Body of Knowledge Booklet

7/30/2019 Body of Knowledge Booklet

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/body-of-knowledge-booklet 1/23



DEVISING

There is a process that can be outlined and followed when

devising a drama from stimulus to presentation .

It is recognised that areas such as offering ideas, reviewing,evaluating and problem solving will be continuous throughout

the work.

Responding to stimulus

Offering ideas

Discussing and selecting ideas for situations and roles

Agreeing form, structuring and devices

Setting up space

Rehearsing

Reviewing

Adding theatre arts

Presenting to an audience

Evaluating



STIMULUS

All drama is a response to stimulus.

A stimulus is anything which suggests ideas that can be

developed into a presentation.

Examples of stimuli:-

Pictures

Props

Scripts

Location

Costume

Stories

People

Newspaper articles

Words

Situations

Lyrics

Poems

Music

Sound FX

No kids out on the street today

You could be living on the moon.

Maybe everybody packed their bags and

moved away

Gonna be a long, long, long, Sunday

afternoon.





• Proposing improvements

GRADE RELATED STATEMENTS

You are continually assessed against a range of statements.These statements are criteria - sentences that give the

standards of how your drama work is measured. For the

Extended Grade Related Criteria, see the end of this booklet.

The following statements are from the EGRC and apply to:

• Devising

•

Stimulus• Creating and Presenting

• Evaluation

Foundation Candidates

• Will respond to a range of stimuli with some simple ideas, which do

not often offer opportunities for exploration. They may have difficulty

in developing the ideas of others and may tend to accept rather than

instigate ideas.

• Their contribution to the creating and presenting process may bemore passive than active and seldom innovative.

• These candidates’ evaluative work may contain valid but obvious

justifications with repetitive and/or rudimentary vocabulary and

concepts.

General Candidates

• Will respond to a range of stimuli with several ideas, which offer

opportunities for development. They may be able and willing to develop

the ideas of others.

• Their participation in the creating and presenting process will be

valuable and, at times, enhance the work undertaken.

• These candidates’ evaluative work may consist of valid judgements

which are regularly, if not consistently, justified. Well-observed

concepts are supported by appropriate vocabulary.

Credit Candidates

•Will respond to a range of stimuli by offering a range of appropriateand demanding ideas, developing and expanding upon those ideas and upon

ideas offered by others.

• These candidates will often be the source of inspiration and

leadership throughout the creating and presenting process.



• Their evaluative work will show ability to marshal ideas and evidence

and may show occasional insight. Vocabulary used will be appropriate,

opinions stated will be fully justified.

LANGUAGE and VOICE

The use of LANGUAGE and the use of VOICE are veryimportant concepts in Drama. Without an understanding or

awareness of language and voice you would be struggling to

create dialogue for scenes. You would not be able to work on

scripts and you would be leaving out a large chunk of work that

is important to your self-development as well as the Standard

Grade coursework itself.

What you should know

• Language and voice are methods of expression and

communication.

• Language is WHAT we say or write (vocabulary choice

and order).

• Voice is HOW we communicate verbally (meaning and

expression)

• Language and voice are dependant of situation, role andpurpose.

• Language activities can be rehearsed, improvised or

scripted.

Voice is given meaning and expression through use of:

F G CAccent

PaceVolume

Clarity

Emphasis

Pause

Pitch

Tone

Articulation

Fluency

Intonation



Register

Appropriate use of language and voice in characterisation

can communicate information about:

◊ Age

◊ Personality

◊ Mood◊ Opinion

◊ Intention

◊ Sex

◊ Status

◊ Relationship

◊ Education

◊ Background

• You must be able to show awareness

of audience needs by appropriate use

of language and voice.

• You must be able to use the above in the

CREATION and PRESENTATION of a

drama.



MOVEMENT

Knowledge of movement is important for the understanding and

critical appreciation of the Creating and Presenting processes

of Drama.

What you should know

• Movement is a way of exploring and expressing ideas,

emotions and relationships.

• Movement can be naturalistic or stylised:

o Naturalistic movement techniques (as in

characterisation)

This can be achieved through:F G C

Body language

Facial Expression

Gesture

Eye-contact

Posture

Use of space

o Stylised movement is more the expressing of

abstract ideas (dance drama, mime, dance, mask).

