The Story of Tracy Beaker

2002 onwards  - british children's TV drama - CBBC

Uses both people and cartoon animation, shows only the main actors and actresses as actual people, therefore showing they are more important. Very colourful and bright, will attract audience into watching the program as it is eye catching. Cartoon and animation is also linked with childrens television, therefore making sense for it to be in the opening. 

Fast editing as is used in a lot of other children TV drama openings. Children are being typical children, running riot and making mess, and also shows that the show is child dominated as the shot of the orphanage in which they all live in is shown with them all in it. 

Again the music is upbeat, fun and youthful to attract target audience. Main actors seem to be females, slightly female orientated, especially as it is 'The Tracy Beaker Show'. 

Camera establishes setting, (orphanage), and characters, keeps Tracy Beaker focus of the opening as she is the focus of the program, always centralised in shot.  

Sabrina the teenage witch

Series started in 1996 - american television program.

Starts with looking through her bedroom window, and then an animation of the world behind it, showing an insight into her world, because its different than the one we live in, full of majic

etc. children could relate as often they make their own world and pretend to be a superhero etc.

Very much women orientated, showing the main female character, and the other actresses names all come up before the actors names, subverting stereotype of male dominance in television. I could subvert typical codes and conventions in my own piece, putting female characters before the male characters, to show a more modern society.  

Sense of magic as she is presented in a setting that seems to be 'the unknown', emphasising the importance of magic and mystery in the program, shown through the use of special effects. 

Female lead is a teenager, children that are slightly younger than the specific target audience could be intrigued as it would be seeing into an older persons life - curiosity. 

Upbeat music, emphasises the fun and youthful vibe of this show, a convention commonly used in a lot of children's TV drama openings, emphasises that it is aimed at a younger audience.

Special effects used  - the magic of her changing outfits.  Animation is also normally associated with kids television, most animations are aimed at children, for example disney pixar films, or  cartoons like 'Scooby Doo' etc.

Editing - shot doesn't change, focuses on her to keep audiences focus more on the character than anything else, shows her importance to the narrative and program.

Even Stevens

Series started in 2000 - disney channel - american children's TV drama.

Establishes the setting of where program will be set at the start, shows typical family life, brother

and sister fighting, dad washing the car, mum working, target audience can relate to own family life.

The opening also takes the viewer completely around the house whilst havoc is being raised by

the 2 children of the household, showing that they are important in the narrative of the story, 

as they are also centralised and have the most air time.

Upbeat music used as is in most Children's TV Drama, depending on sub genre shown, for example

this Children's TV Drama is a comedic type. Shows energy, which children are known to be restless

and active, wanting to be occupied at all times, having music that will attract their attention will make

it more likely they will watch the program.

Editing is also fast paced to fit the narrative and the music, this is to keep it interesting, as again a child

doesn't have a good attention span and so if the program does not use conventions such as these,

then their targeted audience will most probably loose interest.

Use of animation shows kiddish charm, cartoons are instantly related to children, therefore targeting 

their audience. Typical of boy character to make the mess, female character being annoyed at actions.

Children can recognise and relate to the actions that are shown, for example the 2 children characters

fight with light sabers, due to the similarity in target audience in the movie star wars and the program.