Radio Drama

Radio Drama Assignment

The four main key aspects of radio dramas are: silence, sound, music and sound effects. The reason these are the main key aspects is because they are the most significant and effective way of engaging the audience. The main thing all these key conventions have in common is that they all allow the audience to visualize and picture the scenes that are going on and really gain emotion for the radio drama. This is done in several ways for example silence can be used to effectively use a cliff hanger within a radio drama and that will leave the audience curious and desperately wanting to find out what happens next and this means you have gained the audiences interest and they will most likely watch the next episode of the radio drama because of the suspense they will be in because of the cliff hanger used by using silence. Another way it is done is by sound effects, when sound effects are used it helps the audience establish the scene the characters are in and it helps them escape reality and enter the world in which the radio drama is being told in and this is what the audience want. This means if you successful do this it means the audience are interested and engaged in the radio drama and are enjoying it for the feeling of being in a new and different world/place. Using music in radio dramas can help build mystery of suspense and this will engage the audience by exciting them by the buildup of the music. The pace of the music also can excite the audience because if it a really intense scene coming up the music ca increase meaning the audience excitement increases because they know something big is about to happen but they don’t know what. This also creates a sense of mystery and maybe that’s what the audience enjoys about a certain radio drama is their ability to create atmospheres and really make the audience feel a certain way. Finally, another reason these key conventions are significant is because of sound, sound is used in multiple ways but a key way it is used is Foley sound, non-diegetic sound diegetic sound and these are significant because these create the base of the radio drama and allows the audience to know what is happening by fade ins and outs when characters get closer to objects or even fading footsteps as someone is walking away engages the audience because of the unique feeling it allows them to feel when listening to the radio drama.

I began to watch “The Archer” which is a radio drama series, the genre it fits is soap opera because of the type of situation the characters were in and the way their dialogue is written shows it is a soap opera. The dialogue and speech within the radio drama comes across as if the characters were speaking natural and not reading off a script. Also the characters that require to have an accent to show where they are from do which enhances the radio drama and engages the target audience. The target audience is middle aged females because this radio drama follows a similar story to EastEnders, Emmerdale and Coronation street, their most popular audience is middle aged women because of how the shows interest them by relating to interesting drama and arguments. The reason the audience is mainly women is because these dramas tend to interest females more with dramatic stories and secret romances which is what most women prefer to watch as it entertains them compared to men where they would rather see fights and action not arguments.

At the beginning of the radio drama there is music that begins to play before opening up to the radio drama and this is done to allow the audience to get ready and to become excited because the drama is about to start. The reason this excites the audience is because the episode is left on a cliff hanger and this makes the audience wonder what has happened and makes them eager to find out what happens next episode and this guarantees they will listen to the next episode. However, within the radio drama there was no music playing in the background and I believe playing some background music could have enhanced the scene and setting within the story because it would have allowed the audience to feel as though they were really there with the family. Although sound did fade in and out to show that a scene had changed and that the characters had moved to a different location which I think helped the audience follow the story along better and this enhanced their experience.

At 04:28 sound effect of gas and air is used within the radio drama to try and convince the audience the scene is actually recorded in a hospital and also to show that the female is actually giving birth and the use of the sound effect supports the idea that she is currently in hospital. The use of this sound effect will engage the audience because it is trying to picture the scene for the audience as they listen to it and giving certain sounds to signify their where about will definitely allow the audience to image the scene and become more interested within the radio drama. There is also a use of footsteps when the two females go to get some coffee and this sound effect is used to inform the audience that the characters have walked away from everyone else who was just in the scene and that they are alone together, this allows the audience to recognize that anything said at this point is between the two females and this can create tension and drama depending upon what has been said in secret between the two characters.

This radio drama is a single narrative because it is only following the story of Lexi and how she is feeling about to give birth unlike most dramas where they focus on more than one story line to try and keep the audience more interested and engaged. Although the downside of not having a single narrative means you cannot go into too much detail within the story telling however, this drama is a single narrative and it allows for the story to be told in more detail and allow the audience to feel more engaged and involved within the story as it can be told in more detail which can have a specific effect on the audience.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0008nwm

 As I watched “Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams” which is a series I began to realize what genre it is and it is a drama, it is also a single narrative which could interest some of the audience because some of the audience might only enjoy one story line rather than multiple. There is only one character speaking throughout the full episode which I think could lose the attention of the audience because if it is the same person constantly speaking then the voice becomes a bit repetitive, however the character does change their voice to sound like other characters for example to sound like her nana she put on a Jamaican accent to hopefully interest the audience and show them that there are other people in the scenes. And doing this it could engage more of the audience and allow more people to gain an interest within the radio drama because of its unique use of a single character telling a story as other people.

