Writing for the most part is such a solitary venture. You sit down and write down your thoughts, most of which will never be heard out loud. To me, this seems so pointless. Writing has such a musical quality. It should be read and listened to. It should be heard because the meaning can change with every inflection. After all, suspense and humor are in the voice, not in the head. Today you will be embarking on a journey of writing as sound. You will be creating your own radio dramas within groups of four. In a moment I will let you hear exactly what this means, but let me introduce you to the resources you will need for this project. You will need the Radio Drama Writer's template in the Discovery server folder. You will also need the hints, tips, and tricks of the trade. These can be found in the following links. Feel free to explore these sites for information on crafting the best and most dramatic pieces. On these sites you should be looking ways to make your writing pop in an audible way.
Writing For Audio Theatre (Self-explanitory)
Do It Yourself Radio Drama (This site has many cool links)
Generic Radio (Examples of good Radio Dramas)
Good Sound FX Resources
Here are some more good tips from "The Principles of writing radio drama" website:
Get your listener inside the world of your play. How?
a. Sympathy or empathy with the main character.
b. A bloody good set up.
c. A big, nasty antagonist or villain.
d. Great Plot...Great Story....twists and turns.
e. Crisis at the beginning is dramatic and a great start.
f. Emotional intensity. Hit some high points.
g. Escalating conflict so the structure climbs with tension and humour.
h. Strike the colours with detail so there's an atmosphere, mood...ambience.
I. Modulate charm with alarm...humour with tension...tension with humour...funny policeman nasty policeman.
j. Surprise, surprise...that's what you do to the listener, through the plot.
The principle of developing scenes
1. Introduction.
2. Character one...goal and objective.
3. Character two...goal and objective.
4. Purpose of scene in overall plot.
5. One of the characters achieves a goal.
6. Link to the next scene by introducing or pointing to location of next scene or presence of character in next scene.
Question marks in the mind of the listener. Always keep one, better two or three
The Principle of Character
1. Believable and recognisable.
2. Purpose within the plot.
3. Characters have to have function. Character has to be consistent with function.
4. Characters have to be intentional.
5. Start with a stereotype to ensure rapid recognition, then twist the stereotype. Challenge the homily that there is nothing new under the sun by making it new under the moon.
6. Give each character a dominant physical or behavioural characteristic. Make the dominant characteristic purposeful. Make it extreme.
7. Your main character must be active.
8. Active character / urgent plot. The character's energy has to fight the urgency of the plot and the urgency of the plot makes the character more energetic.
The principle of Hero / Heroine
1. Listeners look up to main characters, want to admire them because we all want heroes and heroines in our lives. Life's eternal fantasy that transcendent people and transcendent moments conquer adversity.
2. If you are very clever you can transfer the hero from the obvious to the humble and make great the inferior or character who has greater potential for human dignity.
3. Charisma. Characters need intensity and conviction. They may not be perfect but they are attractive. You cannot identify with people who are unlike ourselves...too perfect, no beliefs...take themselves too seriously...lack a sense of humour..
4. Give your characters private moments when they drop their guards and allow us into their minds and hearts. Make the listener privileged. Use this moment for revelation.
5. The main character has to change and has to be changed by the plot.
6. You must have a main character and secondary characters. Your main character changes. Your secondary characters are probably more singular in their characteristics. Your secondary characters are already committed. Your main character is still weighing up the options.
7. You must have characters who are extreme in relation to each other...characters that are different make drama.
Where are we now?
Well, we should be here....
a. The main character is in the middle of the story.
b. You've used dominant characteristics.
c. The listener likes the main character.
d. The listener cares what happens to the main character.
e. The listener hates the antagonist.
f. The main character is developing.
Principles of Dialogue
a. Dialogue must be a response to a situation, plot or action.
b. Dialogue must be a response to each character in the scene.
c. Dialogue must be comic relief.
d. Dialogue must connect to the next scene.
e. Avoid reflective, passive and neutral. Go for active, and direct and emotional.
f. Dialogue must be believable by being specific...by being specific to the character's background and emotional state.
g. If dialogue is reacting to action or situation then it must be dramatic and poised on polarities. The goals of the characters in each scene should be different.
h. Dialogue should be continuous. Tip...characters often take a tag by repeating the last word spoken by the first character.
i. Dialogue must relate to function.
j. You can mix direct with indirect between two characters because they have different goals.
k. Humorous dialogue is not a character telling a joke but a line or lines responding to the dramatic situation.
l. Heightened dialogue vs naturalistic dialogue. Heightened language is the language of the theatre...high octane communication...poetic, philosophical...charged..the expression of the playwright...It serves not only the development of the plot and character, but it also presents the view of the writer. Works well in radio. But there is now a tendency for more naturalism. Radio producers like to go out on location and explore realism. In these situations you must stick to natural dialogue.
Principles peculiar to Radio
1. The inner existence.
2. The tension and conflict between the interior and exterior.
3. More psychological.
4. Easier to explore the real and the surreal and to delineate the line between the two.
5. Have to work in the fifth dimension...the energy of the listener's imaginative participation.
6. The interior existence offers exploration of personal thoughts, fantasies, emotions and conflicts.
7. All levels of external conflict can be explored.
8. The precipitating event through plot has to threaten the inner life of the main character. This is the kick-off in radio drama.
9. The end or resolution in radio drama is more deeply rooted in the emotional equilibrium and insight of the main character. Changes are internal as well as external.
10. Time transposition and translocation are faster and more rapid and more complicated. Flashbacks...flashforwards... different ages.
