Rebecca's Unit 22: Single Camera Drama
Lesson 1
TV Drama - Formats
TV is relentless in its search for drama, because drama engages and holds an audience.
There are four main categories of TV drama:
Single drama used to be on television but is now quite rare. It is designed as a "one-off" story for television. They are usually based on topical issues - subject matter that producers think is more appropriate to television than the cinema, e.g. "Dirty War" which is about a terrorist attack on London.
Series
Series is a programme broadcast regularly, usually once a week, where the same characters and basic situation will be used to tell a different story in each episode, e.g. CSI.
Serial
This format also uses the same characters and locations regularly, but each episode is not complete in itself and storylines will continue through to the next episode encouraging us to watch again this time next week to see what happens next. Often serial narratives carry more than one storyline - American series such as ER may have as many as four or five.
Soaps
Soaps have multiple characters who carry many storylines at once. Usually no single storyline will dominate and storylines can carry on for weeks or even months before coming to a conclusion, e.g. Stacey's affair in EastEnders.
Boy A
The film was based on a true story of the murder of James Bulger in 1993, who was killed by two 10 year old boys called Robert Thompson and Jon Venables.
In the film, the murderers names were "Eric Wilson" and "Philip Craig".
Lesson 2
Narrative Structure in Film
LO: To identify key narrative techniques
Linear - progressing from one stage to another in a single series of steps; sequential.
Non-linear - not sequential or straightforward.
Flash backs - a scene in a film, novel, etc. set in a time earlier than the main story.
Realist - something that is real life
Anti-realist - something that is not real life
Endings: opened or closed - open ending is something that is not resolved at the end of the story, e.g. cliffhangers. Closed ending is something that is resolved at the end of the story.
What is a narrative form?
Narrative form is the structure though which movies tell stories.
When we speak of "going to the movies", we almost always mean that we are going to see a narrative film - a film that tells a story.
Narratives are everywhere
Narratives appear throughout media and society - in novels, plays, comic books, television shows and even commercials.
Narratives are most common in fiction film, but appear in all basic types of film.
Events occur in space and Time
A narrative is an account of a string of events occurring in space and time.
narratives do not unfold randomly, but rather as an ordered series of events connected by the logic of cause and effect.
This logic of cause and effect ties together character traits, goals, obstacles and actions.
Annabelle: Creation
Key events:
Orphans move into a new house although they do not know it is haunted
Girl finds Annabelle doll in forbidden room
Demon is unleashed
People are murdered
Doll is alive
Girl gets possessed by doll/demon
Possessed girl gets adopted
Adoptive parents are murdered by girl
The Narrative Structure
ACT 1 - Setup: Intro
ACT 2 - Confrontation: Rising action/stakes get higher
ACT 3 - Resolution: Crisis/falling action
Plot point (a major twist that provokes the beginning of a new act).
How Narrative Unfolds
Character
Narrative films generally focus on human characters and their struggles.
Characters are typically responsible for cause and effect in narrative.
Flat characters: Minor characters who do not go though any substantial change throughout the story or have much substance to them (think stereotypes).
Round characters: More fully developed characters who may experience a change during the story.
Developing characters
How do writers develop round, dynamic characters?
Examples:
Character: Choices
Character Profile:
Name: Adam
Age: 26
DOB: 4/09/1991
Place of Birth: Dubai
Gender: Male
Height: 6'2
Eye colour: Green/Hazel
Hair colour: Light brown
Traits:
Style: Classy and elegant
Conflict - central to any narrative
Relational conflict - a conflict between characters over goals and how to achieve goals.
Inner conflict - a conflict within a character. It could be concerned with their self esteem, insecurities or uncertainties.
Societal - a conflict between a person and a group. This group can be a government, a gang, family, the army or a country.
Situational - a conflict that develops as a result of a situation. Disaster films use this style of conflict a lot.
Cosmic - a conflict between a main character and a supernatural force e.g. God or a Good vs. Evil idea.
Lesson 4
Unit 5: Working to a Brief in the Creative Media Industries
Contractual Brief:
UNIT 5: Creating a Character
Character development in Screen Writing
TV Drama - Formats
TV is relentless in its search for drama, because drama engages and holds an audience.
