EVALUATION

1. EVALUATION SANDRA AGGREY

2. Forms and Conventions Used In The Production • The structure was very much important to me when writing the script and recording it, i wanted my ideas to be brought to life and reflected thoroughly to the audience without making it too disjointed and confusing.

3. Forms and Conventions Used In The Production Policeman: I’ll have to umm… i-i-i SFX: NERVOUS RATTLING OF KEYS • The sound effect here encodes many different meanings such as nervousness • and intimidation as he is policeman and should hold authority and power. This is not the case so therefore breaks the conventions of how a policeman is typically depicted.

4. Forms and Conventions Used In The Production Accents play a big part in my drama in terms of how I wanted to represent and encode subtle differences between certain characters: • Louise’s Liverpool accent was deliberately used to indicate the fact that there is a distance geographically and emotionally between her and her mother Louie.

5. Forms and Conventions Used In The Production Register also had to have a dominant role in the structure of my radio drama as the representation of both sisters had to be effective. • Lynette had to successfully encode the meaning to the audience that she was more respectful and articulate in her use of words and phrases, compared with Louie’s mocking and sarcasm, she is more polite:

6. Forms and Conventions Used In The Production Louie: well forgive me for attempting to save my sister from her monster of a husband before dropping dead in a few months (a second of silence) Louie: stop it! STOP looking at me like that! (more silence) Louie: I can see the pity in your eyes… • The silence here by Lynette encodes the message to the audience that she feels for the situation that her sister is in and is expressing this through her facial expression. • I believe I successfully communicated this through the words used “looking” and “in your eyes”. I knew i wanted my audience to decode the message that Lynette was portraying a sense of emotion whilst being silent.

7. Forms and Conventions Used In The Production Flash-forward/ “Dream Sequence”: • The sound effects were vital signs here as i wanted the audience to decode the fact that the setting of the drama had changed and was now at a more calm, serene location. “Louie: (sighs) its a lovely day isn’t it?......”<<<< CODE • This quote from Louie partnered with the sound effects from the seaside allows the audience to decode the setting and create their own imagery and meaning. • All of these codes had to reflect the atmosphere surrounding the two characters (mother and daughter). I think I successfully made Louie’s dream shrouded in peacefulness as the sound of the sea usual conotates this.

8. Forms and Conventions Used In The Production • Flash-forward/ “Dream Sequence”: By recording the sounds of children laughing and playing and adding it as part of this sequence to act as a sign, i wanted to encode to the audience a sense of childhood between Louie and her daughter had been missed: Louie: ....... I would have loved to have brought you to a beautiful beach like this. • I believe this was successful as by Louie meeting her daughter here, she captures a part of Louise’s childhood she missed out on, as the beach generally holds connotations of young children and family outings. • This also links with the fact that this is a dream sequence the audience needed to feel a sense of Louie’s wishful thinking to go back in time and live in the past.

9. Forms and Conventions Used In The Production • Flash-forward/ “Dream Sequence”: Louie: Stupid me!! Being your mum I should know all these things. Well I would have taken you to (she is then interrupted) Louise: Mum! Mum! (laughter) Relax will you, it was only a joke (laughter) The code established through the words here encode to the audience that Louie feels a sense of desperation of being the mum that she never had the chance to be. I wanted Louise in this scene to encode a message to the audience that she was more relaxed about the situation. The code here was to get Louise to appear in contrast to Louie in this context. From the feedback I received I believed I was successful as many of them commented on how surprised they were at the fact that she remained so calm in the face of meeting the person that abandoned her many years ago.

10. Forms and Conventions Used In The Production Louie: Stupid me!! Being your mum I should know all these things. Well I would have taken you to (she is then interrupted) Louise: Mum! Mum! (laughter)Relax will you, it was only a joke (laughter) • I believe that the interruption and laughter here by Louise encoded a sign to the audience that she harboured no ill feeling or hostility towards her mother who was worrying. This was mainly why I included words such as “relax” and “joke”, they both connotate a light, informal, casual atmosphere. Louise even feels comfortable enough around Louie, who is practically stranger, to call her “mum”. • From the following code, the audience needed to decode a sense of a strong bond on Louise’s part to forgive her mother. I believe I was successful in making the audience feel what Louie was feeling at having heard this: by stating the following: Lynette: Louie…Louie Louie: Huh? Lynette: (sighs sadly) don’t get your hopes up • Just by using these words together as a code I successfully communicated to the audience that Louie was in a dream like state without overtly declaring it.

11. Forms and Conventions Used In The Production • The sound/music at the end of the scene where Lynette is waking Louie out of her dream-like state had to encode the sign of regret on Louie’s part for not getting the chance to be a mother to her daughter. • The sound is of a woman singing the well known lullaby “Hush Little Baby” about a mother’s wishes to her baby. I wanted this to link with the theme of wishes in my radio drama and purposely ended with this sound fading out since Louie’s final wish is to be reunited with her daughter again before dying. Consequently adding an eerie feeling to the scene. • I believe that by adding this sound in post-production, I successfully evoked some feeling in the audience in order for them to decode the feeling of empathy and desperation filled in this part of the radio drama. This is the only part of the radio drama where I wanted there to be a real emotion of sadness coming off from Louie although she essentially doesn't speak. It encodes the possible meaning to the audience that Louie could be hearing this song in her head as Lynette is talking to her.

