RADIO DRAMA - Elements of radio drama

 

Writing a radio play is about painting a picture with words and sounds. 

The Meaning of Drama The English word “drama” derives from the Greek word “dran” meaning “to do.” Thus, a drama is a story performed or “done” by actors on stage, radio, film, television, in an open field, or even on the street. 

Radio drama is a dramatized, purely acoustic performance. With no visual component, radio drama depends on dialogue, music and sound effects to help the listener imagine the characters and story.”

n the 1940s, all the way to the 1950s, radio was the major popular entertainment. It was more than just a source of news: music and novels were also a major part of people’s everyday lives. 

The first play written specifically for radio was A Comedy Of Danger, by Richard Hughes, which aired in January of 1924, commissioned by the BBC in Britain. 

In the U.S., it is believed that the first radio drama was a show called The Wolf, adapted from a play of Charles Sommerville by Eugene Walter, also in 1924. 

But radio dramas have their roots set in another type of broadcasting, way before the technology for radio was developed. Between 1900 and 1920 people used a network of lines to listen to live performances – this was called the théàtrophone.

Radio Theatre, the performance art of combining voice talent, sound effects, and music before live studio and broadcast audiences, was popular during the Golden Age of radio (1930 to 1950)

Drama, to some extent, shares the same qualities as other literary forms that tell a story. Every playwright, like every novelist, has a story to unfold. But the manner and method adopted is  depending on the medium through which it is presented. The writer of the short story cannot resort to the lengthy manner chosen by the novelist. Nor can @e dramatist adopt the technique used by the novelist or the short story writer. Nevertheless, they all have one purpose-to tell a story. 

Define audience

As a writer we need to decide who our audience will be and what our intention is. 

For example do you want to:

• make your audience laugh?
• comment on a current or historical event?
• tell a story?
• convey a message?

Elements of radio drama

The elements of radio drama are the same as those of stage drama:

• role: characters in the play
• time: when the action takes place
• place: where the action takes place
• action: what happens in the drama
• tension: conflict within and between characters and their environment
• focus: the ideas, feelings, or characters that the playwright wants us to concentrate on in a particular moment.

Character

A radio play generally has fewer characters than a staged play. It can difficult for an audience to distinguish between a number of characters by voice alone. The audience learns about the characters through what they say and what others say about them, and the sound of their voice. Characters have to have distinctive voices.

The audience needs to be able to tell one character from another. The character's voice needs to tell us a range of information about the character, for instance their age, ethnicity, social background and what they think and feel about the events in the play.

All good drama makes a connection with its audience. This can be achieved with a sympathetic character or by using a situation that is familiar to the audience.

 Radio play needs special treatment both in scripting and presentation. Unlike the stage play (or TV play), 4hich has the visual props to support it, Radio play is totally dependent on the audio actor. 

Dialogue

Dialogue is essential to define sounds heard in a radio play. A listener might interpret a sound in a number of different ways, unless there is dialogue from the characters to set the scene. 

Writing dialogue for a script is different from writing prose. The words need to sound the way people speak. 

The words that a character uses will tell the listener about the character's background. This sort of information might be shown by costume on stage. It is important to think about what we want the audience to know about a character, and the kind of language that the character would use that would give us this information, and how it might change in the play.

Action

As the audience cannot see what is happening on stage, you need to tell them. Characters need to describe what they are doing, or to describe what they can see others doing.

Radio play scenes tend to be shorter than stage play scenes. This is because radio plays tend to be shorter than stage plays and because radio plays do not have as many pauses in the dialogue for action.

Time and place

As there is no set to show the audience where the action will take place, a radio scriptwriter must create a picture for the listener using a combination of music, sound effects, and dialogue. Characters may need to talk about where they are and what they can see more frequently than in a stage play. Time and time that you choose and change location quickly and easily using words and sound. By using sound effects it is possible to evoke time of day, season, location, and era.

Tension

Tension can be developed by using silence, changing the length of scenes, locations, and the use of music as well as the events in the play. Dialogue can be faster or slower.

ELEMENTS DF A RADIO PLAY 

Sound ~ Your play will be heard by hundreds of people and not seen as people who flock to the theatre. You are denied the techniques available to the stage director, namely, costumes, set designs, lights, properties and the physid appearance of the actors. The radio dramatist has to work with dialogue, music and bund effects and sometimes even silence, to create pictures in the minds of the listener.

Vocal work/Dialogue

· Seeing that there is no visual action in your radio play, your vocal work must tell the story.  

· Use emphasis (Exaggeration) and vocal technique (Breath support), vocal variety (Pitch and tone to convey emotion)

· Use comic relief through dialogue

· Establish an emotional state for the characters at all times.

· Use heightened language (Vocal expression serves not only the development of the plot and character, but it also presents the view of the writer.

radio drama

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Coimbatore radio station

college drama

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social development drama

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How to Interview Guests on Radio /Television Show

 

If you plan on interviewing someone for a radio show you need to be prepared.