This can be achieved through:

F G C

BalanceSpeed (pace)

Timing

Positioning

Use of levels

Use of space

Rhythm

Stance

Use of direction



Appropriate use of movement in characterisation can

communicate information about:

◊ Age

◊ Personality◊ Mood

◊ Opinion

◊ Intention

◊ Sex

◊ Status

◊ Relationship

◊

Education◊ Background

• Movement can be improvised or rehearsed.

o Rehearsed movement may allow ideas to be

developed, or brought into a more stylised form of

movement.

o Improvised movement allows personal response to a

stimulus

• The movement of characters on an acting area must

take into consideration

o Sight lines

o Positioning

o Grouping

o Upstaging

o Scissor movements

o Masking

Mime is a stylised form of movement which gives an illusion of

reality.

• This can be achieved through the above with awareness of: -

◊ Slow, Precise, Exaggerated, Clear, Simple

◊ Neutral/shaped/release◊ Showing Weight, Size, Shape,

Temperature, Texture



• You must be able to show awareness of audience needs

by moving appropriately in the given space.

• You must be able to use the above in the CREATION and

PRESENTATION of a drama.



ROLE-PLAY

Role-play is a means of exploring attitudes and beliefs.

It is an activity in which you investigate and develop an

imaginary situation either as yourself of from the point of

view of someone else.

You are simply putting forward a point of view. This point of

view may not reflect your own actual point of view or opinion.

Role-play is open-ended, it has no defined course or outcome.

However, it is important to know what the starting point andthe purpose of the role-play is.

Role-play is a language based activity which allows you to use

language appropriate to simulated situations.

What would…..They say?

Do? Feel?

What would….I say?

Do?

Feel?



CHARACTERISATION

Characterisation is the investigation and portrayal of a

specific character.

It can build on role-play by adding individual physical andvocal characteristics. Further development may include

exploration of emotions, attitudes and motivation.

Theatre Arts such as costume, make-up and props may

be used to develop and present a character.

A variety of techniques can be used toinvestigate characters:

F G CCharacter cards

Improvisation

Role-play

Hot-seatingVoices in the head

Writing in Role

Thought tracking

Thought Tunnel

In characterisation, consideration should be given to the:

•Relationships with other characters

• Portrayal in terms of language, voice and movement

•Status and changes in status

•Social, economic and cultural background



PURPOSE

It is important that the drama has a purpose, i.e. a reason that

it is being presented. Without a purpose it is not possible to

put across a meaning.

Focus will identify key (important or significant) moments or

scenes, key characters, key relationships and/or key events

within a drama.

When you are planning your drama, you should be considering a

target audience. That is an identifiable group of people at

whom the drama is aimed. This should have a direct link onpurpose and focus.

There are a variety of purposes for a drama. It may be a

single purpose or in combination to:

F G C• Communicate a message

• Entertain

• Tell a story

• Educate

• Explore a theme or issue

• Explore and experience(e.g. through audience participation, forum theatre)



FORM and STRUCTURE

Form is the overall style of the drama. That is:

F G C

A play, scripted or improvised

Dance Drama

Mime

Monologue

Movement

Musical

Pantomime

Comedy

Tragedy

Docu-drama

Forum theatre

Within these forms, each of which has features associatedwith it, there is the opportunity to experiment with the

structure and the conventions which may enhance it.

Structure is the way in which time, place and action are

sequenced.

• Linear structure means the actionunfolds from beginning to end (no

flashbacks) in chronological order.

• Non-linear structure means the

action unfolds through shifts in time

(back and forward) and/or place.



Conventions are different way of presenting part(s) of a

drama:

F G C

FlashbackFlashforward

Freeze Frame

Frozen Picture

Mime

Monologue

Movement

Slow motion

Narration

Voice over

Aside

Soliloquy

Tableau (credit term for Frozen Picture)

Scene Three -

Two hours later, the

manager’s office.

In mime!



Mood, Atmosphere and Dramatic Tension

Mood and Atmosphere concern the feelings and emotions

brought on by the drama and therefore involve an audience

response to what is being seen and heard.

There is a link between mood and atmosphere and tension.

Tension is the driving force of the drama. It causes others

to want to know what happens next and sustains interest and

momentum. It creates challenges and prevents the drama

becoming boring.