12. Forms and ConventionsUsed In The Production Louie: (said in disbelief) you…you called me mum • I believe the audience had to have empathy for Louie as they are the only ones that know she has a terminal illness and are experiencing the same journey she is on to reconnect emotionally with her long lost daughter before she dies. One of her final wishes . • The codes within this specific scene had to come off effectively to the audience as I wanted them to realise by the end that it was all thought up in Louie’s head, making the context non-conventional reunion between two long-lost people as in the real-world it may not always be so “perfect”.

13. Use of New Media in Various Stages Of the Production Of the Radio Drama • Computers/Internet: Used for researching the themes surrounding my radio drama. For example collecting a range of articles and stories from the internet as well as looking up the different films and dramas already out there which related to my drama. • PaintShop Pro: Used to alter my images in preparation for my advert • Blog: I set up a blog on wordpressto collate all my research and planning together in chronological order. The blog allowed me to gain instant feedback from the teacher and in turn make some changes that needed to be done in order to reach a sufficient standard. • Camera: Used to take a range of images for my advert

14. Use of New Media in Various Stages Of the Production Of the Radio Drama • Different Programmes: Apart from the standard Microsoft word used to enable me to communicate my written ideas from brainstorm planning to script writing, I also utilised the PowerPoint programme to put forward my information about radio dramas and radio 4 in a sophisticated clear discourse. In terms of the advertisement for my radio drama, (such as the listing page and advert), Microsoft Publisher came in to use as it presented my work in a more polished manner and mirrored the graphology of both genres. • Recording Equipment: A recorder and mike were used to record the characters in my drama as well as the sound effects. This allowed for a more professional clear sound. • Adobe Premier Elements 8.0: Used both for editing my radio drama once it was recorded as well as adding in my sound effects for post-production.

15. Combination Of Main Product and Ancillary Texts • How the themes of the product are communicated to the audience through your three media texts? Listings page: The fact that my radio drama is placed under radio 4, communicates to the audience that it will be geared towards middle-class adults. I also chose to place the drama during the evening time slot at 6pm where people would have just got back from work. The fact that it takes place after “Woman’s Hour” also communicates to the audience that woman may be likely to tune in especially as the drama contains a predominantly female cast.

16. Combination Of Main Product and Ancillary Texts The baby’s dummy also encodes the theme of the past to the audience and abandonment as there is a dummy but there is no baby. The could also decode the fact that something precious of the baby’s has been kept and treasured Advert: I wanted it to come across to the audience that the drama would have some negative connotations. The rose in my advert symbolises a shared love between all the characters (between Louie and her daughter and between Louie and her sister) as roses can generally be given as a form of greeting and establishing a new found relationship (in this case the dream sequence between mother and daughter.) However a rose could also symbolise an end. Flowers are used as shrines of remembrance to loved ones who have died. In this case the word “Final” in the title links with the single rose as it has the connotations of death which the audience instantly can piece together and gather their own meaning of what the play may be about.

17. Combination Of Main Product and Ancillary Texts The red colour of the rose, writing and the dummy also dominate the page making it stand out against everything else. This consequently draws the audience’s eyes towards the object as well as how it is positioned. The redness connotes the themes of love, death, passion, danger, emergency, anger, all of which play a big part in this radio drama. MOCK UP PLAN OF MY ADVERT

18. Combination Of Main Product and Ancillary Texts Preview (on the listings page): • I believe I encoded a sense of enigma in the preview by keeping suspense “Could a devastating realisation change the "young at heart” Louie?” This also brings in the theme of death – “devastating realisation”. • The point of stating the codes, “the past” and “the future” provides the meaning to the audience that the theme of past mistakes, regret, repentance are present. This comes through the topic of adoption in the drama. • “the future” adds a sense of mystery as to what is to happen. In this case it’s the fact that Louie has a terminal illness which has an affect on her future.

19. Approaches to the themewas I successful? • My production deals with a range of real-life, hard concert themes which generally affect everyday people: illness, abuse, crime, death, adoption etc. • I knew that all these issues would be an area of great sensitivity which may have been too much for a radio 4 audience, so i kept this in mind in terms of how i structured my narrative. • By not focusing too much on Louie’s impending death and more on the positive aspects that death can have, I believe that I was successful in encoding this message. (i.e. the positive blissful flash-forward)

20. Approaches to the themewas I successful? • From the start I knew that I didn’t want my radio drama to follow the typical conventions of how death is represented in TV drama for example, particularly concerning a terminal illness. However they did provide me with a good starting base. • I wanted my drama to be more light-hearted particularly as it was aimed for a radio 4 audience. For a change i wanted the issues around a terminal illness to have a positive aspect (e.g. Bringing people together). • I didn't want the theme of death to overtake the character of Louie too much and in turn the whole drama which is why it is hardly mentioned (only once in a fit of anger by Louie). • The drama was as much about the other characters’ journey (particularly regarding Lynette and her abusive Husband) as it was about one middle-aged woman nearing the end of her life. • I believe I was successful in encoding the meaning that Louie’s terminal illness had also affected those around her just as much. For example Lynette who decides to leave her husband as she realised that life was too short and eventually Louie’s daughter would encounter a big upheaval in her life when her long-lost mother returned.