Research the person or topic to be covered. Find out about the person you're interviewing and the subjects you will discuss. Depending on the interview length and style, your conversation may take different paths. If you're taking audience questions, consider the possible questions you might get.

Prepare your questions. You can     plan for many questions ahead of time. Don’t plan to ask the most interesting questions first; try to spread it out to keep your audience interested.

Prepare your guest. Tell your guest what you would like to ask during the interview. Tell her the questions or types of questions you’re going to ask. Tell her how long the answers should take. It’s always good to keep the guest happy, especially if you’d like her to return.

Know generally what your guest is going to say. 

You should have a general idea of what your guest likely is going to talk about. This way, you're less likely to be surprised by anything and better prepared to ask follow-up questions of your guest.

Plan for quick back-and-forth discussion.  People do not like to listen to long stories or complicated explanations. Plan out questions that are interesting but that can be answered easily.

Be prepared to close the discussion. Plan for and talk to your guest about how the discussion will end and what will happen next. Otherwise, your interview could go on far too long or you guest could just sputter on indefinitely.

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three stages of programme production

 

There are three stages of programme production 

1. Pre production

2. Production 

3. Post production 

Pre-Production This stage includes everything you do before entering the studio or reaching the shooting location. It involves idea generation, research, scripting, discussions with all the crew members and talents (actors), arranging equipment, video / audio tapes, properties, costumes, sets designing or location hunting and booking of editing shifts. The first thing to know about any and every production is what you want the programme to look like, just like you need to know what you want to cook. 

• This is the pre production stage. 
•  need a clear idea of what you want to make. 
•  understandable by the audience. 
• Once the idea is clear, the next stage is how to get from the idea to the television image. 
• To translate an idea on screen effectively you need a good and detailed script. 

Production This is the stage 

• when you are on the studio floor or on location and are ready to shoot or are actually shooting. 
• It includes managing all the facilities, handling of talent and crew members, 
• controlling the crowd, 
• shooting without hurdles and
•  solving any problem related on the spot at that time.

 Post-Production This is the third stage of programme production. 

• It is the stage when you get the final shape of the programme, 
•  It includes cutting the recorded visuals into appropriate length, arranging the visuals in a proper sequence, 
• use of desired effects for the visuals or text / captions, commentary recording, music/song recording, and 
• inal assembly of the entire programme

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The Main Elements of Radio Production.

 

(i)Studio: The radio studio is a room where radio programmes are recorded. For producing a radio programme, you need a ‘sound proof’ studio where human voice can be recorded or broadcast in the best manner.

 (ii)Microphones:, we use a microphone For our voice to be recorded in a studio. They amplify or in other words,increase the volume of our voice.When we think of radio, the microphone is the most important element using which we present our programme. There are basically three types of microphones and they are known by their directivity.

(a) Uni-directional microphone : As the name suggests, this microphone picks up sound from one direction. In a radio studio, the announcers, presenters and newsreaders use this type of a microphone. A microphone is very sensitive and you need to use it carefully. You should be at the right distance from it when you speak. Otherwise, your voice will not sound good. Even if you turn a paper or breathe heavily, the microphone will pick up that sound and your programme or your voice will be affected.  

(b) Bi-directional microphone:- Here again as the name (bi) suggests, the voice or sound is picked up from two directions. It is a better device to recording an interview in a radio studio.

(c) Omni-directional microphone:. Omni-directional microphone, it picks up sound from all directions. This type of microphone is used when a number of voices are used in a single programme like a radio discussion or a radio drama.

 There are many other types of microphones which come in different sizes and lengths.

A small microphone which is called a lapel microphone, and  clipped on the collar. This is which is actually a uni-directional microphone. These microphones are not normally used in radio.

 Then there are long microphones called gun microphones used in sports production. These microphones are often omni directional ones.

There are also cordless microphones. We might have seen them being used in stage shows. They do not have any cables or wires attached to them. They have a small transmitter in them which can send the sounds to an amplifier.

(iii) Sound effects : Sound effects in a radio programme give meaning and sense of location. It adds realism to a programme and helps a listener to use imagination. Sound effects can be used in two ways:

(a) spot effects or effects that are created as we speak and

(b) recorded sound effects. s.

 (iv) Music : Music is the soul of radio. It is used in different ways on radio as already discussed in the earlier lesson. Film songs and classical music programmes are independent programmes on radio.

Music is also used as signature tunes or theme music of various radio programmes.

Let us see what music does to any programme.

 a. Music adds colour and life to any spoken word programme.

b. Music can break monotony.

c. Music is used to give the desired effect of happy or unhappy situations, fear or joy.

d. Music can suggest scenes and locations. For example, you have to create a bright early morning situation. This can be done by playing a pleasing note on the flute along with the sound of chirping birds.

(v) Artificial echo

An echo is a technical input , used in radio programmes.

