LO1 codes, conventions,

styles and structures

By Lewis Clifford

Codes

Words
voices
Speech
music
Ambience
Sounds and silence

Words
Words can be used very differently in the radio is can be lyrics in a song
which rides along with a beat, The words in a song lyrics normally tell a story
Dialogue can be used to tell a story between characters and normally is the
most common. There are other examples like monologues and narration tell
the story
For example to the side the picture is with a

Man and women talking about snow wear however

If we didnt have the dialogue they could be
Speaking about anything?

Voices
Voices can be all very different in radio and have different effects
on the audience
Having different voices in radio makes it more interesting for the
audience to listen to as it is a change and tells another side of a
Character. It also allows the opportunity of different effects for
example an evil dark voice (scary, Deep) and a Good Voice (Soft,
Powerful).

Speech
Speech is very important in radio and is considered the most valued
subject
With the use of speech it can tell a story, or can be the lyrics to a
song. Speech can be used in very different ways with the use of
words and content for example Slang can give the viewer a certain
representation
For example the ascent the man has we can see he is American. From
the speech as well we know that the younger man has more authority
than the older man as he is speaking quite abrupt and over speaking
the older man.
The older gentlemen wanted to bring his dog into the building which
the other man wouldnt allow but the older guy said he made an
certain exception for him. From this speech it is telling a story.

Best of Archers

Music
Music is a huge thing in radio and it is used in pretty much every
radio drama, story, song.
Music can be used to build tension and have other effects that the
audience feel. The use of music helps tell a story, example sad
scene equals Sad music.
The use of music can also be used to set the mood of the footage,
for example if an producer was making an horror film, the music
would be dark and creepy.

Ambience
Ambience is the background sounds or music, this is very common is
stories or radio dramas
Ambience can describe the atmosphere to the listener it also does
help tell the story and the understanding of it. Ambience can be
used to build tension and to display danger.

Sounds and Silence

Silence can be used for totally different effects.
For example if can be used to build up tension for the listener normally in a horror or thriller
It can also be used for the totally opposite love and sadness and allows the listener to focus
more on the speech or voice than music and ambience
Silence can also be used to end a scene or drama, as it gives the viewer/listerer the feeling
that it has ending or time has travelled by.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mESFWqrCZ7E From 2:20 to 3:00
In this example the silence is creating a tense audience as they dont know what is about to
happen and the silence is going to etherise the jumpy moment.

Conventions
Aural signposting
Cliff-hanger endings
Flashback
use of fades
use of silence
Characterisation
chronological development
narration
direct speech
Titles
Credits
music

Aural Signposting
Aural signposting is key when telling a story and if it isnt displayed
right it could confused the audience and they could loose what is going
on.
Aural signposting shows the audience what is about to happen i.e.
when someone is about to get onto a bus you hear the sound of the bus
pulling up. A skid before the car crashes is aural signposting
In my example you can hear a phone ringing sound, this straight away
gives the audience the feeling that someone is about to pick up the
phone and say hello, which happens a bit later.

Cliffhanger endings
Cliffhanger endings is when the end of the episode or drama on
the radio ends unfinished
It is very common on radio drams as it is used to make the audience
watch the next episode and keeps them interacted with the drama.
There was a famous cliff hanger ending in a film called THE ITALIAN
JOB, where the car is actually hanging off a cliff but is also a cliff
hanger.
Cliff hanger from 2:28 onwards

Flashback
Flashbacks are quite hard to demonstrate in radio, this is because you cant see
what is going on, however there are certain sounds that can demonstrate a flash
back like a swirly noise.
Flashbacks can be used to tell a memory without the story going back in time
Flashbacks can be used in other ways as well for example if someone was having
a nightmare and then your hear a nurses voice and then the characters this
automatically tells the audience that it is a dream
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzC3Fg_rRJM
The whole thing is a flash back
The 1938 production of War of the Worlds was broadcast as though it was
actually happening at the time. Many people in America were genuinely
frightened because they thought the play was an emergency news bulletin.

Use of Fades
Fades can be used to change scenes or music. They can give the
listener all sorts of different effects for example they can be used
to tell the distance and also the speed and time of something.
Fades can also be speeded up to give the sound that something has
moved off fast, or slowed down for a slow motion effect.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyrtC37dOW8

Characterisation
Characterisation is the personality and conventions of the character,
for example if you had an evil character you would think he will be
wearing dark and he would be scary. Characterisation is also how the
character plays the role and is he/she suited for it.
Characterisation is very important espically in radio dramas for
example as we cant see the characters we cant tell how old they are
etc. however with the use of there characterisation there speech
etc. we can identify certain factors (older people have a bit more of
a crock in there voice)

Chronological Development
Chronological Development is the order in which the story or radio
drama is written, For example if the drama has flashbacks it
means that it isnt in a linear story order and the story goes back
in time.
For example in everything you have a start, middle and end. And it
is always in an chronological order.

