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