Soap Operas

Sub-genre – (American) Fantasies By Rowan Kirby

Definition:

• An extreme version of the bourgeoisie’s life styles, portrayed in its’ extremist form – involving money, land, and appearance.

Characters- All desirable people

DALLAS

SUNSET BEACH

DYNASTY

CHARACTERS

Characters in American Fantasy soap opera’s typically follow the conventions of having these features:

• They have wealth, property, and some have rights• They are members of the upper class bourgeoisie, and follow

hobbies associated with them respectively. (I.E Horse riding)• The casts costumes involve formal wear, as well as very good

condition casual wear. Accessories such as watches, belts, jewellery are extravagantly portrayed reflecting the wealth they own.

• Have important jobs• Are flawless, inspirational characters• Men are often business men, usually looking after family businesses

Lots of make-up to make them look flawless

Extravagant costume

Lots of gold and silver jewellery

All of their hair is done, they look like they have spent lots of time getting ready to make themselves look good, or have enough money to pay someone to do it for them

Billionaire, playboy, philanthropist

DYNASTY

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOZBnIhRF9Y

This clip contains

• Big expensive houses• Start of the clip is all gold and orange colours connoting

wealth• Lots of scenery shots, showing lots of land with horses, horse

riding high class sport.• All men in smart suits, holding champagne bottles• Shallow depth of field pulls focus onto important characters

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOQX_Q5mhJc

This clip also contains shallow depth of fields, that pulls focus onto important characters to increase the seriousness of their dilemma.

DALLAS

Shots of big rich houses, surrounded by land- Not realistic locations, demonstrates how rich and wealthy the characters are

The Establishing shots from far away emphasize how big the houses are and how much space they have

Lots of shots including words that represent the wealth and money the characters have

StorylinesAmerican Fantasy Soaps consist of similar storylines such as:•Blackmails•Poisonings/ drugging- Sun set beach Virginina drugging Vanessa to impregnate her with Turkey Baster •Flamboyant•Bitching / Affairs leading to Cat fights- •Business/ Family related- John in Dallas wanting to carry on his fathers oil business

These storylines tend to be driven with profit or revenge as the source of stimulus, within a capitalist society.