(vi) Filter or distort. This sort of effect called distort is produced using technology. Some times distort is used along with echo. Think of someone speaking from a mine 100 feet below the earth. To make it realisitic, distort and echo are used.

(vii)Human voice: The main stay in any radio programme is the human voice. Think of the voice of an announcer or newsreader on radio.

There are two aspects of the use of human voice in radio production.

 Firstly, there has to be a well written script to be spoken and then someone has to speak orread it before a microphone in a studio.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3fL0jjA768

https://youtu.be/9q7tN7MhQ4I

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EQUIPMENT FOR RADIO PRODUCTION

 

A radio station needs a number of equipments for producing and transmitting programmes.  

By definition, equipment are all the materials installed in the studio for the production of programmes, starting from furniture to digital equipment.

Some of the most common radio equipment are:

Transmitter

an antenna which beamed out  broadcast signals of a station. The transmitter has different range of coverage.  The short wave (SW) signals go very far others are medium wave (MW).

The microphones

A microphone can be regarded as an instrument which changes sound energy into electrical signals. Microphone as a device that converts or changes sound energy into electrical energy. This is a technology that amplifies and regulates the sound output in a programme. It converts the variation of sound pressure in a sound wave into corresponding electrical variation in an electric circuit.

There are basically two ways of distinguishing microphones.

(a) By the pickup pattern

(b) By the materials they are made with

(a) Pick Up Pattern: Microphone can be made so that they pick sound from one, two or all directions.

(i) Directionality: Pickup Pattern

 

• 
• A.        Omnidirectional
• B.        Bidirectional
• C.  Unidirectional (Cardioid)

 

1.    Cardioid

2.    Super Cardioid

3.    Hyper Cardioid

 

 

Omnidirectional Mics

 

• Equal output or sensitivity at all angles.
• It will pick up maximum amount of ambient sound.
• Should be placed close to the sound source to pick up a useable balance between direct sound and ambient sound.
• Cannot be aimed away from undesired sources such as PA speakers which may cause feedback!

 

 

 

 

Bidirectional Mics

 

• Maximum sensitivity at both 0 degrees (front) and 180 degrees (back).
• Least amount of output at 90 (and/or 270 degree) angles (sides).
• Used for picking up two opposing sound sources, such as a vocal duet.

 

 

 

 

Unidirectional Mics: Cardioid

• Maximum sensitivity at both 0 degrees (on-axis).
• Least sensitive at the rear (180 degrees off-axis)
• Effective coverage or pickup angle: about 130 degrees.
• Picks up about one-third as much ambient sound as an omni.
• Isolate the desired on-axis sound from both unwanted off-axis sound and from ambient noise.

 

 

Dynamic Microphones

Also called moving-coil mic.

• This classification includes ribbon mics (velocity mics).
• Simple construction, economical.
• Rugged, resistant to hand noise.
• Require no batteries or power supply.
• Standard equipment used by musical performers.
• Handle extremely high sound levels.

1.     Sound waves strike the diaphragm.

2.     Diaphragm vibrates in response.

3.     The voice coil, attached with the diaphragm, vibrates with it.

4.     The voice coil is surrounded by a magnetic field created by the magnet.

5.     The motion of the voice coil in this magnetic field generates the electrical signal.

 

 

Condenser Microphones

 

• Also called capacitor or electret condensor mic.
• More complex than dynamics, tend to be costly.
• Not as rugged as dynamic mics.
• Can be affected by extreme temperature and humidity.
• Require batteries or power supply.
• Standard equipment used by film production.
• Higher sensitivity, provides a smoother, more natural sound, particularly at higher frequency.

1.     Sound waves strike the diaphragm.

2.     Diaphragm vibrates in response, changing the space between itself and the metal or metal-coated-ceramic backplate.

3.     The variation of this spacing, due to the motion of the diaphragm relative to the backplate, produces the electrical signal.

 Electrical Impedance / Low-Z & High-Z Mics

• After a microphone changes acoustic energy into electric energy, the electric energy flows through a circuit as voltage.
• Whatever resistance that voltage encounters in the circuit is called impedance.
• Impedance is expressed in ohms.
• Less resistance means lower impedance.
• Low-impedance (low-Z): 600 ohms or less.

• High-impedance (high-Z): 10,000 ohms or higher.
• Professionals prefer low-impedance mics.
• Much less susceptible to hum and electric noise, such as static from motors and fluorescent lights.
• Can be connected to long cables (over 1000 feet, so says Shure) with negligible loss of sound quality.
• High-impedance mics usually begin to sound muffled due to a loss of high frequencies when used with a cable longer than 20 feet.

 

 
The Shotgun Microphone

A shotgun microphone, also known as a boom mic, is a long cylindrical microphone that is very directional. This means it won’t pick up as much background noise as most lavalier mics. The higher end shotgun microphones usually pick up more frequencies and sound better than comparable lav mics.

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