Melodrama

Definition & History

Melodramas originated in the 19th century in France A melodrama is defined as a dramatic piece with exaggerated characters with slightly exaggerated lifestyles. Its typically a mixture of humour, farce and over the top drama. Its popular as it gives the audience a form of escapism yet still based in reality.

Melodrama The OC
The O.C. is an American teen drama television series that originally aired on the Fox network in the United States from August 5, 2003, to February 22, 2007, running a total of four seasons. The series, created by Josh Schwartz, portrays the fictional lives of a group of teenagers and their families residing in the affluent seaside community of Newport Beach, in Orange County, California.

Famous examples.
Marissas Death
It shows typical conventions of melodrama, also as it is a season finale it focuses on an exaggerated but semi-real plot, her death. It exaggerates the force of the car crash which is not typical in everyday life, typical to that of a realism soap. Its focused on being over the top and a form of escapism. It allows the audience to concentrate on other characters lives rather than still in reality. The music used is subtle, which is how we can identify it as a melodrama soap. Music tends to be used more at the most dramatic scenes, which explains why it is used throughout the season finale clip.

Seth & Summer

In contrast to the above, this scene is full of enhanced high lighting and full of slow tempo, high pitch chimes to represent happiness. This clip also features typical conventions such as an exaggerated scene but a semi-real plot as they are getting engaged, typical in reality. It allows the audience to escape into a dream world as this scene is stereotypically supposed to be above the expectations of a normal engagement.

Mise en Scene
THE OC. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9l-yyQ97y0
In this clip, Ryan wears the same clothes he arrived in from a more troubled background (leather jacket and hoodie) which represent something has gone wrong. Is exaggerated that the same clothes would be worn. Slow tempo, soft background music emphasises mood. Natural lighting tries to keep slight sense of realism and also supports storyline.

Mise en Scene
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyCF7RuE K48
The bright, natural lighting used at the beginning emphasises the colours such as the blue sky to give the audience an impression of a perfect lifestyle. The high key lighting in this scene is used to enhance the situation and creates a more dramatic and exaggerated atmosphere. Seth is on a higher level than Summer to represent him being dominant.

Music builds as Ryan carries Marissa away from the car, we hear dull, droned, depressing slow tones to tell the audience to feel saddened as Marissa dies.
Before the crash, Marissa warns Ryan, Look out! a typical convention, seen by the audience as a warning for danger. The crash scene is also exaggerated sounds, with no music, it creates a dangerous atmosphere.

Conventions sound.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQfAjD5sdR4 Diagetic sounds of the car engine as it is travelling immediately tells the audience where the scene is taking place. Notice there is no sound/music until the rear car begins beeping and ramming the car, we then hear further diagetic sounds of the cars colliding, this creates a sense of danger.

The music increases its pace and volume as the rear car begins to slam more violently into the car Marissa is in. Marissa tells him to stop it but the villain increases with anger. The audience know there is more to come, its exaggerating a real situation.

Up tempo, fast but quiet music begins when Marissa says Oh my god its him. This creates the hook to the scene as the audience are intrigued as to what will follow.