The radio drama has intro music which notifies the audience when the drama is starting and this allows the audience to have time to become excited for the upcoming episode and to apply all their focus onto the episode. The radio drama also uses music to show a increase in time or if they are at a different location which is unique and different because radio dramas usually use fade ins and outs to notify the audience of the change of scene. The fact this radio drama uses music engages and interests the audience because it is something different and new some of the audience might enjoy the transition of music rather than a fade out and a few seconds of silence therefore this could definitely reach a larger audience and allow the current audience to gain more of an interest for the show because of its unique transitions and this shows the radio drama they are currently listening to is different to all the others. Furthermore, the radio drama also has outro music and this can allow the audience to disengage from the radio drama and begin to focus back onto their lives and this can engage the audience because some people find it difficult to focus back on reality after listening to a radio drama or a tv show so the outro music allows the audience to disengage and begin to refocus on reality.

Also at the beginning of this episode the character uses her voice to emphasis scenes for example she runs through security and she starts trying to catch her breath as she speaks and then she begins to panic and she begins to breathe heavier and sounds more out of breath. This is done to make the audience feel as though these events she is describing are actually happening and make them feel as though they are right next to her experiencing exactly what she is. Doing this can allow the audience to feel as though they are there but it can also allow the audience to escape from real life by listening to the radio drama. 

Further into the radio drama a sound effect is used and that sound effect is a notification off a phone. This sound effect is used to relate to the audience because I believe the target audience is female teenagers because based on what happens in the episode it sounds like a lot of drama and emotional situations and shows/ radio dramas that are like that normally engage female teenagers the most. The reason the phone notification would relate to the audience because the majority of the audience would have a phone and they will receive notifications so this allows the audience to think they are just like the character in the radio drama because the same thing has happened to them. Overall this allows the audience to feel more engaged in the radio drama because they can relate to what is happening

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p075zhqf

In The Men in black and the genre is horror and supernatural. From listening to this genre I have gathered that this genre or this series of radio dramas use more sound effects than soap operas or dramas because in one of the episodes I listened to it started off with knocking on a door and continuously throughout the radio drama sound effects were effectively used and this allows the audience to relate and become interested within the radio drama more because of the sound effects used create an illusion for the audience that they are actually where the scene is taking place and this is what the audience wants because it gives them an escape from reality. However, what is similar between the “Queenie” radio drama and this one is that they both use music to show a change in location or time which is very effective for the audience. This radio drama also plays a Dolly patron song which is extremely popular and this relates to the audience because they recognize a song that they have memories with so then they become more engaged in the radio drama because the radio drama has created a link between the audience and the drama.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-29uKdckL4

In the Star Wars A New Hope radio drama it shows a new point of view that has never been seen before in the Star Wars franchise and that is Luke sky walkers point of view at the beginning of a new hope. This genre is sci-fi and you can distinctively see this by the sound effects used throughout the radio drama. When Luke enters a building the sound effect of droids, energy beams and music from a alien band can be heard and gradually increases in volume and the character walks closer to the noises. These sound effects are used to enhance the story for the audience by allowing them to visualize the scene as if they were there in that room with the main characters. This can gain the audience’s attention very effectively because unlike the “Queenie” there is a lot of sound effects used in this radio drama ranging from droid noises to speeder sounds fading in and out the closer and further away they become really grabs the audience’s attention because sound effects are the only significant way of taking the audience away from reality and into the world the radio drama is telling the audience. Also compared the ‘Queenie” there is more than one individual narrating the story which enhances the story and grabs the audience’s attention a lot easier and doing this doesn’t allow the audience to become tired and bored of hearing the same voice over and over again. Giving characters’ different voices enhances the story telling by making it easier for the story to come to live in the audience’s mind. The original sound track from the movies was played during important and intense scenes to build up the tension and mystery for the audience and this could also allow the audience to recognize this feeling when it occurs if they have seen any of the Star Wars movies and maybe this effect that occurs when the soundtrack is used is the main reason for the audience to be engaged in the radio drama and become excited. The soundtrack also increases the fans of the radio drama by using its iconic music and this will really engage the audience’s attention and interest. At the beginning of the radio drama the iconic music was played and then it faded out into silence to show that something important is happening and it took about a minute before Luke began to speak and this is meant to show the audience just how serious matters are inside the world they are in and the music is used at the beginning of the radio drama to allow the audience to disengage from reality and prepare to enter another world via the radio drama. The music is also used at the end of the radio drama to allow the audience to disengage from fantasy and become connected back to reality. Another time silence is used is near the end of the movie when they destroy the death star and the reason silence is used there is to allow the audience to process what has just happened and how significant it was.

Editing Techniques

Continuity editing is a system of cutting used to maintain continuous and clear narrative action by following a set of rules. The set of rules are: Establishing shot, shot/reverse shot, 180º rule, 30º rule, eyeline match and re-establishing shot. Using the rule allows the narrative to have structure, the shot sequence to flow seamlessly into each other and it makes the movie easier to watch. However non-continuity editing is when shots are mismatched to disrupt the impression of time and space.

I am going to evaluate a selection of clips to identify their specific editing techniques.