There are four main categories of TV drama:
- Single Drama
- Series
- Serials
- Soaps
Single drama used to be on television but is now quite rare. It is designed as a "one-off" story for television. They are usually based on topical issues - subject matter that producers think is more appropriate to television than the cinema, e.g. "Dirty War" which is about a terrorist attack on London.
Series
Series is a programme broadcast regularly, usually once a week, where the same characters and basic situation will be used to tell a different story in each episode, e.g. CSI.
Serial
This format also uses the same characters and locations regularly, but each episode is not complete in itself and storylines will continue through to the next episode encouraging us to watch again this time next week to see what happens next. Often serial narratives carry more than one storyline - American series such as ER may have as many as four or five.
Soaps
Soaps have multiple characters who carry many storylines at once. Usually no single storyline will dominate and storylines can carry on for weeks or even months before coming to a conclusion, e.g. Stacey's affair in EastEnders.
Boy A
The film was based on a true story of the murder of James Bulger in 1993, who was killed by two 10 year old boys called Robert Thompson and Jon Venables.
In the film, the murderers names were "Eric Wilson" and "Philip Craig".
Lesson 2
Narrative Structure in Film
LO: To identify key narrative techniques
Linear - progressing from one stage to another in a single series of steps; sequential.
Non-linear - not sequential or straightforward.
Flash backs - a scene in a film, novel, etc. set in a time earlier than the main story.
Realist - something that is real life
Anti-realist - something that is not real life
Endings: opened or closed - open ending is something that is not resolved at the end of the story, e.g. cliffhangers. Closed ending is something that is resolved at the end of the story.
What is a narrative form?
Narrative form is the structure though which movies tell stories.
When we speak of "going to the movies", we almost always mean that we are going to see a narrative film - a film that tells a story.
Narratives are everywhere
Narratives appear throughout media and society - in novels, plays, comic books, television shows and even commercials.
Narratives are most common in fiction film, but appear in all basic types of film.
Events occur in space and Time
A narrative is an account of a string of events occurring in space and time.
narratives do not unfold randomly, but rather as an ordered series of events connected by the logic of cause and effect.
This logic of cause and effect ties together character traits, goals, obstacles and actions.
Annabelle: Creation
Key events:
Orphans move into a new house although they do not know it is haunted
Girl finds Annabelle doll in forbidden room
Demon is unleashed
People are murdered
Doll is alive
Girl gets possessed by doll/demon
Possessed girl gets adopted
Adoptive parents are murdered by girl
The Narrative Structure
ACT 1 - Setup: Intro
ACT 2 - Confrontation: Rising action/stakes get higher
ACT 3 - Resolution: Crisis/falling action
Plot point (a major twist that provokes the beginning of a new act).
- Setup/Exposition - Meeting the characters, establishing the setting, setting the tone - establishing the normal of the film world.
- Rising action - The central conflict is introduced and the tension between the protagonist and the antagonist begins to mount, many events will happen and the stakes get higher.
- Climax - The climax is turning point, which marks a change, for the better or the worse, in the protagonist's future.
- Falling action - The major action has happened. This is the aftermath. This is the sorting out of the major conflict's resolution.
- Dénouement/Resolution - The creation of the new normal. The conflict is resolved.
How Narrative Unfolds
- Exposition
- Series of changes (cause and effect)
- New situation arises through character choice and conflict
- New story equilibrium almost always results in character change
Character
Narrative films generally focus on human characters and their struggles.
Characters are typically responsible for cause and effect in narrative.
Flat characters: Minor characters who do not go though any substantial change throughout the story or have much substance to them (think stereotypes).
Round characters: More fully developed characters who may experience a change during the story.
Developing characters
How do writers develop round, dynamic characters?
- Through conversations with other characters
- Group associations
- Direct description of that character
- Reaction to conflicts
Character Traits
- Traits are attitudes, skills, habits, tastes, psychological drives and any other qualities that distinguish a character.
- Traits in opening scenes are relevant to later scenes; this is related to cause and effect.
Examples:
- The Empire Strikes back, Luke's character traits are introduced early on and pay off in later scenes.
- They include his knowledge of the Force, his survival skills, his ability with a light saber, and his impetuousness.
Character: Goals & Obstacles:
- Goals might include locating treasure, choosing a foster parent or looking for love.
- Characters encounter obstacles in pursuing these goals - the collision of goals and obstacles create conflict and thus drama.
Character: Choices
- Characters create cause and effect through choices that lead to conflict and consequences.
