U42 brief 2015

CREATIVE AND MEDIA PRODUCTION LEVEL 3 EXTENDED DIPLOMA

Radio Drama Unit 42: LO1; LO2; LO3; LO4 Sarah Wilson & Adam Jones Date Issued: 16th September 2015 Final Deadline: 13th November 2015

Aim and Purpose This unit aims to develop an understanding of the codes, conventions and audience readings of radio drama which will support learners’ skills in devising and scripting radio drama for a choice of genres. Learners will produce a radio drama for a specific target audience.

Unit Introduction Radio drama is by definition not factual although it may be based on fact. When a true story or event is dramatised the exact detail and chronology of events may be sacrificed or reinterpreted in the interests of entertainment or poetic licence. By contrast, a factually correct account of an event or issue would be a documentary. Radio dramas use characters played by actors and depict events using only the radio codes of speech, sounds, music and silence according to familiar conventions that help to tell a story without the use of a visual stimulus.

Because it is relatively expensive to produce, radio drama is mainly broadcast by national networks with big budgets, especially BBC Radios 3 and 4. Some local stations, even in the commercial sector, also produce drama, but most production jobs are to be found in the BBC. They include scriptwriter, producer, technical operator (or studio manager) and production assistant. The most common sub-genres of radio drama include single plays, drama series, soaps and serials. Modern distribution technology means that today drama can be accessed by its audiences as podcasts over the internet or as downloads to mobile phones.

Creativity and experimentation with drama codes and conventions should be encouraged once an understanding of the recognised parameters has been achieved. Learners should gain an appreciation of radio drama through encouragement to listen to a wide range of programmes. Skills that are addressed in this unit are ideas origination, scriptwriting, adaptation and production.

Guidance: Create tabs on website Unit 42 U42 LO1 U42 LO2 U42 LO3 U42 LO4

Referencing: Please make sure all research is referenced – any work being plagiarised will fail http://www.wikihow.com/Cite-a-Website - Guidance can be found here

LO1: Understand codes, conventions, styles and structures of radio drama genres.

Deadline: 21ST September 2015

LO1 Aim: Critically evaluate the codes, conventions, style and structure of different genres of radio with supporting arguments and elucidated examples, consistently using subject terminology correctly.

Task Description: Vibe Productions are commissioning you to produce a radio drama to be broadcast on their new station. You are required to demonstrate your understanding of the codes and conventions of Radio Drama through extensive research and group discussions.

You will produce either a PowerPoint OR radio news show critically comparing traditional and postmodern Radio dramas.

You will focus on the sounds, narrative and signposting of your dramas in order to gain the highest grades.

Classroom Activity 1 Listen to the first 5 minutes of the provided radio dramas – Everyday Time Machines; Dark Passenger and The Troll of Stony Brook.

Download and complete ‘Task 1’ from Vibe Productions – noting down how and why they use sound to tell the story.

Classroom Activity Listen to the 4 provided radio dramas from a variety of genres – Sci Fi; Adventure; Horror and New Wave.

Complete an evaluation of each drama similar to the Torchwood example, looking at the setting, characterisation, speech, music and use of silence.

Task 1 For your LO1 assignment you will need to compare and critique 2 different radio dramas – one traditional and one postmodern.

Your critique should be presented as either a word document, PowerPoint or audio recording.

You will need to discuss ALL of the following Codes: Words, voices, speech, music, ambience, sounds and silence Conventions: Aural signposting, cliff-hanger endings, flashback, use of fades, characterisation, chronological development, narration, direct speech, titles, credits

Styles: Appropriateness to TA, dramatic reconstruction, drama styles, creation of mood Structures: Duration, narrative structure, development of plot

LO2: Be able to produce and pitch proposals and treatments for radio drama Deadline: Pitches will take place the week of the 12th October

LO2 Aim: Produce and pitch a thoroughly thought-through proposal and treatment for a radio drama that targets a specific audience, showing creativity and flair and working independently to professional expectations.

Task Description: Vibe Productions wishes to commission a number of four-minute radio dramas. During the week of 12th October you will be invited to pitch your individual ideas. This pitch will be filmed as part of the assessment process.

Now you understand the requirements of Radio Drama you will need to develop and plan an idea of your own.

