Radio Drama | Website

In our first radio drama project we were assigned in groups to write, direct and perform our own radio drama. We all had to work as a group to make sure that all key elements of a radio drama such as a plot, characters, location, sound effects and action were there and so that we can please the audience. Our radio drama was a thriller that was called The Gossiping Girls based around four teenagers being invited to a unknown mascaraed ball.

Radio Drama project

This week we have begun our new project for radio drama. A task I completed that contributes to this project's work is script writing. Writing the script for our radio drama was the most important and one of our first tasks that we completed or else we would not have had anything to read from.

Codes and Conventions

To begin writing our script, we began researching radio codes and conventions that we could add to our script to make our performance more effective such as, music, silences, cliffhanger endings and direct speech which we all added to the script. Codes and conventions were a key element to add to our radio drama as it draws the audiences and it also helps the readers understand what is going on as it can be hard for them to comprehend where they are and what is going on. Adding codes and conventions to our performance will be effective as it will create the right ambience for the scenes and helps it to be more visual for the audience.

Pitch for Radio Drama

After that, we started to think of a plot idea for our radio drama by making a spider diagram and all putting in our ideas for the plot such as the start, middle and end for the story, which concluded with four gossiping teenage girls who have all mysteriously been invited to a secret masquerade ball, however it takes a sharp turn when one of the four girls is kidnapped by a mysterious person at the ball and is left on a cliff- hanger when none of the other girls know where she has gone. This idea was an immensely powerful plot line as we have the opportunity to add a lot of codes and conventions that would draw the audience in, such as intense music since we all decided this was going to be a thriller, wich will make our performance more successful.

The casting and characters

Moreover, when my group and I had finished with creating the plot line for our radio drama, we then began to think about characters and who would be casted for each of the four girls. For the idea of our characters, we based them slightly of our own personalities so that we didn't create similar characters. For example, at times i can be quite clueless, so we decided that I would be the typical ditzy and confused character, who we named Britney as we thought this name suited the personality of the character. Moreover, for Ella's character, we knew that she had quite a strong and confident personality, so we made her the independent and quite fearless character as we knew she would be able to make this character come to life based on her nature in real life. For Maises character, we created her a boy crazy character who doesnt really care what situation shes in but to find an attraction towards a boy and be the life of the party as she is quite free and a lovable person and lastly, for Lexie's character, we know that she has quite a posh attitude as well as a smart accent, so we based her character on a upper-class girl who is quite snobby.

Creating the script

Creating our script related to radio drama in many ways as we had to create it slightly different to a screen acting script. One difference between the two is communication is done through radio waves signals. Therefore, we had to create our script in a radio drama form so that it produces a powerful performance.

Creating this script was successful for our radio drama as we were effectively able to enhance the type of genre we were doing, which is a thriller, by making it more chilling for the audience from the use of sound effects that we used like footsteps and a creaking door. Moreover, to allow our performance to become even more successful through using our script, we were able to analyze it once we had written it which helped closely examine each one of our characters motivation and backstory, which was effective for our performance to be more naturalistic through the sound of our voices.

Vocal exercises

Before doing a rehearsal of our radio drama, a technical skill which we had to do in class so that we are doing hurt our strain our voices were a vocal warm up. The point of doing these exercises is to strengthen our vocal muscles so that we can protect them and make our voices sound much better. For example, one of the exercises was freeing the breath, where we would march on the spot with our arms naturally swinging and blowing out a relaxed ‘fffff’ sound. This was extremely successful in helping my voice in my radio drama so that it sounds clearer and will not strain it.

Finishing the scenes/ phone recording

Once we had finished writing our script as a group, all putting in ideas for what each of our characters would say in the scenes, we then began recording our scenes on one of our phones so that we could play it back and listen to how the it all sounds, seeing if there needs any tweaking done on the way we say things or if a line doesn't make any sense. On the other hand, it would also help us to see if we can add anything on that would make it a more powerful scene, as well as adding codes and conventions, for example when we all heard the recording back we thought it would be even more better if we added a sound of one of the characters rubbing there arm whilst exploring the mysterious house which gives a intense but uncomfortable impact for the readers. We found adding little sound effects to be effective because it gave a more creepy feel to the radio drama which would make the audience feel a lot more drawn to what is going on.

Reflection from rehearsals

In the future, I need to make sure that I have a strong voice when performing so that the readers are able to hear me clearly and so that they don't get lost in the story and not understand what is going on because they were unable to hear me properly, which is something I noticed about my performance after hearing it back on our phones.