- These patterns are designed so that the viewer clearly sees and understands them.
- Characters posses traits, face conflicts, make choices and undergo changes that enable or hinder pursuit of a specific goal.
Character Profile:
Name: Adam
Age: 26
DOB: 4/09/1991
Place of Birth: Dubai
Gender: Male
Height: 6'2
Eye colour: Green/Hazel
Hair colour: Light brown
Traits:
Style: Classy and elegant
Conflict - central to any narrative
Relational conflict - a conflict between characters over goals and how to achieve goals.
Inner conflict - a conflict within a character. It could be concerned with their self esteem, insecurities or uncertainties.
Societal - a conflict between a person and a group. This group can be a government, a gang, family, the army or a country.
Situational - a conflict that develops as a result of a situation. Disaster films use this style of conflict a lot.
Cosmic - a conflict between a main character and a supernatural force e.g. God or a Good vs. Evil idea.
Lesson 4
Unit 5: Working to a Brief in the Creative Media Industries
Contractual Brief:
- Very descriptive
- Must be signed
- Like a contract
- Often used when large sums of money are involved or when there is a lack of trust between client and employee
- Clear, professional and formal
- It will mention things like time frame, pay, deadlines and job requirements
Negotiated Brief:
- Almost entirely up to the employee
- Can give more leeway as you can alter most of the brief aspects
- Used when clients may not know what they want so they leave it up to the employee to work out finer details
Formal Brief:
- Outlines the specifications of a product/service
- Well set out and structured in a neat and orderly manner
- Uses formal language
- Should be thoroughly explained so the employee knows exactly what they are doing
- May have clients logo to look professional
Informal Brief:
- Short piece of text or email that requests someone to do work for them
- Doesn't have to be written, it can be verbal
- Most often used with friends or when little money is involved
- Trademark of an informal brief is that it is written informally (including slang)
- Also known for having grammatical errors
Commission Brief:
- When a client commissions a company to fulfill a brief
- Given to a company who the client has established relations with
- Saves time on looking for potential employees and go straight away to your choice of company
- Opened to the public
- Allows a wide range of people with a spectrum of talents to create a product which is based on the brief for free
- Less money is spent on a product
Tender Brief:
- Similar to a competition brief, it requires a client to post a brief that is open to outside companies
- Companies come to pitch to the clients
- The best will be given a chance to work for the client; developing their ideas and creating their product
Co-operative Brief:
- When two or more companies are contracted to work on the same assignment
- Can be done for multi-skilling
- Tight deadlines, if the deadline is too short, then two companies will be able to finish the work faster than one
Reading a Brief:
- Must pay attention to what kind of brief it is; is it a contract, tender, competition or co-operative?
- Final dates - When are your deadlines? How can you meet them?
- Timescale - How long do you have? Is it plausible?
- What is required? - What are you being asked to do? Is there any special requirements?
Negotiating the brief:
- Negotiable to an extent, when you receive one its always best to carefully read through and check if there is anything that wouldn't be possible or that you would like to change
- It can be crucial especially when something isn't plausible or that will put you out of pocket
- Can be used with tight deadlines or small budgets
- If the constraints are too much, then it is worth negotiating and asking for an extension or more funding
- Give yourself and the client time - read thoroughly through the brief before going back to the client for negotiation. make sue you fully understand every aspect before you agree to any terms
- If you don't understand- ASK!
- Make sure you and the client understand and agree what your expectations, goals and objectives are for the negotiation. Many times, the contractor comes back thinking they've done a great job, only to find out that the client's expectations were based on issues only partly communicated and understood
Opportunities
There are many opportunities to be found within a brief on top of the money making aspect.
- New skills
- multi-skilling
- Self development
- Gain contacts
- Experience
- Travel
- Communication skills
- Portfolio/CV
- Meet clients or important people in industry
Lesson 5
UNIT 5: Creating a Character
Character development in Screen Writing
- Reveal the character through actions - body language/what they do
- Reveal character through dialogue - form speech/show audience what they are like
- Reveal character through story arc -specific moments/actions/dialogue/place character in overall context
- Avoid clichés - employ actions/dialogue/story elements/stay true to your own unique observations
- Think like an actor and give your character a point of view - motivation for the scene/they need to know what they said/do/feel before stepping into the scene
https://thescriptlab.com/category/screenwriting/character/
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