Introduction | Task | Process | Resources | Evaluation

Before there were televisions and computers to entertain the American public, there was radio. Families of the 1930s and 1940s would gather around the radio and listen to their favorite programs such as Little Orphan Annie, Amos and Andy, The Dick Tracy, and The Shadow. Millions of Americans tuned in daily to their favorite programs, just as today we tune in to our favorite television shows. Radio allowed the listener to create their own images of characters and settings, a luxury that we no longer have in these days of television. Take a journey back to the "Golden Age of Radio" as you learn about Radio Play Writing.

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Task

You are an employee of a local radio station. Your boss, who grew up during the "Golden Age" of radio, has decided to add new programming to the station. He has assigned you and your co-workers the task of writing and producing a new radio drama. Your boss expects you and your co-workers to research the history of radio drama so that you have a better understanding of what was produced.

The script needs to have a mystery or suspense theme to fit your boss' programming schedule. You will need to include sound effects and commercials, designed in the style of the old radio play style.

In addition to the script, you and your team are to present a recorded demo-version of the play, complete with sound effects, that will be recorded digitally.

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Process

Step 1: Mystery Writing - Make it Suspenseful!

(Time allowed: 2 days)

In order to effectively write mystery and suspense through dialogue, you must look at a variety of areas. Read the following web sites and brainstorm ideas for your play. Complete a graphic organizer with your plans. You also need to complete a story map for the planning process. You can make up the graphic organizer yourself or use one of the ones provided. The story map will be provided for you in class.

Step 2: Deciding on Group Member Roles

Playwright and Advertising Executive - All group members will participate in the writing of the radio play. The Typist will actually type up the final script.

Foley Artist - All group members will help in bringing in the necessary props for their recording.

	Playwright	It is the responsibility of the playwright to write the actual script for the radio drama. The other members of the group will provide creative input, but the playwright will be held accountable for actually writing the script on paper.
	Foley Artist	It is the responsibility of the Foley artist to create the sound effects for the radio drama. This person will be responsible for ensuring that all props are brought to the recording studio when needed. The Foley artist will make sure that the playwright includes all sound effects in the script.
	Advertising Executive	It is the responsibility of the advertising executive to write the commercials for the radio drama. This person should decide where the commercials should be placed in the script and inform the playwright of these decisions.
	Typist	It is the responsibility of the typist to type up the actual script, including the commercials. One or two people will be chosen by the group to do this task.

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Step 3: Group Research and Discussion

(Time Allowed: 1-2 days - Homework anticipated)

Divide the web site links above between the group members (For example, one each read the Playwriting links. Two people each take two Foley sites. One person reads the Ad Executive links.) Read and research the information and report back to the group. Show important information or sounds from the web sites to your group.

Brainstorm ideas for script ideas, sound effects and commercials. Have someone type notes as you discuss so that you have a record of your discussion.

Playwright
Format for a Radio Play Script	This page presents a sample format for writing a radio play script. Read through this page so you will be familiar with this format. This is the format you will follow when you write you own script. You might want to print this page and use it for reference when you write your own script.
Vintage Radio Script Library Page	Click on one of the scripts provided on this page. Read through the script to become familiar with what a real radio play script looks like. Pay particular attention to the story line, noticing how they present the setting, character, plot, etc.
Foley Artist
Sound Effects	Read through this history of sound effects in radio. Pay particular attention to the examples given of how to make particular sounds.
The Art of Foley	Read the section titled "What is Foley" and view the movie clips located near the end of the page. This should provide you a good definition of what Foley artists do.
Movie Sound Effects	Read through the Insights & Connections and the Vocabulary sections. This will add to your background knowledge of sound effects. You might also consider trying to do the Main Activity.
Radio Sound Effects	Read through the information in this site, focusing your attention on the section titled "Using Sound Effects."
Advertising Executive
Radio Sounds Showcase	Listen to the wav files for some of the 1930s era commercials. This will give you some ideas of how radio commercials were designed.
Vintage Radio Script Library Page	Click on one of the scripts provided on this page. Read through the commercials in the script. Use this as a guide to writing your own advertisements for your radio play. Pay particular attention to where the commercial interruptions take place.

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Step 4: Writing the Script and Commercials

(Time Allowed: 2-3 days - Homework expected)

Work together to create a 3-4 page script. Use your planning papers and research to create the script. Make sure that you have Foley (sound) effects indicated and accounted for in the script. Break at "critical", peak moments to add commercials. You can put them on the same script pages.

·        It must have at least three scenes and three commercials.

• Format: It must be typed, double spaced between character's lines and subtitles. Follow the format as used in the old radio scripts.

Revision: Tips from Scholastic

Step 5: Rehearsal

(Time Allowed: 1 day and homework)

Decide on who will read which parts and do the Foley effects during the production. Everyone must have a role in the production.

Rehearse your radio drama, including the commercials and sound effects. Make sure you put emotion and feeling into your reading of the script. It must be rehearsed out loud. Spend one homework night reading your parts out loud and then together as a group, adding sound effects.

Step 6:

(Time Allowed: 1-2 days)

Record your drama in class, complete with sound effects and commercials. Two digital recorders will be available with two classrooms. Rest of class will be rehearsing or observing during that time.

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Resources

This is a list of all of the web sites that can be used in this assignment.
 

Understanding the Radio Play (download the Word document - handouts provided in class)

Old-Time Radio: The Golden Years (http://www.old-time.com/golden_age/index.html)

The History of Radio (http://www.old-time.com/halper/index.html)

Any Year in History (http://www.scopesys.com/year)

Format for a Radio Play Script (http://www.greatnorthernaudio.com/audio_theater/format.txt)

Vintage Radio Script Library Page (http://www.genericradio.com)

1938 "War of the Worlds" Radio Broadcast Wavs

Sound Effects (http://www.old-time.com/sfx.html)

The Art of Foley (http://www.marblehead.net/foley/)

Movie Sound Effects (http://www.newtonsapple.tv/TeacherGuide.php?id=1300)

Radio Sound Effects (http://www.greatnorthernaudio.com/audio_theater/Sound_Effects.html)

The Radio Sounds Showcase (http://www.earthstation1.com/radio.html#Commercials)

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Evaluation

Each member of your group will be given an individual grade and a group grade.

You will be graded individually on your contribution to the final script  and notes/preparation. (i.e. playwright - script, Foley artist - written description of the sound effects/effectiveness of sound effects, advertising executive - written commercials).

Your group grade will be based on your actual performance of the radio play as well as the overall effect of the script as a whole. It will also include your timeline, which will be evaluated on accuracy as well as creativity.

The individual grade and the group grade will each be worth fifty percent of the total grade.

To see a grading rubric, click here.  (Will be edited and handed out prior to completion of project.)

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