same time the Soap makes them melodramatic and exciting.

The clip begins with an establishing shot - which shows us the location of the show through things we recognize and can relate to, such as the River Thames. Showing this part of London automatically creates a stereotype of this location in our minds.

We see the character Phil Mitchell, who is bald, has a big build, is wearing a suit and appears to have an extremely aggressive manner. This costume for the character is highly symbolic of your typical 'bad guy' in the story.

We are soon introduced to the typical meeting place that allows for gossip to circulate - the pub.

There is a dominance of two-shots as there is a conversation between characters in the pub.

Many current social issues are raised in this clip, meaning the audience can relate the soap to things happening in real life, making the soap seem more realistic. The controversy of homosexuality is raised by Christian and Ben. There are signs of family break-down as Phil and Ben do not get on. Phil shows issues with aggression, bullying, false accusation and breaking the law by wrecking Christian’s house.

There is a constant illusion of real time along with continuity, as we believe that the character would be saying/doing that at this point in the story. We even see Phil leave the pub and make his way back home; everything is shown so that we do not feel as if we have 'jumped in time'.

Interweaving of storylines are used as we are shown the storyline with Phil, which interweaves with Christian, and we are shown the story of the planned wedding and the story next door.

The storyline of the wedding was obviously relevant to a relationship that had happened in a storyline previously, which had been partially closed, leaving the audience to forget slightly, and now it has re-surfaced causing new questions for the audience.

When we are shown into the neighbors house, we get an idea that they may have something to do with the fight going on between Phil and Christian as we hear in the conversation 'This is too much, it wasn't meant to go this far.... what have we done' we start to question as the viewer what they had to do with it. (There is a combination of action - what we've seen and heard them say, and enigma - questions that are then raised)
This creates dramatic irony - we know something about a character that another character doesn't.

When Phil brakes into Christian’s home, we are shown a very domestic setting. We see things you would expect in a typical family home, such as the pot and pans that Phil trashes.

There is a dominance of digetic sound. We hear cars along the street etc as the story strives to keep realistic.

East Enders creates a fairly nostalgic and perhaps out-dated depiction of the community, as it suggests that everyone knows everyone else's business and neighbors and community know a lot about each other. However, this is not exactly the case in modern society. People are more likely to keep themselves to themselves nowadays and the 'close community' where you speak to your neighbor on your way out to work and chat to others in the neighborhood along the street, everyone knowing everyone else isn't how things are any more.

Although it is not shown in this clip, the drums at the end of East Enders are used as a motif for the soap.