Category: Wales
Date: 21.09.2005
Printable version
S4C viewers will have seen the series of dark and gritty promotional trailers running recently proclaiming that, in the fictional village of Cwmderi, "Everyone's got something to hide."
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And viewers of Pobol y Cwm, produced by 91Èȱ¬ Wales, will be shaken to the core this week (19 to 23 September) as a gripping storyline reaches its climax.
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The S4C trailers re-create the dramatic scene from Thursday's (22 September) episode, when Gwyneth is the victim of a sinister attack whilst out walking along a dark and lonely road.
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In separate trailers seen over the past three weeks, four different characters with their own motives share their thoughts directly with the camera.
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Ffion, Hywel, Garry and Owen all have their reasons for hating Gwyneth, but the question put to the viewer is 'Who is guilty of trying to murder Gwyneth?'.
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S4C Senior Promotions Producer, Siwan Haf Roberts, says, "Our aim is to get the audience to play detective and decide which one of the four characters featured in the trail is behind this vicious attack on Gwyneth.
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"As the trailers strongly suggest, they all have something to hide."
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There is no doubt that current storylines are both controversial and strong, but Series Producer Gareth Rowlands believes that soap lends itself naturally to powerful storylines such as this.
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"Soap opera audiences are always looking out for the unexpected," he says. "They're acquainted with the characters and therefore know how they are going to react to things.
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"But when something unexpected or extreme happens, that's where the drama begins.
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"Through soap, we are able to bring a mixture of tragedy and comedy. Concentrating on dark storylines all the time doesn't work, therefore it is important to keep the balance with an ongoing uplifting story.
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"But we need stories that challenge the viewers and generate interest so that they become a talking point out there on the streets.
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"Soap cuts across all ages, and this is something we have to be aware of and cater for," he adds.
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"I have no idea what the audience reaction to this attempted murder will be. As a producer, it's an adventure for me to deal with a dark storyline such as this.
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"All I can say is that there are many twists and turns to the story which will hopefully keep viewers glued to their TV sets for weeks to come."