Tension can be created through:

F G CMovement

Shock or surprise

Silence

Action

Conflict and confrontation

MysteryRelationships and status

Threat or pressure

Dramatic irony

Acting techniques can be used to heighten tension and create

mood and atmosphere through: -



F G CMovement

Pace

Pause

Silence

Voice

Eye contact

Moves

Physical contact

Contrast

PositioningTiming

Theatre arts can be used to heighten tension and create mood

and atmosphere: -

F G CCostume

LightingMusic

Make up (and masks)

Props

Sound Effects

Set

Special EffectsStaging

THEATRE ARTS



Theatre Arts is the collective name for lighting, sound,

costumes, props, make-up and set.

It is best to have a hands on experience of Theatre Arts, but a

theoretical (bare fact only) knowledge may be the way for

some aspects of Theatre Arts.

Taking responsibility for theatre arts involves the ability to:

G & C only

• Know the function of lighting, select effects

and use a cue sheet

•

know the function of sound, select music/SFXand use a cue sheet

• select, organise and use costume

• select/collate, organise, list and use props

• select, organise and use make-up

• produce a ground plan for a set

If you are responsible for a theatre art, the following processcan be identified:

• familiarisation with script of scenario

• identification of requirements (what is needed!)

• liaise (meet and talk) with director, designers and cast

• prepare initial designs

• prepare/organise materials

• implementation

• refine and adjust in light of experience

• operation

• removal/striking/storage/resetting as appropriate

THE ACTING AREA



The acting area is that part of the available space occupied by

the asset and used by the actors when acting.

Staging is the position of the acting are relative to the

audience.

Types of staging are:

F G C

• End on

• Theatre in the round

• Thrust

• Proscenium arch

• Avenue

• Promenade

Areas of the stage indicate the division of the acting area

into nine sections. The allocation of left and right is taken

from the point of view of the actor facing the audience.

Nine areas – in word and initial (abbreviation) form:

All levels

• USR Up stage right

• USC Up stage centre

• USL Up stage left

•

CSR Centre stage right• CS Centre stage

• CSL Centre stage left

• DSR Down stage right

• DSC Down stage centre

• DSL Down stage left

Set is the scenery and furniture on the acting area indicatingthe setting. To dress the set is to add soft furnishings and

set props.



A ground plan is a bird’s eye view of the set, showing furniture,

entrances/exits and the position of the audience

An effective ground plan will show:

All levels

• An outline (delineation) of the acting area

• Position of audience

• Entrances/exits

• The viability (could it be used) of the set

• An indication of scale

• A key

An outline (delineation) of the acting area – indicates the

boundaries of the acting area. The conventional outline may be

used or another outline which better shows the acting area

used in specific place or for specific dramas.

Position of the audience – this may be indicated simply by theword ‘audience’ in the appropriate place(s). No need to draw!

Entrances/exits – these can be indicated by a door symbol

where a door flat would actually be used or by arrows when

wall/doors are imaginary or do not exist.

The viability (could it be used) of the set - sightlines must be

considered, the set must allow actors to move around theacting area, entrances/exits must be clear and the audience

must be able to see the action and actors.

Indication of scale – indicate the relative proportions (rough

size) on the set and the amount of acting area they occupy.

Key – Explanation of what the symbols on the ground plan

represent. The following items should only be represented by



the undernoted symbols. Symbols for any other items may be

designed, and should be clearly explained in the key.

SCRIPT



A SCRIPT consists of the written words of a drama. A script

may be a published or original work.

The conventions associated with a script include:

C only• The division of the script into acts

and/or scenes

• A description of the set for each act/scene

• An indication of changes of time and place for

each act/scene

• The allocation of lines to characters

•

The inclusion of stage directions• Advice to actors on delivery of lines

• Recommendations on the use of Theatre Arts

to enhance the action

These conventions should apply to the reading, writing and

interpretation of scripts.

DIRECTING

The School RoomAct 1, scene 1 –a drama studio, not unlike the one you are in

now. A brilliant, young and talented drama teacher is taking a

class of high flying 3 rd year pupils. They are all listening

intently to every word the teacher says.

Teacher Excellent everybody. That is exactly the

sort of thing that will make you Credit

students.

Pupil 1 Please sir, can we do homework tonight?

Teacher Not tonight, have you forgotten it’s the first



Directing is the process of one person’s interpretation of a

script or scenario and its realisation in performance, in

conjunction with actors and design team members.

Design concepts are a director’s ideas on how theatre arts can

reflect and emphasise the themes and issues of a drama, its

characters, mood, atmosphere and tension.

A director assumes responsibility for:

C only

• the interpretation of script/scenario, includingpunctuation inferences

• design concepts

• communicating/liaising with actors and design team

casting

• blocking

• the rehearsal process

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