How to Write a Radio Serial Drama for Social Development- PDF

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104 Chapter Seven: Writing for the Ear EXAMPLE 1. MOTHER: My daughter went to the clinic today, and the health worker told her all about the advantages and disadvantages of this Norplant® implant that so many people have been talking about. She said that the advantages are that it is very effective; that it works for up to five years; that it works immediately after insertion; that it can be used by breast feeding women; and that you can get pregnant right after you stop using it. Doesn’t that sound like something that you would like to use, Maggie 2. MAGGIE: It does sound interesting, but perhaps you would be good enough to tell me a little more about it. I would really like to know more about it before I decide. In the next piece of dialogue, the same two characters present the same information, but they converse naturally. They interrupt each other, and their thoughts are expressed in fragments rather than in formal sentences. Note the use of ellipses (a series of full stops or periods) to indicate to the actor that the speech should be read as a series of disjointed statements, rather than as a single cohesive sentence. Ellipses also are used at the end of a speech to indicate that the next character interrupts before the speech is complete, as can be seen in line 5 below. EXAMPLE 1. MOTHER: My daughter went to the clinic today, Maggie. She’s been saying for ages that she wanted to find out about this Norplant thing... I was... 2. MAGGIE: Norplant implant I think it’s called, sister. 3. MOTHER: Right. Some of her friends have had it put in their arm... Jenny... of course... had to find out about it. I mean, she’s a follower... we know that. She says there are lots of good things about this Norplant... what did you say... implant. 4. MAGGIE: (SCORNFULLY) Such as 5. MOTHER: I can’t remember everything... the health worker said it works very well... works for up to five years... That sounds pretty good.... 6. MAGGIE: Maybe, sister, maybe. 7. MOTHER: (GOING RIGHT ON) And... oh, yes... she said it works right away... not like some of those things that you have to ... um... stay away from your husband for a few weeks before they work. You know what I mean. 8. MAGGIE: No sex, you mean... So it works right away. But, what about when you WANT to get pregnant. I’ll bet you have to wait six months after the thing’s been removed.
Chapter Seven: Writing for the Ear 105 9. MOTHER: No... no, I remember that... Um... Jenny said you can get pregnant quite soon after having it removed. So, what do you think Maggie... sound like something you could use 10. MAGGIE: I don’t know... maybe. Not only does this dialogue sound more natural to the culture for which it was written, it also allows the audience to absorb the information more slowly and reveals something of the personality of the characters. 3. Suit the dialogue to the character. The style and tone of the dialogue must be changed to suit the personality of each character. While the actors employ appropriate accents for different characters, it is the writer’s responsibility to create dialogue that reveals the true nature of each character. A highly-educated, professional city dweller, for example, is more likely than a rural person with little formal education to use sophisticated language, including scientific terminology for medical and technical matters. Even when characters come from similar backgrounds, they are apt to have individual speech patterns and idiosyncrasies that express their personalities. The capable writer uses dialogue artfully to assist in the depiction of character. 4. Pace the dialogue to suit the action. The characters’ dialogue must be paced to fit the action of the drama. Two people chatting over a cup of tea speak in a more leisurely way and use longer sentences than do people who have just discovered that their house is on fire. The listeners feel the mood of a scene through the pace of the dialogue. The following scene starts off in one mood and shifts to another. The change in the pace of the dialogue, as well as the words used, triggers the emotional response of the audience. 7 EXAMPLE 1. JOE: (AS IF DROPPING INTO A CHAIR) Ahh, that feels good. There’s nothing like it, Jill... sitting on your own porch at the end of the day, watching the sun go down. 2. JILL: It’s a good life, John. We’ve worked hard, but we’ve been lucky... many things to be grateful for. If I had my life to live over again, I wouldn’t change it. 3. JOE: No.... Could use a bit more free time, perhaps, but on the whole, no complaints. Now then, Jill my dear, can I pour you a nice cup of.... 4. FX. TELEPHONE RINGS OFF. HOLD UNDER TILL JOE ANSWERS. 5. JILL: Why does it always ring when we’re sitting down 6. JOE: I’ll get it. (GRUNTS AS HE GETS OUT OF CHAIR)
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How To Write a Radio Serial Drama f
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Using This Book This book is a prac
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vi Contents Chapter Two 13 Writing
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viii Contents Chapter Seven 99 Writ
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x Contents Chapter Thirteen 181 The
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xii Prologue 1. Individual-level co
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xiv Prologue Source factors are the
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Chapter One Introduction to the Use
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Chapter One: Introduction to the Us
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Chapter Two Writing Begins: The Wri
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Chapter Eleven Script Presentation
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Glossary This list defines the word
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Index of Script Excerpts and Other
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Bibliography/references 217 Bibliog
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