21. Approaches to the themewas I successful? • The theme of repentance and regret usually ties together with death, which I found out when researching the conventions of other text on terminal illnesses. • I wanted to build up on this fact by having Louie draw up a list of things she wished to rectify in her past life before dying. Like a bucket list. I believe I was successful in encoding the meaning that the future prospect of death had the ability to bring up the past. • I merged this in with the topic of adoption and surrounded the main part of my drama on Louie wanting to find the daughter she gave up for adoption many years ago.

22. Approaches to the themewas I successful? Lynette: I think there’s one thing you’ve left off your list Louie: That’s the one thing I’ve been putting off • I knew that I wanted my approach to the theme of adoption to be quite subtle as it couldn’t even be stated between the two sisters. Death could be discussed but not adoption. • Amongst listeners of a certain age, the shame of illegitimate children and its subsequent adoption, the theme would be be a familiar one.

23. Understanding of the Significance of Audience Feedback • From having played my radio drama to a number of people ranging from young adults to middle-aged people both men and women, I received a range of responses. • The feedback from my peers was very positive, they appreciated the way I used a range of accents and register on each character to portray the distance between them all. No character was the same or equal to one another. • The majority of them also warmed to Louie’s character as the drama progressed. One of them stated: “it became apparent to me why Louie had such a hard exterior, she’s really a big softie at heart” PREFERRED READING: The middle- aged women who listened to my radio drama seemed to be able to relate more to Louie and appreciate the fact that conjured up a dream meeting with her long-lost daughter. They also stated that this consequently made them feel more sorrow for her in the fact that it wasn’t real. I believe that this encoded my message across thoroughly a didn’t want the audience to feel hostility towards Louie for the fact that she gave her child up for adoption especially as I purposely didn’t go into the reasons for her decision. OPPOSITIONAL READING: On the other hand, my dad and uncle who also listened to the drama were less empathetic towards the fact that Louie wanted to suddenly find her daughter again, despite the fact that she would have to end up leaving her again when she died. They found this to be quite selfish. Message>>>>>Medium>>>>>Audience Message>>>>>Medium>>>>>Audience FEEDBACK

24. Use of Digital Technology or ICT Evaluation Internet: This was not always reliable when producing effective research. Many of the existing texts surrounding my themes were based on Wikipedia which is not the most dependable site. Blog: It was not always easy keeping up with the regular entries on to the blog. Particularly as I progressed on with my production, I began focusing more on sorting out getting my actors together to record my drama, recording sound effects etc Recording Equipment: I was lucky in the fact that I had little problems in the actual recording of my drama and sound effects. The equipment was not faulty and was very easy to use. The sound came out sufficiently clear, which I put down to good equipment as well as good actors. Camera: The images I took with my camera came out in excellent high definition which made it easier for me to take a range of pictures with and left me spoiled for choice in the end. PaintShop Pro: I was successfully able to alter the images taken with my camera to add extra visual impact to the advert I produced. I added more contrast to the image to bring out certain colours and aspects of my image especially as I wanted the redness in my image to stand out. After doing this i added a little more brightness so that the red was reflected on the backdrop of the bench. Adobe Premier Elements 8.0: The editing and post production of my drama proved to be quite difficult at first and time-consuming. However once the actual art of cutting certain sections became like second nature to me, it was much easier. Sound effects added in post production had to blend in well with the speech as to not overpower it. I believe I managed to sufficiently balance both the speech and sound.

25. CHANGES TO THE NARRATIVE • At first I thought of placing a scene where Louie was informing her daughter about her terminal illness but decided against it as deterred too much away from their newly established relationship. I wanted the focus here to be on mother and daughter meeting up for the first time both in an “idealistic” blissful world, with Louie’s intentions to spend as much time as she can with the daughter she left behind years ago. • The character of Louie’s age had to be altered as the actor who played her had too much of a younger voice to pull off someone in their early 50’s . Therefore the time period in which she gave her child away would have to span over 20 years. • At first I wrote the character of the policeman in mind with him having a cockney accent but settled on a Scottish accent due to the simple fact that it was easier for my actor to do and came off more clearly and efficiently. Either way I knew that i wanted there to be a key accent difference with my policeman which the audience to be aware of. • As the recording of drama was slightly over 5mins to begin with, I had to cut out certain scenes. One of them being a flashback to when both Louie and Lynette were younger and Louie was preparing to give her child away for adoption.