Still image/freeze frame

Here are some ways to create a still image:

• one person acts as a sculptor [sculptor: Person responsible for positioning individuals ] and creates images by positioning individuals in the group in relation to one another to create a still image.
• a group can create an image one by one, to show a large group situation, eg after a road accident.
• a piece of action can be stopped at a particular moment, to allow an audience to appreciate what is happening.

Why a still image? What does it add to a drama?

Just like a photograph, a still image can be examined closely, and the audience can note body language [body language: The non-verbal way in which a person communicates their physical and mental state through using facial expressions, gesture and posture ], facial expressions or proxemics [proxemics: The distance between two interacting individuals ] to give clues as to the situation or the people within the situation at that moment.

Watch the video example by clicking on the link opposite.

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Thought-tracking

Thought-tracking helps inform an audience about a character. You see it in action when:

• a character speaks out loud about his/her inner thoughts at a particular moment in the drama
• a character speaks out loud about his/her inner thoughts during a freeze frame/still-image

Why give a thought-track? What does it add to a drama?

Sometimes in daily life we would like to know what someone thinks at important moments. We really want to know how people have been affected by a situation. When we know more of what they are feeling, we understand them better. In drama, too, when we know more of what a character thinks or feels, the drama is deepened and the audience becomes more involved.

Watch the video example by clicking on the link opposite.

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Narrating

Narrating is what you do when you're giving a spoken commentary on the action taking place during a drama. It's a useful technique when you want to inform the audience of what is happening.

Why use narrating? What can it add to a drama?

Narrating can make a drama more understandable or stylised in a number of ways:

• an actor can speak the commentary over the action happening in the drama.
• a character can speak out what s/he thinks the audience needs to know about the characters or the situation of which s/he is a part - this is called self-narrating.
• an actor can just tell the audience what they need to know in between scenes.
• a character can read or write a diary or letter that informs the audience what is important for them to know about what is happening or going to happen.

Watch the video example by clicking on the link opposite.

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Role-play

Role-play is what you do when you're pretending to be another person and using your imagination to speak, think and even feel like that character.

Why use role-play? What does it add to a drama?

If you don't pretend to be someone else while acting in a drama, then the audience will see only 'you' and not the character you are meant to be portraying. They will only see 'you' in the situations that are described. If you make the role-play realistic and believable, then the audience will be more likely to 'suspend their disbelief' (forget that they're watching a drama, and feel personally involved).

Watch the video example by clicking on the link.

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Cross-cutting

Cross-cutting is what you do after you've created a series of scenes or sequences, and you re-order them to create a drama that goes forwards and backwards in time.

Why use cross-cutting? What can it add to a drama?

Sometimes a drama that starts and carries on in a linear [linear: To follow a series of events in real-time without the use of flash-backs or flash-forwards ] manner can be too predictable, which makes it boring to watch. With cross-cutting we can show the moment when something important happened in the past (using a flash-back), or we can move the drama forward in time (using a flash-forward). In this way the action can be broken up to enhance tension or the narrative.

NB - the cross-cutting video example can be found on the next page, with the hot-seating video.

Hot-seating

Hot-seating is a way of developing (or deepening) character. If you are in the hot-seat you answer questions from others in the group while you are 'in role'.

Why use hot-seating? What can it add to a drama?

The characters will seem more realistic if you feel you really 'know' them. It is easier to be spontaneous and believable if you have carefully explored a character in your drama during the hot-seating process.

Watch the video example by clicking on the link.

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Forum theatre

Forum theatre is a technique you can use while acting out a scene. The group watching is encouraged to stop the action when they think it necessary, to suggest a different action. At other times, the actors themselves can stop the action, and ask for help. Sometimes someone else can step in and take over a role - or even introduce a new one.

Why use forum theatre? What can it add to a drama?

Sometimes it is hard, when devising drama, to imagine what a character might do or say at a particular moment. If you stop the drama when in role, and ask for help from your group, someone will probably give you a good idea of what to do or say next. They might also offer to take over the role to try out their idea - or even join the scene as another character altogether, to take things in a new direction.

Watch the video example by clicking on the link.

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Marking the moment

Marking the moment can happen when a scene has been created, and the group decides it's a significant moment in the drama, and they want to show this in some way.

Why mark the moment? What can this add to a drama?

At times things happen in a scene very quickly - and yet we know these moments can change the whole direction of a drama. This is when something is needed to emphasize the moment.

• We could use a spotlight to literally 'highlight' the moment.
• We could insert a thought-track.
• We could slow down time, or use a still image/freeze-frame.
• We could use narrating by another actor, or self-narrating, to draw the audience's attention to this moment.

Watch the video example by clicking on the link opposite.

Note: this link will open in a new browser window.