S3 January Test

These notes have been compiled to help you be successful in your assessment. The questions will refer to some of the information detailed below. All of these areas have been covered at some point in your drama classes between S1 and S3. The test will consist of two sections. The first will be short answer questions based on the information below. The second will ask you to respond to stimulus. You will be asked to write a scene plan, create a character card, and write about how you would use production skills to improve a performance of the play.

Looking at Standard Grade paper papers of the SQA website at General level may help you prepare. Sites like Quizlet.com may help you learn lighting and set information. Please use only those that say Standard Grade as the language used in other exams can be different.

Stimulus

A stimulus is a starting point, something that gives you ideas for a drama. It can be a range of things including picture, a poem, a newspaper article, a sound effect, a prop, a situation, a script extract.

When developing a stimulus for a presentation a process can be identified.

The Drama Process

Creating

1) Responding to stimulus

2) Offering ideas

3) Discussing and selecting ideas for situations and roles

4) Agreeing form, structuring and devices

5) Setting up space

6) Rehearsing

Presenting

7) Reviewing

8) Adding theatre arts

9) Presenting to an audience

Evaluating

10) Evaluating

When developing for a presentation, getting a drama “performance ready” we need to be more aware of audience needs and use production skills to enhance the drama.

This can mean being aware of being heard, positioning ourselves so we can be seen, being aware of masking, and sightlines.


Voice and Movement Skills

Voice skills

Accent Way of speaking used in a local area or country

Clarity Clearness of the voice

Volume Loudness or quietness of the voice

Register Appropriate speech for the person being spoken to, situation

Intonation Rising and falling of voice in speech

Pitch How high or low the voice is

Pace Speed of speech or movement

Movement skills

How the body in held. We use facial expression, stance, gesture, posture and pace to develop a character, showing age, occupation, and mood.

Facial expression Look on face which shows emotion

Stance Attitude or position of the body

Gesture Movement of the hand or arm which communicates a meaning or emotion

Pace Speed of movement

Posture Position of the body – how it is held

Mime is stylised movement creating the illusion of reality.

Effective mime skills can be remembered as SPECS

Slow, precise, exaggerated, clear, and simple.

Production Skills

These can be listed as acting, lighting, sound, props, set, make-up, costume.

Lighting

Blackout When the acting area is not lit

Cross fade to change from one lighting state to another with no blackout in between

Gel Film placed in front of a lantern to change the colour of the beam of light

Gobo Thin metal plate cut out in a pattern and placed in a lantern to project pattern or shape into the acting area

G-clamp Clamp used to secure lantern to lighting bar or stand

Flood Lantern giving a wide spread of light

Follow spot Powerful profile used to follow actors around the acting area

Fresnel spot lantern giving a soft edged beam of light

Lighting desk Control board for lighting

Slow fade to the lighting is faded out slowly

Wash The whole acting area is evenly lit

Areas of the stage

Blocking Deciding where the actors will move on stage

Character Specific person in a drama

Characterisation Process of fully developing a character

Ground plan A Bird’s eye view of the set showing what is on the set, entrances/exits and the position of the audience

Key Included on a ground plan to show what the symbols mean

Masking One actor unintentionally preventing another from being seen by the audience

Purpose The reason for the drama e.g. to entertain, educate, inform, explore a theme, to tell a story

Target audience a specific group of people at whom the drama is aimed at