Evaluation

Evaluation

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Post Production

The finished product consists of sound effects which were added after recording the individual scenes. This was done using the program in audacity.

Digital technology to be used

Radio Drama
- Recording Studio; to record the scenes of my radio play
- Audacity; to edit the radio play

Newspaper Advertisement

A Double: page listings magazine feature

-Digital Camera; to take images needed for magazine

-Photoshop; to edit photo and to put double page spread together

Using this technology has allowed editing to be more efficient. For example, whilst recording scene 4, a few lines needed re-recording. Instead of having to run through the whole scene again, as it was quite a long scene, I was able to record the necessary lines and then using the editing program, audacity, replace them in the origional scene. This was quicker to do and was done in less time than it would've taken to record the whole scene. Furthermore, the programme, audacity has allowed me to be more creative as it has allowed me to add effects to my final piece. For example, in scene 2, I was able to add an echo effect to highlight how the patient was not in concious or involved with the conversation between her husband and the nurse. As a result, it created an illusion of how the patient was not included in the conversation, and as a result of the echo made it more realistic. Thsi allowed me to be more creative with possible ideas I could include in my play, to make it more realistic and more interesting and dramatic, especially for my young-middle aged target audience.

Also, this was the same case for photoshop as it allows the photo to be manuipulated into what you want it to. For example, an image had a hair on the models face, which made it look unprofessional however instead of having to take the image again, it was simpler to erase the hair of the face, again which saved much time. Similarly, in Photoshop, different effects could be added to the image to make it more purposeful towards the scenario. For example

Evidence of Planning

Planning and drafting of the script, took longer time than expected.
Here is the first draft.

Schedule

January- Research
February- Planning/drafting script
March week 1- Record radio play
March week 2- Take pictures for adverts
March week 3/4- start editing
April- Carry on with editing, put together adverts.

Other Institutions producing Radio plays

The Mutual Broadcasting System (MBS) was an American radio network, in operation from 1934 to 1999.
Back in the 1930s, Orson Welles was involved in theatre and directed plays such as Hamlet. However in his second year in, he took an interest in radio and after gaining
a hour slot on the radio, which he named 'The music theatre on Air,' firstly produced the famous world of wars, which was what gained him national and international fame.

Radio Caroline is an English radio founded in 1964 by Ronan O'Rahilly, who broke the monopoly the BBC held on being the only broadcaster with radio.


The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), founded in 1927, is the largest broadcaster in the world. They offer a variety of television, radio, magazines and news. They have many different channels which are different genres, and this enables them to obtain a bigger/wider audience enhancing their status as the worlds largest broadcasters.
BBC Radio, also has different channels again aimed at different target audiences.
Radio 1; music, young audience
Radio 4; domestic UK radio station that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history
Radio 5 Live; live news and sport from the UK and worldwide
The BBC further launched the Radio Times magazine, which again aimed to promote their radio. BBc interlink their services aiming to sell themselves further and to as many people as possible.

Primarily the BBC was more aimed at the white class, however as time passed the BBC aimed to become more diverse, which meant employing asian presenters and programmes. This led to the arrival of the BBc Asian Network. This hosts a mixture of entertainment, news, bhangra music and also drama- Silver Street.

Codes and Conventions of radio dramas:
- an episode can have no more than 6 characters otherwise this would be confusing for the listenener
-Structure; is set up...struggle...resolution. You can reverse this if the set-up is more dramatic and explosive than the resolution.the play is regarded as a series of phases
-Dialogue; this is what engages the listener dramatically with the world. Characters inform, argue, amuse, outrage, argue through the ebb and flow of dialogue. Great radio plays are made.....by talking in dramatic dialogue.
-A radio play has scenes like a stage play, It is useful to think of a scene as a sequence. One sequence, or scene, might consist of one line of dialogue, or it might just consist of a crucial sound effect (know as FX)
-every bit of speech must help the plot move in some direction, increasingly involving the listener as it does.
-need to think about sound effects, music, and, something rarely appreciated by the inexperienced writer, silence. Silence can convey a variety of things: suspense, anxiety, tranquillity. Pauses also help listeners take in what they have heard and help prepare for what happens next.
-A variety of sounds is essential for holding the listeners' attention and engaging their interest. This variety can be achieved by altering the length of sequences, the number of people speaking, the pace of the dialogue and location of action.
-Sound Effects These should be used sparingly and effectively. They can be used functionally, e.g. door opening, or to create a mood, e.g. dogs barking in the distance on waste-land. If used to excess they become tedious and pointless.
-Radio plays must run to exact lengths as the programme schedule is always fixed.