Once you have come up with a creative idea you will need to pitch it to the class. The pitch should be imaginative, use sounds so the audience gains a better understanding, discuss the target audience, and make the plot clear to everyone.

Classroom Activity Come up with an idea for a 4 minute radio drama.

Choose a genre You need to research your idea, create mind maps and look at:  Location  Characters  Plot  Narrative Structure  Target Audience  Actors  Sounds  Cost of Production  Sound Resources

Task 1 Turning your idea and research into a treatment. Your treatment must include         

Blurb Detail on format Detailed outline of your drama Narrative structure Character profile and representation of characters Target Audience and audience expectations Budget Actors Where it will be aired

Task 2 Turn your treatment into an engaging pitch! You need to ‘sell’ your drama to us before you start to script it. You can present your pitch in 3 different ways 1. A PowerPoint (must have sound and visuals) 2. Video presentation (you can record your pitch and play it during the presentation 3. Interactive pitch (including actors and props)

LO3: Be able to develop a treatment for a radio drama into a script Deadline: 19th October 2015

LO3 Aim: Develop a treatment for a radio drama into a script showing creativity and flair and working independently to professional expectations.

Task Description: Now you have pitched your idea you need to turn it into a script.

For the four-minute radio dramas that Vibe Productions has commissioned, a fully developed script is required before pre-production and production can commence.

You will develop your initial treatment into the script.

The script should follow traditional format but the emphasis should be on the noises and background sounds as well as the stage direction for your actors.

Actors should be chosen wisely as they could make or break your production

Task 1 Now you need to write your script!!

Before you write your script you need to discuss and explain the tense (past/present/future), narration (first, third, all-seeing) and angle of your story.

It is important that your script is formatted correctly in order for your actors to understand how to deliver their lines.

For a distinction level script 

Have no spelling or grammatical errors

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The quality will be clear and relevant

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There will be a very high level of engagement with the TA

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Include the appropriate stage directions and complex dialogue between characters and characterisation will be in great depth

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You must include where your sounds will be added and what sounds accompany the dialogue.

LO4: Plan and produce a radio drama Deadline: Recording will take place the week of 2nd November 2015 Final dramas edited and uploaded by 9th November 2015

LO4 Aim: Plan and produce a radio drama to near-professional technical standards showing creativity and flair and working independently to professional expectations.

Task Description:

You are to now record and edit your drama so it’s ready to be aired on Vibe Radio.

You must produce a radio drama to near professional standards focusing on speech, sounds and narrative.

You will need to hire out the sound studio in order to record your actors. You are not allowed to record on mobile phone or hand held devises. The recording must take place in a soundproof room for maximum grades.

Task 1 It’s time to record your radio drama!

You will all have been given a 1 hour slot to record your radio drama. You need to ensure all of your actors are available for this slot as you will not have any other time to record.

Have any props ready that you may need and ensure ALL of your actors have a script – do not share as you may record rustling paper with your dialogue.

Have fun and put a lot of effort into it! DON’T JUST READ THE SCRIPT!!!! You are creating a visual image just through sound, it needs to be over exaggerated at times!

Task 2 Editing your radio drama is where your hard work starts to come together.

Layering up many tracks of sound effects, music and dialogue will help to make your drama more authentic.

Compare yours to an existing professional production…is it as good? What is missing?

Ensure all the levels are balanced and that all of the dialogue is audible – this is what tells the story.

Resources Textbooks Baylis P, Freedman A, Procter N et al – BTEC Level 3 National Creative Media Production, Student Book Caulfield A – Writing for Radio, A Practical Guide Crisell A – Understanding Radio, 2nd Edition Macloughlin S – Writing for Radio, 4th Edition McInerney V – Writing for Radio McLeish R – Radio Production, 5th Edition Starkey G – Radio in Context Websites www.bbc.co.uk/radio www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom www.mediauk.com/radio/ www.members.madasafish.com/~misterdisco/writersresources.htm#Radio%2 0Scripts www.oldtimeradio.com www.radioacademy.org www.radiocentre.org/ www.radiostudiesnetwork.org.uk/ www.radiostudiesnetwork.org.uk/journal.html

Grading Criteria