Characterization through voice

This week, in class, we have continued working on our radio dramas where we must make our own plotline and script which is being assessed on. Today we focused especially on creating our characters through voice so that we can eventually begin rehearsing it on one of our phones. Creating our characters in the radio drama through voice is important because it helps readers notice the subtle cues a character gives off through their voice, and they will use these cues to judge who that character is. This clues them into that character’s arc, mental state, personality, and a lot more. For example, my character in the radio drama is quite perky but naïve, so to create this character through voice I heighten most of the words so that she sounds bubbly and quirky, rather than her being dull and quite monotone.

Creating the character through voice relates to radio drama very much because it is important that this is done so that listeners keep track of the characters, they cannot see which can be difficult, especially if there are multiple characters. In doing this, during class we looked at how we can find the type of character we are in our radio dramas which my character is quite naïve and gullible. Once I found my type, I thought about the type of vocal quality they would have so that I can portray my character's personality naturally. As a result, this can entice the listeners and keep them listening.

Rehearsals

Creating my character through voice was successful because during rehearsals, I can really connect with my character and embody how she speaks but also how she would act to certain events during the scene which therefore would change the pitch of her voice to go quite high, for example in our scene she gets excited that she has been invited to the party also which as a result makes the pitch of her voice go quite high as she is extremely happy. Usinga different pitch for my character was effective as it helped the audience to experience the different emotions that the character was going through.

Vocal techniques

An acting skill that I have used for my radio drama is engaging the breath, where we ‘bounce’ the diaphragm which increases your energy when performing. By doing this, we must stand in a neutral position and pant gently but silently and then do the opposite to this to see the impact of your breath. As a result of doing this method I protected my vocal cords and had a lot of energy to perform my character. Moreover, it is also important to have breath control whilst performing the radio drama because it can affect the range, volume, and speed, which makes you sound a lot more clearer. This would be very effective for the performance of the radio drama so that we can create a powerful scene.

Recording the radio drama

Once my group and I had finished rehearsing for our radio drama, we began doing the final record. I loved being able to film this project as we were able to use all of the proper equipment this time rather than having to record it on our phones. Before we began recording the final one, we did a couple of practice goes so that we could check all of the sound effects came in at the right time and that our voices were not too loud or too low when speaking into the microphone, making sure that we were finger and thumb length away from the microphone. I found it very effective when he had many practice go's as it helped us to see if anything need changing or perfecting so that our performance would please the readers.

The Venable Project

In this week's assignment, we were assigned to different radio dramas by the broadcasting team in which mine was called ‘The Venable’. I was casted for the role of the news reporter and police officer. This meant I had to focus a lot on my vocal speech as the two roles had different voice pitches. As a result of this, I had to spend a lot of time doing vocal techniques that I had previously learnt from our voice workshop, especially vocal characterization so that I could get the right type of pitch for the two characters.

Focusing on my vocal characterization relates to radio drama a lot as it is important for the audience to keep track of all characters especially if there are multiple, like in my radio drama. Centering my attention on my vocals for each character that I am playing is especially important when performing so that the audience can also tell the difference between characters and get lost, therefore losing their attention to the scene.

Practicing on my vocal characterization for both the news reporter and police officer was successful as after we recorded, the broadcasting team was incredibly pleased with my performance for both characters as they could tell the difference between the two voices. During rehearsals, I practiced giving a harsher voice on the police officer and more of a polite voice for the news reporter which as a result worked very well since you could tell the difference.

Moreover, an acting skill that I manipulated into the radio drama when playing the two characters was more vocal exercises so that I can sound more energetic and clearer when performing. Freeing the breath is a key exercise I use where I blow out an easy relaxed ‘fffff’ sound whilst marching on the spot. Another important exercise I do too is engaging the breath, where you ‘bounce’ your diaphragms, which are both important for protecting your vocal cords and make your voice sound much stronger.

Reflection

In the future, I need to ensure that when I pronounce words, I need to say them slightly slower so that it sounds a lot clearer as for some words I had to retake saying them when we were recording the scene as it did not sound noticeably clear. Making sure my voice is clearer is important so that the audience knows what is happening and keeps them engaged. Also, I need to ensure that when I turn over the pages on my script that I am not to loud or near the microphone when doing so as it will make their attention go towards the noise of the paper and loose track at where we are, both the listeners and performers.

However, one thing I did find effective about my performance was that I had diction and clarity, which made my voice sound clearer and louder throughout the whole performance, therefore allowing the listeners to understand and keep on track with what is happening without being distracted.