Unit 42 Radio Drama Lo1

1. Unit 42 Radio Drama Lo1 Joe Hayes

2. Codes:in the use of dramatic content Words, voices and speech: For radio dramas words are a lot more vital for the rescoring to work and work well. More so than TV dramas because of the visual things shown as the viewer is able to see exactly what’s happening because of how it works with two human sensors, unlike radio dramas that the viewer needs to make a mental image themselves due to them only using one senor (their hearing). Accents, descriptive works and sounds of the surrounding area helps the audience understand the scene’s and where it is based. This could work both ways as the audience all have their own different interpretation on what they are hearing just like the beginning of the radio drama Billions the Radio Drama of the year winner. The North of Riga is a great radio drama example of how accents can perfectly give help with where the characters are from and where the scene is, for the audience. Radio drama example: narrator introduction and then leads to where the story left off last, a condensation with two guys talking about what’s around them - http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00vrbq7

3. Codes:in the use of dramatic content Music, ambience, sounds and silence: Music is really useful for helping the radio drama show exactly what emotions are involved in any particular seen due to how quickly and strongly they gather emotions responses to whoever listens. Ambience is when the music used is to used set the scene with the right emotion and feeling. Amber Lone - The Ramayana Radio Drama example: Music is used to change seen without silence - http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00vrbq7 Using ambience you are able to use music to describe how the characters are feeling. You can also use the tone of the characters voice. For example using classical music it can make the atmosphere uplifting or depressing. Due to this it make listeners become more observant of how the character is feeling. Tourchwood Radio Example: Ambience setting the scene - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHa12vEL85s Sounds of general life is also used to set the scene and giving the audience information about what is going on. Silence is also just as useful but is more commonly used to change the scene or build suspense. Tourchwood Radio Drama example: Silence is used to add tension before main speech (1.35) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHa12vEL85s

4. Conventions: Aural signposting, Cliffhanger endings, flashback, use of fades: Signposting is a method of allowing the audience to gain an understanding of the location of scene as it opens. This can be achieved by Sound effects or even a description from a narrator. It’s a popular technique used in many radio dramas to give the audience as much information as possible and the accents are one of the strongest and simplest methods. Radio example: North of Riga (Northern accent) click on sound – A cliff-hanger ending is where the story abruptly ends without a full conclusion. It usually ends with a character left in an awkward or precarious position. The purpose of a cliff-hanger ending is to keep the audience in suspense. Also to intrigue them into watching/listening to sequels of the production. However, so viewers may argue that this technique has been drastically overused. By using it so often audiences may become tired of always having to wait for follow on or a next episode. TV Example: Eastenders Cliff-hanger (end of the clip) -http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpBBcHvn2S8&list=PL952176A5770C85C1 Flashback is an interjected scene that takes the narrative back in time from the current point the story has reached. Flashbacks are often used to recount events that happened before the story’s primary sequence of events or fill in crucial backstory. A character origin flashback shows key events early in a character’s development. In the opposite direction, a flash-forward reveals events that will occur in the future. The techniques is used to create suspense in a story, or develop a character. Radio/TV example The Deedsons: Flashback & forward - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJqCMdU1xok The use of fade in Radio Drama can be used effectively in many different ways. It can indicate the end of the opening/ending of the production, used as a transition between scenes and differentiate the distance that characters have between each other.

5. Conventions: Chronological development, narration, direct speech, titles and credits, music and characterization: Chronological develop would include the development of a character (emotionally or physically) through a consecutive sequence of time. Non-chronological develop is the opposite of a continued lapse of time. The sequence of time add another element of suspense to the drama. Narration is done by someone who has a clear voice so they can be understood by the listener. They mainly speak in third person. Narration is used in most radio dramas to really highlight what is happening. Direct speech is used to tell the listeners the characters opinions upon something it make the listener understand the characters more. This is mainly used by the Main Character. Credits are for the listeners telling us who the actors we’re, and who produced the drama. This helps the team by promotion the actors, writers, production team as well. Music can be used to set the scene or explain how the character Is feeling. Characterization involves the creation and development of a character within the production. This will give a good representation of the character, adding more imagery for the audience. This can involve mannerisms, style/tone of voice, confidence in voice etc. This helps make each character distinguishable. Characterization is used across all form of media.

6. Styles: Appropriateness to target audience and dramatic reconstruction: The styles for each radio drama appellee to every different target audience. Dramatic reconstruction is where an actor will recreate a scene melodramatically.

7. Styles: Radio drama styles, (eg. Post-modern, radio drama as ‘theatre of the mind’) and creation of mood or location (effects, acoustic): Every Radio drama has its only style and the ‘theatre of the mind’ is the mental picture that the audience is made to make up themselves making it different for every person unless the sounds used (effectsand acoustics) are produced well enough to create the perfect mental picture.

8. Structures: Duration, development of plot and narrative structure: The duration of a radio drama is the length of the recording, this is vital to get right so the audience does not get bored and to have it long enough so that you get the most of the drama. Development of plots can last one episode or in a series of episodes ending with cliff hangers. Each plot will have a clear beginning, middle and end. A Structural framework which tells you the order and manner in which the narrator is presented to reader, listener, or viewer. The narrative text structure the plot and location.