Radio Drama : Codes and conventions

by Natalia Rogalska

What is radio drama ?Radio drama, commonly known as radio play, is a dramatized, purely audio performance that is usually broadcast on radio, tape or CD. With no visual component, this performance relies on dialogue, music and sound effects so as to help the listener visualize the story and characters.

Codes and conventions

Codes and conventions are forms of media that helps to make a final piece. The Codes are the elements that have to be included in the production, and conventions are elements that listener expect to hear.

SCRIPTIt is very important to have a script, without it radio drama cannot be produced. Script contains all the information that you need for your production, for example important cues for dialogue, music and sound effects. This helps to understand writer’s intentions on how the production should be looking. It also helps to be organized for everyone who is taking part of that production.

MUSICMusic at the background of the radio drama creates atmosphere and heighten emotion. Music keeps the story moving by giving it colour and holds the attention of the listener. There is different kinds of background music, for example for a horror radio play music would sound darkly and mysterious. Romance would contain romantic orchestral themes depicting different emotions etc.

Sound effectsSound effects are the records that you can hear it at the background of the radio play. They add realism to the production and give a clear idea what is going on in the story. It helps the audience imagine the situation. However, sometimes sounds effects make the dialogue or monologue harder for listeners to follow. This is why in many radio plays we can hear a silence, which keeps the audience tense and curious. However, silence should not be too long.  

SpeechEach radio drama has different characters whose job is to make the radio drama more interesting, by changing their voices or having different accents. This shows various personalities of the characters from the story, and make the audience want to spend more time listening to it.

Radio drama conventions chartNAME OF RADIO DRAMA GENRE OF

PROGRAMME : CRIME, HORROR, ROMANCE, ETC

What types of the following were included in the programme whilst you were listening?• Speech• Sounds• Music • Silence

Who is the audience for this type of genre? Age, gender, social class etc.

BloodyScotland

Criminal,Thriller

Woman’s voice; narrator; strong accent (Russian, Italian); monologue.Tragic ,criminal story with romantic bits; about the past of a woman. Nomusic or sounds at the background. Short silence pauses betweenmonologue.

Audience: mainly maturewomen; +25;+30Different social class.

The Rivals

Criminal Characters with a British accent. Story (I suppose ) based on Sherolck Holems’ adventures andinvestigations. Classical music. Sounds depends on the situation; mostly sounds of medical accessories. Variousdialogues between characters.

Audience: adults; mainlymen +35; high social class

Links• Bloody Scotland:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b03bq5tv/Bloody_Scotland_Waiting_with_the_Body/

• The Rivals: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b03bdw8c/The_Rivals_Series_2_The_Clue_of_the_Silver_Spoons/

What do you think about these radio dramas?

How would you describe it ?