Silver Street

Another drama produced by the BBC, is 'Silver Street. Silver Street is a radio soap opera, the first such to be aimed at the British South Asian community, and is broadcast on the BBC Asian Network. It was introduced in 2004. The target audience for this drama would be much younger, of early 20s, also which are addressed through the characters in the drama.

Social groups explored in this drama are teenagers and their lifestyles, how they go through relationships and when they end badly how it impacts them. Also another social group is family and the respect it holds for the parents. Furthermore how they care and protect one another, and sacrifice aspects within their life to help members. Also it is representing multi-cultural society, which was an aim for BBC to become more diverse.

Codes and Conventions followed by Silver Street:


- 8-10 charcaters which is unconventional for a radio drama
-3/4 scenes
-Dialogue; speech is crucial as it gives a good idea of the atmosphere being created
-has sound effects; both diagetic and non-diagetic
-every bit of speech must help the plot move in some direction, increasingly involving the listener as it does.
-silence for 3seconds to show scene change
-pauses also used to give the listener time to coprehend with what they've said and also makes it more dramatic

http://find.galegroup.com/gtx/retrieve.do?subjectParam=Locale%2528en%252C%252C%2529%253AFQE%253D%2528KE%252CNone%252C17%2529radio%2Badvertising%2524&contentSet=IAC-Documents&sort=DateDescend&tabID=T004&sgCurrentPosition=0&subjectAction=DISPLAY_SUBJECTS&prodId=SPN.SP00&searchId=R4&currentPosition=1&userGroupName=bclib&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&sgHitCountType=None&qrySerId=Locale%28en%2C%2C%29%3AFQE%3D%28K0%2CNone%2C26%29radio+drama+advertisements%24&inPS=true&searchType=BasicSearchForm&displaySubject=&docId=CJ97605148&docType=IAC

Copy and paste this URL into the web browser to access website.

This link is what we found on radio advertising, it is an article however which shows radio times listing and a mini synopsis, to show what is to happen in the episode being played.


Below are more examples of radio adverts.

http://find.galegroup.com/gtx/retrieve.do?contentSet=IAC-Documents&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&qrySerId=Locale(en%2C%2C)%3AFQE%3D(ke%2CNone%2C12)radio+drama+%3AAnd%3AFQE%3D(pu%2CNone%2C25)%22Times+(London%2C+England)%22%24&sgHitCountType=None&inPS=true&sort=DateDescend&searchType=AdvancedSearchForm&tabID=T004&prodId=SPN.SP00&searchId=R5&currentPosition=1&userGroupName=bclib&docId=CJ207797819&docType=IAC




http://find.galegroup.com/gtx/retrieve.do?contentSet=IAC-Documents&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&qrySerId=Locale(en%2C%2C)%3AFQE%3D(ke%2CNone%2C12)radio+drama+%3AAnd%3AFQE%3D(pu%2CNone%2C25)%22Times+(London%2C+England)%22%24&sgHitCountType=None&inPS=true&sort=DateDescend&searchType=AdvancedSearchForm&tabID=T004&prodId=SPN.SP00&searchId=R5&currentPosition=15&userGroupName=bclib&docId=CJ177012898&docType=IAC

Target Audience feedback

I conducted a survey which I asked a few people to fill in however what I found out varied.
The younger generation, hardly listen to the radio, however if they do, its mostly galaxy and music stations, whereas the older members which I asked listened to radio 4 dramas. Furthermore from the people who were aware of radio dramas didn't find a drama aimed at their audience and felt they were too young for radio 1 however too old for radio4 and they needed something in the middle which could relate to them , something along the lines of skins.

On a majority of the feedback sheets we found that people were after something suspicious, and unusual as opposed to soemthing with a happy ending, like Eastenders, plot keeping you on your toes, however based on everyday life, in which they could themselves relate to.

Planning for script

Setting your script;

A clear layout helps us read your script quickly and easily. Here are some points to bear in mind when committing your script to paper:

• Scripts should be typed if possible, using one side of the paper only.
• Names of characters should be clearly separated from speech and should be given in full throughout.
• Type all directions and sound effects in capital letters.
• Attach a synopsis (a brief summary) of the play to the completed script, together with a full cast list and brief notes on the characters.
• Make sure that all pages are numbered consecutively and securely fastened.

One of the aims of this coursework is to produce a radio play. I have below a link to a website with some radio scripts with various genres.
http://www.simplyscripts.com/radio.html

Radio 4 produce radio dramas, and below is the link for 'The Archers'
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/

The Archers is a different sort of soap - mainly because its on radio and its been going for over 50 years. – the Archers is a story of countryfolk. The scene is a fictitious village called Ambridge, its near Birmingham but the county is also fictitious – Borcetshire. Its a contemporary drama in a rural setting set in a county town nearby called Borchester where some people from Ambridge go to work. The soap is centred on a farming family called the Archers and there are dozens of them around Ambridge. They can be quite irritating at times as most of the characters are quite well-heeled and a bit out of touch with poorer folk. Some have migrated to far flung places like Africa but most stick around their home village.

