Buzz
Soap operas, often called "soaps" or "my stories" by countless grandmothers, are serial dramas shown on daytime TV or radio. Their title originates from the time when radio serials were sponsored and produced by soap brands (like Procter & Gamble and Lever Brothers, to name a few). Also, as you might recall, they often had a distinct, low-quality look.
There are two key factors behind the visual quality of soap operas, both stemming from the challenges posed by their time slots and schedules. Daytime TV usually brings in less advertising revenue compared to evening shows, and since many soap operas air daily rather than weekly, the result is tight budgets, short production times, and fast turnarounds.
The Lighting Challenge
Lighting in soap operas plays a significant role in giving them their distinct look.
Backlighting, a key element in the three-point lighting setup frequently used in TV production, helps to "separate" actors from the background. This is particularly beneficial in productions shot on low-quality mediums and confined interior sets, which is common in soaps. However, shooting on videotape in a small space can diminish the subtleties of this lighting technique, often leaving actors in the foreground heavily backlit—something that’s less noticeable in shows with larger sets or those filmed on film.
Soaps and other budget-conscious productions tend to appear "off" because they are often lit evenly across the entire set to enable simultaneous shooting with multiple cameras. This lighting approach allows actors to move freely without needing to reset the lights for each shot. While this reduces the number of takes and saves money, it results in lighting that is more diffuse and less realistic in the final product.
On Videotape
The filming medium and shooting methods are the other crucial factors. To keep costs low, soaps have often been filmed using various types of videotape, which can make the visuals appear somewhat flat compared to prime-time shows and high-budget films shot on film. Videotape also provides lower resolution, so soaps typically rely on close-ups to compensate for this limitation.
Due to time and budget constraints, along with the multi-camera setup, soaps have to edit differently than prime-time shows. They typically use static cameras because dollies would increase the chances of mistakes, require more takes, and raise costs. Shifts in angle are often achieved by cutting between cameras, and movement is mostly limited to simple zooming. You’re more likely to see this in a soap than sweeping pan shots or long tracking shots, which are typical in movies or prime-time television.
Daytime soaps have faced significant challenges in recent years, with only four classic shows—The Young and the Restless, The Bold and the Beautiful, General Hospital, and Days of Our Lives—remaining on air. These shows transitioned to high-definition broadcast, a costly upgrade that significantly improved their appearance. For a short time, All My Children and One Life to Live also aired on Hulu, where they were filmed and streamed in high definition. Despite this, the term "soap opera effect" still lingers, used to describe the overly polished, glossy look that some shows or TV settings can acquire.
