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http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/8DYB627
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Asylum an original BBC Radio 4 audio play and a spin off to the Torchwood franchise. It was broadcasted in 1 July 2009 and it featured genres of action, adventure and science fiction as technical, symbolic codes and conventions used clearly indicates it. It’s set in Cardiff as the character’s accent sounds Welsh. The technical words they speak clearly indicates they’re professional detectives, although Jack Harness contrasts this as he is knife throwing at the hub, showing he’s careless and childish but also shows he’s an adventurous man. At the beginning, we hear car noises at the background which shows a real life situation of the detectives chasing the man. While motorbike noises (F26) is heard whichi shows an action/adventure element. It has an office setting as we hear telephone noises and computer noises. While an eerie score being played in the background indicates it’s a crime/thriller genre. When Gwen met Freda for the first time, it clearly shows Gwen as a detective as she kept asking questions. Freda was unresponsive for most of the conversation, and they use this by using interior monologue. This indicates Freda’s fear which could also indicates Freda as a non-human species. A lot of science fiction elements are being used during the radio broadcast. For example, strange noises clearly indicates a futuristic weapon being used. Jack clearly indicates a radar device could be dangerous weapon. When Jack was running through the computer, it says Freda has no immune system which indicates she is not human.
Asylum used a lot clever technical codes to indicate several genres like action, thriller, adventure and science fiction and this could be useful for my radio drama by using these technical codes.
Hitchhiker’s Guide To Galaxy was written by Douglas Adams and it was broadcasted in the United Kingdom from 8 March 1978 to 21 June 2005 and featured a science-fiction/comedy radio series. It did magnificently well that it produced novels in 1979 and produced a film in 2005. It mainly had sci-fi elements like intriguing sound effects and comedic humour that we
re mainly relevant to the audience in the 1970s. The posh accent started to phase out in the 1970s and they more regional, and proved it by the working class characters and the narrator parodying the Oxford English language and accent. While British culture are always referenced. For example, one of the characters, Arthur Dent, constantly insists the other characters to go to the pub and they always eat peanuts indicating them as working class people. It was clearly written in the 1970s even though it was set in futuristic times; one of the characters quoted “4 bags of peanuts for 28p”. Women were represented as “overly posh” as the woman stating that it’s the end of the world was well spoken.
It followed conventions of traditional radio broadcasts by starting off with a cheerful music and narrator briefly explaining the radio broadcast. However, the narrator was referencing several intergalactic books and kept describing people as “human beings” which indicates him as a non-human species and creates a science-fiction element. While synthesizer music is quietly played during the narrator speaking which also creates a science-fiction element. People screaming in the background showing an alien invasion occuring, and this indicates panic. While explosions and laser beams can be heard which also shows an alien invasion, Strange noises that sonds futuristic indicates they’re in the spaceship and as the sounds get louder, indicating they’re walking while having a conversation and sort of indicate how big the spaceship.
Hitchhiker’s Guide To Galaxy clearly indicates it’s a science fiction radio broadcast not only because of its narrative, but the science fiction elements used as technical codes, while it clearly indicates a British culture as conventions by the way they talk etc.
War of the Worlds (1938) was part of an anthology series that was on Aired on Mercury theatre and was performed on the October 30, 1938 over the CBS radio network. The radio drama created a massive impact as it simulated news bulletin and the audience believed it was real and most of them panicked. It will be explored herein the conventions, technical and symbolic codes that were used to create impact on the audience and made it one of the best radio dramas of all time.
It was first introduced with a cheerful music and the gentlemen introducing Orson Welles to create an indication that it’s just a radio drama, not a news broadcast. Orson Welles clearly stated at the start that’s it’s all fiction and for entertainment only. Then it started by broadcasting some dance music and quickly interrupted by a fast talking broadcaster stating some important information and this clearly indicates urgency and panic so the audience would be addressed and also start to panic. It was followed by an interview between the broadcaster, Mr Phillips, and a professor who discusses the situation and their formal manner and how they’re well spoken symbolises that they’re professional and have a clear understanding with the situation so the audience would find it realistic and believe it to be true. While the broadcasters constantly introduces the audience with “Ladies and Gentlemen” to keep them informed. It is different compared to radio broadcasts today as they introduce us less formally. Indications of panic are still shown as the time ticking behind the professor in the observatory clearly shows they’re running out of time. The danger builds up even further as a realistic live interview with Welles; Mr Philips saying “Can you speak up to the microphone?” to Welles and interrupting the interview at the end, and it creates that rushed situation and panic. When the people started yelling and screaming and running as a “terrestial movement” occured, it gets interrupted with music again and technical difficulties begins to interrupt the “live coverage” and it’s realistic because it has the sense of losing control. As the military becomes “involved” and plane sounds are heard in the background while the reporter broadcasts a live coverage, the audience are drawn as they experience what’s happening in the city. As the final act progresses, a man calls for help and asks if “anyone’s out there” and shows desperation and isolation and as the dramatic music plays, it creates the sense of tragedy and loss. War of the Worlds didn’t meet the same conventions as other radio dramas back then as Wells wants them to think it’s real.
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