Clip 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lI2e3pXat54

Within the first clip parallel editing is used which is where too separate scenes that may or may not share the same timeframe to draw parallels between them and thereby creating meaning. This is done to build suspense and tension within the movie because it is using continuity editing to follow the action of the female drifting away and the male trying everything he can to try and save her. The purpose of the movie building tension and suspense for the audience is because it is using a technique called shot reverse shot where it cuts between both of the characters to show how one is in danger drifting away and the other is running into the danger to save her. This makes the audience sympathies for the characters within the movie because they mean a lot to each other if the male is running into danger to save the female drifting away therefore they will continue to watch the movie to see how the situation turns to because the movie has gained their interest. Overall the editing within this scene is effective upon the audience because of the techniques used it allows the audience to feel engaged in what’s happening and have sympathy/worry for the characters in the scene because of the tension and suspense that has been built up.

Clip 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ts1x6uADFtM

Within the second clip parallel editing is used (cross-cutting) is the technique of continuously alternating two or more scenes that often happen simultaneously but in different locations. The reason this form of editing is used is to join together the two opposite forces within the movie and create tension and suspense. Because this scene misguides the audience by making them believe the FBI are at Buffalo Bill’s house and they are about to capture him. This would excite the audience and make them feel like they are on the edge of their seat because the bad guy id about to be caught. The pace of the editing also changes from each shot for example when there are shots with the bad guy in they are a lot more rapid with fast movement however when there are shots with the FBI in the shots are a lot longer and less rushed about it shows how they are be extremely careful and organized. However, this shows the bad guy is mad, angry and stressed because of the rapid edits and the characters fast movements compared to the FBIs. The parallel editing that is continuously used is extremely effective in misleading the audience for example when the flower man rings the door bell and then the camera cuts to the bad guys house where an alarm is going off these aren’t occurring at the same place or maybe not even the same time but because of the editing it misleads the audience and makes them believe the bad guy is about to be caught. An establishing shot is used at the beginning of the clip to show the audience where the scene is taking place/ where they want to you to think it is taking place. Also, at 2:04 there is a OTS (over the shoulder) shot of the bad guy to show you wat he is seeing and also make the audience shocked because when he opens the door it’s a different person to who rang the doorbell and it allows them to realize they are now at a different unknown location.

Clip 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JecXKK2rmCc

Within the third clip a montage is used to show a large amount of time in a small-time frame. This is done to show how people are reacting to the situation they are in and the reason it shows multiple people’s reactions is because the editor wants to show the audience show devastating and how scared the characters are within the movie, and this is done in an attempt to make the audience engaged in what’s happening in the movie and for them to have emotion towards the characters who are running in fear, tripping over themselves and other people. A shot reverse shot is used within this clip to show how the small child got shot and then the camera cut to show his mother’s reaction and then it cut back to the child dying, this is done to emphasis how traumatic and scared everyone is running away from being shot. This technique is effective because it is used to make the audience have sympathy for the mother and her child that just died. This could engage the audience more into the movie and engage them to see how the mother deals with the death of her child. The montage is fairly effective because it shows the audience the situation the characters are in and how busy everything is, by showing shots of hundreds of people running down the stairs and people being stood on. Also because of the several separate shots that are put into the montage it shows different things that are all happening at once and this can speed up time. This overall makes the audience worry for the safety of the children and elderly which allows them to connect more with the characters within the movie and this means they will gain more of an interest in the movie.

Clip 4: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4soF2wigKSM

Within the fourth clip a montage is used to show a large period of time in a short amount of space. And this is done to pass time within the movie but also inform the audience of what the character has had to go through to become a better boxer which is his ultimate goal. There is a variety of medium close ups, long shots and medium shots to show just how hard he has had to train and as the montage goes on it shows the audience just how much he has improved from the begging of the montage to the end. The variety of shots also allows the audience to stay engaged within the montage and be interested in what stage he is at now because of all the progress they have seen. The montage is very effective because it shows the audience just how much work the character has had to do to be at the point he is at now and the dedication he has. It shows it very well, a large amount of time in a short period of space whilst still keeping the audience informed and interested.

Clip 5: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhWiTORp22k

Within this clip there is a montage and the purpose of it is to show a large period of time in a short amount of space and they are mainly used to control time within a movie and still inform the audience. The montage used is a collection of parody montages from other famous montages and this could interest the audience because they are basically mocking the other montages and the audience will find it funny and interesting in how they do it. The music used within the montage also mocks training montages and this will also assist the montage in interesting the audience. This is used effectively because it uses montages the audience are familiar with to engage them into enjoying the parody montage and it also creates a connection between the audience and the clip as it shows them familiar scenes they have seen before. A variety of shots are used such as medium shots, zoom ins, zoom outs, long shots and close ups, these are used to keep the montage flowing and interesting whilst also showing the change in time by showing different shots because if all the shots were still and the same then it would be difficult to show a change in time. However, the movement and variety of shots makes the montage more effective and believed that time has been increased in a small space of time.

I personally believe clip 4 has a more effective montage than clip 5 because clip 4 shows more of a variety of shots and shows key information the audience need to know to help them understand the story better and clip 5 mocks training montages but they still don’t do it as effective as clip 5. The reason I don’t believe they were as effective is because the montage felt rushed and unorganized compared to clip 4 where all the clips run smoothly together and helps the audience take in the information more efficiently. Overall clip 4 was more effective because of the smooth transitions and clear/clean shots, also the non-diegetic sound used also helps excite the audience because the music used was very upbeat and is now iconic which supports how effective that montage is.