Understanding the Codes & Conventions of Radio Drama Genres

Key Terms:

Codes
Conventions
Style
Structure

How to Analyse Radio Drama

You can apply the practice of semiotics to radio in the same way as you would to television. Instead of decoding visual signifiers, you are decoding auditory signifiers.

These auditory signifiers consist of the 'Voice', Technical aspects, Cultural Codes and Codes of Context.
Think about the style of the drama you are analysing, how is it suitable for the target audience? What is the mode-of-address?

Click on the Picture below to see what you need to be looking for...

Task 1:Using some of the websites listed below, choose 3 radio dramas of different genres and write an analysis of each using the notes above and in the picture below.

BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 7
Drama Pod
Wireless Theatre Company

Example 1: The introduction voice is slightly high pitched and loud, this connotes the importance of the introduction, also as this is a radio drama based upon the star wars universe, which has a scrolling intro that sets the scene of the film, a voice over is needed to represent the importance and calibre of this introduction. The voice is smooth and keeps a constant rhythm, again this is because the introduction so is important to this story, the voice needs to be easy to understand and pleasing to listen to as they are the ones setting the scene for the whole drama. When the main villain is introduced his voice is slow, rough and sly. His voice connotes that he is evil, that he seems to be plotting and carefully thinking about what he is saying, signifying his intelligence. Juxtaposed against this is the voice of a simple foot solider, who stutters and has a quieter, more subtle voice. His voice signifies that he is ‘below’ the main antagonist and seen as a lesser person. More over, the hero is set up as a binary opposite to the villain. This highlights each of the characters personalities. The hero is a female, with a soft, flowing voice. She is juxtaposed against the villain.

Example 2:Voice plays a huge role in this Radio Drama from the start. One of the main villains of the doctor who series, The Daleks, are introduced straight away. Their high pitched, electronic voice is iconic to the series and the voice signifies the cold, evil, calicle attitude of the Daleks by using high pitched short, and usually evil, responses. Also using an electronic voice signifies that they are robotic. When the doctor is introduced, he uses an very standard English dialect which links to the TV series being a highly acclaimed British show. The Doctor uses a language register that shows that the drama is aimed at people who are interested in the doctor who show, as he uses words and phrases associated with the show, ones which a first time listener would not understand. Without an understanding of the Doctor Who show, a listener would feel lost as the iconic sound effects (such as the Tardiss’ signature woo woo) help move the narrative on.

Example 3: A BBC Radio 7 production. This radio drama has the genre, comedy. It is a scripted spoof of a chat show with a primary target audience of people aged around 16 to mid 30’s and both sexes, however secondarily it would be aimed at people of an older age or possibly younger than 16 but not children. The social class that this radio drama is aimed at would be working to middle class because although it is a spoof, there is an element of the broadcast which requires the audience to be well educated, the audience must also understand the codes of conventions of a real chat show. Applause is used as an icon, where the index is a big crowd of people who are sat in the audience, this gives the image of a real chat show and the impression that it is live. Music is used to signify when the guest is on, as the listener we would imagine that the guest has arrived onto the stage of the chat show. Because Alan is quite rude and also has a sexist view of women, this undermines the conventions of a chat show, where usually the host is very polite. The unprofessionalism juxtaposed with an american presenter is more affective. Alan is a complex character, neither good or bad, and in certain episodes he plays the role of the ‘hero’ where the guest is the ‘villain’ which is entertaining for the listeners and gives the drama more structure.

Task 2.Produce 3 x 20 second clips, each clip should emulate the codes and conventions of a specific genre.