Analysis of production

1. By Elizabeth Green ‘Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds’ Analysis of production

2. The Technology I used • For the script I used Microsoft word to present my layout of the radio drama, this enabled me to show a clear representation of scriptto my actors and with the use of page numbers and appropriate spacing this allowed me to give a very clear representation.

3. Internet • The most important aspect of technology that I used at my planning stage of production was the Internet, from the web I could research not only into the medium of radio dramas (e.g. Through Radio 4) but it also allowed me to research into the subject of my radio drama (e.g. Finding relevant articles about drug related deaths and a more in-depth perspective of the Rock ‘n’ Roll lifestyle I wanted my main character to portray to the audience

4. E-mails and blogs • Through effective communication between other students and my media teacher I could select, apply and differentiate between other students radio dramas and take advice through e-mails and most importantly through the blog set-up (wordpress.com). • The school network was helpful with my production so that I could keep track of weekly tasks (sent by teacher) and sending e-mails to my actors to tell them what time they were being recorded, and seeing if this was possible for them.

5. Wordpress allowed us to upload all of our work including: scripts, analysis, web pages and adverts so that we can represent our radio drama to other people. In some ways this was seen as good because I could receive student and teacher feedback, giving me the opportunity to fix what things were seen as irrelevant and what I needed to expand on.

6. Digital equipment: • The digital Sony ux 60 recorder and the Sony 907 microphone were the sources of equipment I chose to record the speech of my actors and the sound effects. The playback function on the recorder also helped me to hear the actual sound which was being recorded. • An advantage for this equipment was that it was small and portable so I could take the recorder outside to get the appropriate atmospherical sound effects. • Although this equipment was efficient, the actual sound produced when I uploaded it to my computer did not seem as clear as I would have hoped for I was not sure whether this was due to the recording equipment or Audacity.

7. Audacity • Audacity improved and made my radio drama sound like a radio drama. Without Audacity the files in which I recorded all the scenes (as I recorded them at different times) would have been really hard to come together and make it sound similar to the radio dramas I had researched. It allowed me to cut out various noises in which had a negative effect on my play e.g. The non-diagetic sounds of girls talking from outside, doors slamming and unnecessary diagetic sounds: pauses, words or from the actors.

8. Paint shop pro • Paint shop pro was useful for my web page and advert images, I could edit and transform my image so that it matched the ideas which I wanted my web page to portray e.g. Highlighting the ring to represent the ring as a symbolic feature of the whole page, I wanted it to stand out in the grass so that this could give connotations of the ring being valuable. • The use of the sunbeam effect on the front of the ring could decode to the audience that she has lost it on a sunny day (birds singing, picnic setting) relating back to the drama.

9. Microsoft Publisher • Microsoft publisher was used to create the design of my web page and advert. It allowed me to replicate the type of adverts and web pages seen on Radio 4. • With the use of text boxes and the cropping tools I could transfer the appropriate logo’s from Radio 4 website to my page and alter it to represent my own radio drama.

10. CONVENTIONS OF THE GENRE(genre, theme and medium) • My radio drama followed the typical conventions – the use of sound, words, silence and music to create meaning to the audience were all used. • The theme of my radio drama started with a complication and then referred back to the beginning of ‘when they first met’ this in some way challenged the normal conventions with the use flashbacks. Overall the theme is a love story which doesn’t have the typical happily ever after, but my radio drama does not blur the boundaries completely, it is quite a conventional structure. • My extract applied to the features of the medium (radio) as all the text was meant for an audience to listen to not for visual purposes.

11. Representations of my radio drama • Do you feel your planning was successful/unsuccessful (specific examples of course) in representing your ideas– see audience feed back • I wanted to represent most aspects of my radio drama to a younger audience. • With the use of sound effects, words and music I could portray specific ideas to them. • The actors I used had a typical London regional accent. Although Lucy’s speech seemed to represent her as from a higher class background than the boy’s, this was done purposefully because I wanted to show she has underlying good morals and values.

12. To contrast with this I used drug references throughout my radio drama e.g. Lucy inhaling deeply suggests she is conforming to the deviant values and moving away from the church and pure connotations as represented before. • I decided to cut out the dialogue talking about her smoking weed because I felt it was too explicit and the audience will have decoded this sign already

13. Choices and outcomes in the production • From the first redraft of my script I decided to add in the boys chattering amongst themselves to create a more realistic atmosphere of the boys sitting around drinking and chatting. • I decided to take out the Dizzee Rascal music because it sounded too confusing and awkward as there was no obvious connection between the music and the feature I was trying to represent. So instead I used the music from The Doors which was appropriate as the Jim Morrison story was relevant to my research by theme. • I decided to cut out the last scene of the Priest and Lucy so the play ends in ‘Porter: Your keys, no drugs mind!’ so this gives the audience a clear recognition that this is what they’re going to do and this is the crucial part where Danny dies.