11. Radio requires less rather than more characters. Characterisation needs to be strong and fascinating.
12. Maintain the focus of the main character and plot.
13. Economy of words underlines subtextual surprise and engagement with the listener's imagination.
14. Wit is vital because language is so important...cleverness with words...energy with words..humour with words...Wit is advanced by surprising the listener...being aggressive with the listener..being fast, short and clever with the listener.
Writing For Audio Theatre (Self-explanitory)
Do It Yourself Radio Drama (This site has many cool links)
Generic Radio (Examples of good Radio Dramas)
Good Sound FX Resources
Here are some more good tips from "The Principles of writing radio drama" website:
Get your listener inside the world of your play. How?
a. Sympathy or empathy with the main character.
b. A bloody good set up.
c. A big, nasty antagonist or villain.
d. Great Plot...Great Story....twists and turns.
e. Crisis at the beginning is dramatic and a great start.
f. Emotional intensity. Hit some high points.
g. Escalating conflict so the structure climbs with tension and humour.
h. Strike the colours with detail so there's an atmosphere, mood...ambience.
I. Modulate charm with alarm...humour with tension...tension with humour...funny policeman nasty policeman.
j. Surprise, surprise...that's what you do to the listener, through the plot.
The principle of developing scenes
1. Introduction.
2. Character one...goal and objective.
3. Character two...goal and objective.
4. Purpose of scene in overall plot.
5. One of the characters achieves a goal.
6. Link to the next scene by introducing or pointing to location of next scene or presence of character in next scene.
Question marks in the mind of the listener. Always keep one, better two or three
The Principle of Character
1. Believable and recognisable.
2. Purpose within the plot.
3. Characters have to have function. Character has to be consistent with function.
4. Characters have to be intentional.
5. Start with a stereotype to ensure rapid recognition, then twist the stereotype. Challenge the homily that there is nothing new under the sun by making it new under the moon.
6. Give each character a dominant physical or behavioural characteristic. Make the dominant characteristic purposeful. Make it extreme.
7. Your main character must be active.
8. Active character / urgent plot. The character's energy has to fight the urgency of the plot and the urgency of the plot makes the character more energetic.
The principle of Hero / Heroine
1. Listeners look up to main characters, want to admire them because we all want heroes and heroines in our lives. Life's eternal fantasy that transcendent people and transcendent moments conquer adversity.
2. If you are very clever you can transfer the hero from the obvious to the humble and make great the inferior or character who has greater potential for human dignity.
3. Charisma. Characters need intensity and conviction. They may not be perfect but they are attractive. You cannot identify with people who are unlike ourselves...too perfect, no beliefs...take themselves too seriously...lack a sense of humour..
4. Give your characters private moments when they drop their guards and allow us into their minds and hearts. Make the listener privileged. Use this moment for revelation.
5. The main character has to change and has to be changed by the plot.
6. You must have a main character and secondary characters. Your main character changes. Your secondary characters are probably more singular in their characteristics. Your secondary characters are already committed. Your main character is still weighing up the options.
7. You must have characters who are extreme in relation to each other...characters that are different make drama.
Where are we now?
Well, we should be here....
a. The main character is in the middle of the story.
b. You've used dominant characteristics.
c. The listener likes the main character.
d. The listener cares what happens to the main character.
e. The listener hates the antagonist.
f. The main character is developing.
Principles of Dialogue
a. Dialogue must be a response to a situation, plot or action.
b. Dialogue must be a response to each character in the scene.
c. Dialogue must be comic relief.
d. Dialogue must connect to the next scene.
e. Avoid reflective, passive and neutral. Go for active, and direct and emotional.
f. Dialogue must be believable by being specific...by being specific to the character's background and emotional state.
g. If dialogue is reacting to action or situation then it must be dramatic and poised on polarities. The goals of the characters in each scene should be different.
h. Dialogue should be continuous. Tip...characters often take a tag by repeating the last word spoken by the first character.
i. Dialogue must relate to function.
j. You can mix direct with indirect between two characters because they have different goals.
k. Humorous dialogue is not a character telling a joke but a line or lines responding to the dramatic situation.
l. Heightened dialogue vs naturalistic dialogue. Heightened language is the language of the theatre...high octane communication...poetic, philosophical...charged..the expression of the playwright...It serves not only the development of the plot and character, but it also presents the view of the writer. Works well in radio. But there is now a tendency for more naturalism. Radio producers like to go out on location and explore realism. In these situations you must stick to natural dialogue.
Principles peculiar to Radio
1. The inner existence.
2. The tension and conflict between the interior and exterior.
3. More psychological.
4. Easier to explore the real and the surreal and to delineate the line between the two.
5. Have to work in the fifth dimension...the energy of the listener's imaginative participation.
6. The interior existence offers exploration of personal thoughts, fantasies, emotions and conflicts.
7. All levels of external conflict can be explored.
8. The precipitating event through plot has to threaten the inner life of the main character. This is the kick-off in radio drama.
9. The end or resolution in radio drama is more deeply rooted in the emotional equilibrium and insight of the main character. Changes are internal as well as external.
10. Time transposition and translocation are faster and more rapid and more complicated. Flashbacks...flashforwards... different ages.
11. Radio requires less rather than more characters. Characterisation needs to be strong and fascinating.
12. Maintain the focus of the main character and plot.
13. Economy of words underlines subtextual surprise and engagement with the listener's imagination.
14. Wit is vital because language is so important...cleverness with words...energy with words..humour with words...Wit is advanced by surprising the listener...being aggressive with the listener..being fast, short and clever with the listener.
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