Narration
Narration is the action or process of the story. Narration is a background reader who tells the
story with the help of the characters. They are used to make the story more clearer and
easier to understand.
First Person Narration this is when the narrator is telling the story as if they where a
character and actually in the footage
Third person Narration this is when the narrator is telling the story about characters and
what is going on in the scene to help the audience to understand
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtnUZMwM0Lw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSvBr4Qa-Fs

Direct Speech
Direct speech is when we are told something directly i.e. by a
narrator: Bob Barns was 57-years-old and on the scrapheap of life.
Or Bob Barnes, the character, can say to his son: Paul, you dont
understand. Im 57-years-old and Im on the scrapheap of life
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSvBr4Qa-Fs
in this clip the narrator is describing an character and what he is doing,
the narrator is directly speaking to the audience and not the character.

Titles
Titles can be used in very different ways, however in radio they
are displayed differently as they cant be seen by the audience.
This means when titles are included in radio dramas they have to
be read by a narrator and not a character.

Credits
Credits are used to identify an program for the listener for
example If the archers radio drama was on the radio a narrator or
presenter will say the name of the program, who it is produced by
and sometimes what it is about.
Credits aren't only used for stories and radio dramas they are also
to introduce songs where the radio presenter will tell the audience
who is up next on the playlist.

Styles:
Appropriateness to target audience
dramatic reconstruction
radio drama styles(eg. Post-modern, radio drama as theatre of
the mind)
creation of mood or location (effects, acoustic)

Appropriateness To target Audience

Producers and directors must make sure they are hitting the key points that
there audience wants to hear, and also make sure that they dont put
something in that could offend the listener or that is graphic to a younger
audience
For example if an children radio drama is going attract there target audience
they wouldnt use complex language which kids may not understand etc. also
they wont have bad language and use of violence's.
The bob the builder episode below shows no explicit content that could be
damaging to the younger audience, there is no ( Violence, drugs, Sex) etc.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoIx99QxJ_o

Dramatic Reconstruction
Dramatic reconstruction is when a program is taken and made on a different
platform, it is also when a historical of for example Hitler program is created
but the words used isnt actually totally what he has said.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0aaXf0oy-0
Is this film called enemy at the gates, it was based in the second world war,
however it was filmed in the recent time, Dramatic Reconstruction was used to
show us what is was like in the battles in those times and how they used there
language.

Radio Drama Styles

There are different radio drama styles for example:
Post-modern, this is when the radio drama or program leaves the
audience with questions for them to decided on the outcome themselves
Adaption, this is when an script writer takes a script which someone else
has produced and changes it how it thinks to attract his audience.
Traditional, this is when loads of characters are involved and maybe an
narrator, and there is an aim of the characters sorting a problem.
Soap, this is when elements of danger and everyday life is based around
an area or place.

Creation of Mood or Location

Sound has a huge part in this as it sets both the mood and location, an
example if a character is in a house on there own, there will be sounds like
strong wind and thundery sounds to set a spooky mood. Sometimes also the
characters can set the mood they can make it awkward and also sad etc.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMpBvbA-XmU
This example above sets us in the mood of a dark and scary place, this would
be used in an horror scene to make the audience feel tense, this music with
any location could be made to become creepy.

Structures
Duration
narrative structure
development of plot

Duration
Duration is an important factor to remember when producing your
radio drama. Depending on the length of your radio drama you
have to keep your drama action packed throughout or have a build
up to the action. For example in a short radio drama (3-5 minutes)
you would want to keep the drama plot small but interesting
throughout.

Narrative Structure
Narrative structure is one of the best and easiest ways to explain
an action or plot happening in a radio drama. It is also useful to
use for setting a scene or mood for a radio drama. Voice of god is
also a great similar structure you can use to set the scene.

Development of Plot
As mentioned about development of plot is split in to two
categories. On being for a short 5 minute radio drama where the
drama jumps straight into the plot and is action packed
throughout. The other category would be for 30 minute radio
dramas where the plot develops bit by bit and gradually builds up
to an action, by using this technique the audience will be
captivated.