The Radio Play Project
The excellent thing about writing for the radio is that you can SET your story ANYWHERE! You can travel through time, visit strange and beautiful lands. Your setting can be anywhere you need it to be: In a deep, dark cave at the dawn of time, on a spaceship hurtling through space on a mission to visit 10 planets--each one unique and culturally amazing, in a science lab and the backwoods of Arkansas during the Civil War and Reconstruction periods. No sets means low production cost.
Your imagination can run wild. You can also structure your narrative story to include a variety of times and places or locations. You can have just one character, or several. Minor characters in a film would mean you'd have to spend your budget paying these actors. On the radio, an actor can play several small parts, each with a unique voice! Possibilities are endless!
You can also write about any subject. You can also adapt other writers' work (or your own) into an epic story that could be told through a series of episodes.
To begin today, first you need to know whether you are working alone or with a partner. If cooperating with another writer, take a few minutes to talk about what kind of story you both want to write.
Then you should think up a premise for a story. Pick a genre. Make a character list. Sketch out a few ideas for conflicts, scenes, or settings. Make an outline or decide on the break down of your structure. Use the PODCAST form (see post below) for an idea on how to structure your story. You can have several scenes if you need to, but you should also note you need an intro and outro musical theme, and at some point you need to alert your listeners as to what they're listening to.
Drawing your listener in is important. Each episode should be interesting enough to compel a listener to keep listening. This can be done by creating interesting characters, including suspense and mystery to your plot, or writing riveting dramatic lines concerning topics that are interesting or beautiful to listen to.
Character's voices are important. Try to contrast your characters. Deep voices, high pitched voices, sound effects (SFX), ambient noise or music to suggest setting, etc. Alternate noisy scenes with quiet ones. The more important a line, make sure it is not being drowned out by a SFX. Lots of noise can help create a chaotic tone--the threat of danger. Alternate inside scenes with outside ones. Consider what background sounds might be included to clue your audience into knowing where your scene takes place. A scene set on a farm sounds different than a scene set in an urban school cafeteria.
Read a few hints about writing radio plays. Feel free to follow this advice, as it might help you understand what you're doing or expected to do. Use the play scripts we read to help you as well.
By the end of today, you should have 1. Chosen a partner (or decide to work by yourself); 2. brainstormed some ideas for your script, 3. Sketched out an outline or scenario with a break down of potential episodes for your story, 4. Read this advice and the advice at the link, and 5. Begun writing your play script (use the handout guidelines to follow the proper format for radio plays).
HOMEWORK: None. You are welcome to work on your play scripts through mid-term week. Otherwise, we will finish this project when we return for the second semester. Go listen to the radio.
The excellent thing about writing for the radio is that you can SET your story ANYWHERE! You can travel through time, visit strange and beautiful lands. Your setting can be anywhere you need it to be: In a deep, dark cave at the dawn of time, on a spaceship hurtling through space on a mission to visit 10 planets--each one unique and culturally amazing, in a science lab and the backwoods of Arkansas during the Civil War and Reconstruction periods. No sets means low production cost.
Your imagination can run wild. You can also structure your narrative story to include a variety of times and places or locations. You can have just one character, or several. Minor characters in a film would mean you'd have to spend your budget paying these actors. On the radio, an actor can play several small parts, each with a unique voice! Possibilities are endless!
You can also write about any subject. You can also adapt other writers' work (or your own) into an epic story that could be told through a series of episodes.
"Television, for example, never does science fiction very well because it can't afford the production values that are required, whereas with radio you really do have a theatre as large as the universe in that sense. You're using the muscle of the listener's imagination - they're doing the work with you - and I think that's absolutely terrific."
Mike Walker
To begin today, first you need to know whether you are working alone or with a partner. If cooperating with another writer, take a few minutes to talk about what kind of story you both want to write.
Then you should think up a premise for a story. Pick a genre. Make a character list. Sketch out a few ideas for conflicts, scenes, or settings. Make an outline or decide on the break down of your structure. Use the PODCAST form (see post below) for an idea on how to structure your story. You can have several scenes if you need to, but you should also note you need an intro and outro musical theme, and at some point you need to alert your listeners as to what they're listening to.
Drawing your listener in is important. Each episode should be interesting enough to compel a listener to keep listening. This can be done by creating interesting characters, including suspense and mystery to your plot, or writing riveting dramatic lines concerning topics that are interesting or beautiful to listen to.
Character's voices are important. Try to contrast your characters. Deep voices, high pitched voices, sound effects (SFX), ambient noise or music to suggest setting, etc. Alternate noisy scenes with quiet ones. The more important a line, make sure it is not being drowned out by a SFX. Lots of noise can help create a chaotic tone--the threat of danger. Alternate inside scenes with outside ones. Consider what background sounds might be included to clue your audience into knowing where your scene takes place. A scene set on a farm sounds different than a scene set in an urban school cafeteria.
Read a few hints about writing radio plays. Feel free to follow this advice, as it might help you understand what you're doing or expected to do. Use the play scripts we read to help you as well.
By the end of today, you should have 1. Chosen a partner (or decide to work by yourself); 2. brainstormed some ideas for your script, 3. Sketched out an outline or scenario with a break down of potential episodes for your story, 4. Read this advice and the advice at the link, and 5. Begun writing your play script (use the handout guidelines to follow the proper format for radio plays).
HOMEWORK: None. You are welcome to work on your play scripts through mid-term week. Otherwise, we will finish this project when we return for the second semester. Go listen to the radio.
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