What do actors, producers and writers think about soaps? What's going on in the soap industry? How does a story idea become a completed series of episodes?
I got the answers to those questions, and more, when I had the pleasure, recently, of attending "The Ultimate Soap Opera Panel," a seminar discussion on the business of soap operas. The panel was sponsored by "Soap Opera Weekly" magazine, and moderated by Linda Susman, its Deputy Editor. Other participants included Linda Dano, actress (formerly of Another World, now on One Life To Live and soon to appear on all of ABC's soaps); Eileen Fulton, actress (As the World Turns); Cameron Mathison, actor (All My Children); Mary Ryan, Associate Head Writer (General Hospital); Frank Valenti, Supervising Producer (One Life to Live); and Jerry O'Neil, actor and writer (plays extra and under-five roles on New York soaps, and freelances for "Soap Opera Weekly").
Linda Susman kicked off the discussion by presenting the "good news" and "bad news" about soaps. The bad news is that viewership is falling, Another World was cancelled, and two of the weekly magazines have shut down. The good news is that two soap opera channels are coming to cable in early 2000, and a new soap, Passions, is debuting.
Linda Dano did not make secret her anger at NBC for canceling Another World, and pointed out that it takes a lot of energy to watch a new soap - you have to learn who everyone is and what their relationships and backstory are. The other panelists agreed, stating that viewers want to see people they love, and stressed that soaps should be about the human experience.
Mary Ryan believes that one of the major problems with soaps, today, is that storytellers are not given the freedom to tell the stories the way they feel them. The others chimed in and agreed that network executives pay too much attention to focus groups, ratings, the interactive nature of the internet and other expressions of viewer opinions. It becomes an amalgam - a group effort - and story is driven by commercial reasons. Ryan asserted that the only person in daytime who is given the freedom to tell his own stories is Bill Bell. "Sometimes you're not supposed to like what's happening!" exclaimed Frank Valenti. Ryan agreed, saying viewers should trust the writers and wait a few months, and they will see the writers know what they're doing.
This segued into a discussion of what soaps are and should be about. Dano said that soaps should be about family and relationships. She pointed out that Bill Bell has been using the same people in his stories for years. Eileen Fulton discussed how Irna Phillips (recognized as the "mother" of modern soaps) would use one core family, and bring other characters on to affect them. Dano illustrated what soaps should not do, by exclaiming, "I know! We'll put bumps on his face!" (Cameron Mathison proceeded to touch his face.)
Valenti commented that there is "something beautiful about a simple, well-done story." Susman has observed that, whenever a "new regime" takes over a soap, they talk about "getting back to basics" - core families, human stories, etc. It doesn't usually end up happening, though.
Are things really as bad as all the doomsayers are claiming? Everybody's running scared for financial reasons. Are soaps losing money? Not according to the panelists. It used to be that daytime supported other network programming. Although the soaps still easily sell all their advertising time, the lower ratings mean they don't get paid as much for the time. Therefore, the burden is falling to other programming blocks to support themselves. Talk shows are cheap to make, which is why they are given more of a chance to find an audience.
And what is the deal with those demographics, anyway? Fulton tossed back her scarf in a diva-esque manner and proclaimed that the networks turn their back on their main support, by chasing 18-49 year-olds. She believes that these younger groups do not have the buying power of 50+ year-olds. Apparently, though, advertisers and programmers are attempting to catch young people as they are establishing viewing and buying habits. They want teens to start watching and "grow old with" their shows. Soaps are often passed down from generation to generation. Surprisingly, teenagers and young adults have quite a bit of disposable income to spend, as well.
The conversation changed course a little bit, when the discussion turned to the panelists' experiences with negative reactions to their being employed on soaps. "That's fast, easy money," said a woman to Ryan at a party, back when she was a writer for Ryan's Hope. Ryan responded by putting "blistering words in Mary Ryan's mouth," in writing a speech for the character who was her namesake. Ryan illustrated the power of soaps by describing a letter sent by a viewer, whose life was changed by the story of Alan Quartermaine's Hydrocodone addiction. The viewer was taking the medication, and had no idea she was becoming addicted until she saw Alan's symptoms and realized she was in a similar situation. Ryan also told the group that she had known of a psychiatric hospital which had certain patients watch Ryan's Hope, to assess the solutions applied to problems in the stories. Susman marveled at the "wonderful power this medium has" to affect people's lives.
Next time in Part II: How does a story idea become a finished series of episodes? What can aspiring soap writers, directors, and producers do to "break in?" Also: fan stories from the actors on the panel!
~LCiam
In order to attract these young buyers/viewers, soaps often pack their stories with teenagers - especially in the summertime. Ryan admits to having been a writer on shows that featured an "island of kids" in the summertime, and asserted that, unless these kids are connected to parents and families the viewers care about, nobody will watch. NBC is emphasizing the youth element, particularly in a recent press conference featuring the teens of Sunset Beach and Passions. Daytime, across the board (and television, in general), has become dominated by youth, including programming executives. Dano commented that producers see the popularity of Jonathan Jackson and hire a bunch of teens, without seeing that the reason he is so popular is that he is "one HELL of an actor," whose performances show a measure of "texture, ability, and soulfulness." ["You know who taught him," chimed in Ryan. "Tony Geary and Genie Francis," answered pretty much everyone in the room!] Cameron Mathison called himself "over the hill," saying that he is continually told at auditions he is too old for the part! The popularity of shows like Dawson's Creek and Charmed has caused a teen explosion in all genres - producers are attempting to recreate that magical formula over and over again.