14. What I would change • If I could do anything different to change my radio drama I would take more time to organise my actors. Although, this seemed difficult in getting everyone together at the same time I think I could have briefed them more and made them really get into their character roles more. • Finding good actors to represent my main characters proved to be difficult as they were all students from my year, only one doing drama as at an A-level degree. • If I was to re-record my drama I would prefer a sound proof room, as this has not yet been built the background noises outside the room effected the sound produced.

15. Positive outcomes of production • Overall I am most pleased with the sound effects that I recorded myself and the way they merged into the radio drama where appropriate . I feel they had the appropriate signs and encoded a preferred reading, which was what I hoped for.

16. Technology and the ability to create • From this inexpensive technology I have created and produced a media text which doesn’t follow the typical rules (e.g. magazine cover). With the use of simple technology I have effectively created a whole new medium for a niche audience. • This has given me the opportunity to control the whole text and to not just be a commentator. In effect I was the producer, editor, script writer, special effects creator and producer of other media products: web page and advert.

17. The challenges I proposed through my play • Some aspects of my radio drama could be seen as too deviant – drug references. • I have challenged the conventional strategies and techniques used in radio plays, the morals and standards in my play are somewhat more interesting and can relate to most teenagers lifestyles, especially the lifestyles portrayed currently through the media. My audience can relate to Lucy and her problems because she takes on a more risk-taking type of character, avoiding the typical ‘better safe than sorry’ more mature role in which most adults opt for.

18. How my radio drama related/contrasted with the broadcasted medium. • In comparison to other radio dramas I think the lack of expertise in the actors effected the way in which the text sounded. • Some linessounded too unrealistic and too ‘word for word’ which was unlike the plays broadcasted on Radio 4.

19. Due to the lack of time and the actors not being available at the same time these details could not be rectified. • This type of problem could have been avoided if I was to have the appropriate skills and networks in organising funds and scheduled dates for the actors.

20. However, the conventions of aired radio dramas e.g. On Radio 4 and my radio drama were similar in which both used music, sound effects, words and silence to portray meaning to the audience.

21. Institution BBC and Radio 4 • My primary target audience is younger people aged 17 -25, with my characters representing younger people this will hopefully bring in the niche audience I am hoping for. • I wanted to break the stereotypical audience for Radio 4, being a middle-aged and middle-classed audience. • With ‘Listen now’, the plays can be repeated over a certain period of time allowing a wider audience to listen.

22. Radio 4 remit • According to research from 2007 • BBC Radio 4 has a weekly reach of almost 9.5 million and has an 11% market share. • Sex:Men (51%)Women (49%). • Age:15-24 (4%)25-34 (9%)35-44 (14%)45-54 (20%)55-64 (23%)65+ (30%) Social grade:AB (38%)C1 (37%)C2 (13%)DE (12%)

23. Radio 4 statistics • From these statistics it shows that people aged 45-54 are the higher frequency listeners. • The least amount of viewers were the youngest (15-24 year olds) Although this proves there is an audience for younger people I cannot determine whether they will listen to the play. • It also suggests people of a higher class background are more likely to listen to Radio 4, this could also mean people of higher intelligence prefer this type of media – they may listen to radio 4 for knowledge as well as entertainment

24. Was my planning successful/unsuccessful? • I feel my planning was successful due to the representations of my ideas being decoded to the audience. • Researching into similar themes (Jim Morrison articles) allowed me to build up a better storyline and get a deeper insight into the specific lifestyle I was aiming for: drugs, alcohol, partying and sex. • All these explicit factors were purposefully used to stray from the typical norms of a radio play. • Researching articles on how to make an effective radio play was very useful. • Radio Production – Robert Mcleish • Conventions of a radio drama – Media and Meaning BFI production • Sound, knowledge and music radio – CarinAberg

25. The problems with my radio drama • Technical problems • The most frequent problems involved recording my actors • The background noise from girls outside the recording room would have been picked up from the recorder • The mobile phone signal noise was picked up by the recorder, this late had to be edited out.

26. Equality of sound projection • I positioned my actors in a semi-circle around the microphone so the sound projection was projected enough for the recorder to pick up. • This was done so that they could all see it and so that the rustling sound could not be traced.