The target audience for this drama is the older generation as they are addressed through the characters and scenarion as the drama features characters the target audience can identify with.
The Archers is based around a farming community, who are nature lovers.
The first pilot of the soap was broadcast in May 1950 – as petrol rationing ended - and it was originally designed as an entertaining way to give out information on farming issues. It’s now the world’s longest running radio drama serial, going out six days a week on Radio 4, at 7pm. And, although farming still plays a central role, there’s much more to The Archers these days than turnips and milk yields. In recent years, we've heard, among other things, of extra marital affairs, rape, breast cancer, suicide, dementia, eating disorders, domestic violence and racism. In the latest plotline, the gay chef, Ian, and his partner, Adam, are divided over the prospect of becoming surrogate fathers, hence broadening its audience.


Representations of social groups of the countryside are they are a very close community. They can rely on each other for support through hard times for eg if someone is grieving for a lost one. They also are responsible as they volunteer to hold and take care of local projects such as fundraising or protesting. They have strong beliefs for protecting their community and their countryside, for eg prevent the council from putting up housing estates. This creates their overall collective identity.


Shown on Radio 4, which is instituted by the bbc. The production team for this drama are:

Editor: Vanessa Whitburn
Senior Producer: Julie Beckett
Producers: Kate Oates, Rosemary Watts
Programme Manager: Michael Harrison
Archivist: Camilla Fisher
Technical Broadcast Assistant: Sonja Cooper
Audio Assistant: Cathy Bassett
Broadcast Assistants: Sally Lloyd, Sarah Morrison, Jane PritchardWeb Producer: Keri Daviesproducers/directors



Vanessa Whitburn joined the BBC in 1974 as a studio manager, working in London as a sound technician for the BBC World Service and network radio programmes. From 1980 to 1985, Vanessa was Senior Radio Drama Producer for the BBC in the Midlands, directing and producing several Classic Serials for BBC Radio 4 and new plays by top dramatists such as Anthony Minghella, Caryl Phillips and Michelene Wandor.
Vanessa also worked on BBC television programmes, ranging from drama The Onedin Line to arts documentaries.
She was producer of Channel 4's flagship soap opera Brookside from 1988 to 1990, and returned to the BBC as a freelance, where she directed a BBC Two documentary called Moving Home about the move of Sadler's Wells Royal Ballet to Birmingham.

So it can be said, that when Whitburn was appointed editor of the archers she had many years of experience behind her.




Codes and Conventions of radio dramas that the Archers follows:
Sunday 18 April 2010-Kenton and Jim get into party mode

-12 minutes 56 seconds long-
-Structure; is set up...struggle...resolution. You can reverse this if the set-up is more dramatic and explosive than the resolution.the play is regarded as a series of phases
-Dialogue; sets the tone of the play and creates the type of atmosphere so you feel part of it, more realistic.
-Speech must help the plot move in some direction, increasingly involving the listener as it does.
- silence used to show the changing of scene-3/ 4 seconds
-6 scenes
-A variety of sounds used- cow mooing to show the presence of the farm
-Sound Effects used:
mobile phone ringing used functionally
gates openiing when the cow is released to show
milk falling into pan- to show Josh milking the cow
footsteps from the shed to the barn

The Archers breaks away from following the convention of using only 6 characters within an episode, as this episode uses roughly 8-10 characters. Furthermore, Archers is longer than the average length of a drama therefore gets away with useing slightly more characters without it becoming confusing.

Digital Techhology Skills Audit

I am very familiar with publisher as I have been using it for many years now, mostly in secondary school to make posters, invitations and leaflets. I can easily create a text box and change its size, insert text and use word art, and also very confident with changing the colour, size, highlighting the text. I can format layers well, as well as rotating and changing order of objects.
Photoshop I have only become familiar with over the last 2-3 years, however I am very confident in adding and deleting backgrounds, changing the opacity of an image and also adding/deleting layers.
I have used a camcorder before however I am not very confident with it. I can set up a tripod and load the tape and use the functions on a camera. I also have edited a piece of film, but I am a bit slow at editing a length of film, not quite mastered it yet, it’s still a learning curve for me at the moment.
Video editing also not my strong point, I can capture footage, cut it and move it to a different place, and also I can add effects but my skills are limited for that. I can’t change time and speed, remove or add sound or rewind images.
As part of my work experience at a radio station, I learnt how to work the radio decks. I know how to cue a song, and make a playlist.