How To Pass the National 5 Drama Exam

Before We Begin effectiveness = good/bad explain= use the word because in your answer justify= use the word because or to show in your answer

SECTION A 10 marks Write about the project we just finished ie. your practical exam You may either write about acting or YOUR tech role. Don’t be foolish and write about a role you wish you had done … that will mean you fail.

TOP TIP You must make the marker understand what you did so it must be DETAILED and CLEAR Introduce the play and your character before you start to evaluate

Stupid Mistake no. 1: you don’t tick a box SECTION 1 — 10 marks Consider a performance you have taken part in during your course as either an actor or in a production role. Tick the box to indicate your role. Actor Lighting Costume Set Props and set dressing Sound Make up and hair Stupid Mistake no. 1: you don’t tick a box Stupid Mistake no. 2 : you tick a box then write a Different one

FOR ANY QUESTION ASKED THIS GENERAL RULE APPLIES… WHAT DID I DO? HOW DID I DO IT? WHY WAS THIS GOOD?

2 marks One mark for WHO One mark for WHY 1. (a) Who would be the ideal target audience for your drama? Explain your answer. 2 marks One mark for WHO One mark for WHY

1(b) What range of emotions did you want the audience to feel when they were watching the performance? Explain your answer 2 marks At the beginning of the play when the insane asylum is revealed to the audience we wanted them to feel scared because it wasn’t a happy place to be. In the middle of the play we wanted our audience to feel pride at the bravery of Lizzie’s choice to escape the asylum because it makes the audience like Lizzie’s character. Near the end we wanted our audience to feel grief for the death of Lizzie’s only friend so they could understand the hardship of living with mental illness. Talk about more than one emotion. When did you want them to feel it? What did you want them to feel? Why?

2. Evaluate the effectiveness of your final performance. 6 marks Acting: Consider personality, relationships, emotion, status, motivation, etc. Can also consider style, mood and atmosphere Tech: Consider the overall style/genre, mood and atmosphere, setting, time period, location, individual characters

The most important thing is that you EVALUATE This means you have to say if it was GOOD or BAD Explain WHY it was good or bad, HOW you achieved this and be specific about WHAT you did!

SENTENCE STARTERS… My performance was successful because… To show my character was… (think personality, status or emotion) To establish my characters relationship with… To communicate the style of the piece… To create a specific mood… To highlight a key moment… I used… (insert lots of wonderful vocab words here) This was effective because… (audience response) (communicated my characters personality/status/motivation/feelings…) (created tension/conflict) (created a mood or atmosphere) ETC OR This did not work successfully because… (any of the above)

This is the section in which you make up a drama SECTION B 30 marks This is the section in which you make up a drama It is great because as long as you use the formula and your whole design concept adds up you can’t be wrong

RESPOND TO STIMULUS AND CONSIDER THESE; Tension – Conflict - Key Moment - Mood and Atmosphere - Audience Reaction Plot Form Structure Purpose Theme Use of Conventions Venue Target Audience Set Props Make Up and Hair Costume Lighting Sound Purpose - Status - Role - Voice – Movement – Relationships - Rehearsal techniques/Practical activities

YOU MUST ALWAYS USE THE MAGIC FORMULA! I WOULD USE + VOCAB WORD WHERE/HOW TO SHOW THAT… = 1 mark

VOCAB WORD + WHERE/HOW + TO SHOW an example VOCAB WORD + WHERE/HOW + TO SHOW I would use a high pitch and a loud volume as the witch is dying to show the curse is being withdrawn from her body.

TO DO THIS YOU MUST KNOW YOUR VOCAB WORDS! LEARN THEM!!!

And now to the exam… 1st you will get 3 stimuli. Look at them. See what ideas you get. THEN READ ALL THE QUESTIONS IN THE SECTION Do this or we will be very very cross. No seriously. Very cross. NB. Questions marked a) will follow with a b). These are generally linked so make sure you refer back to what you said in a)!!! Then decide which stimulus you will use as your starting point for creating a drama.

Forbidden Love Stimulus A Stimulus B Stimulus C Mum: What the hell’ve you been up to? Alex: What did he say? Mum: He said you got fired yesterday. Alex: And? Mum: And! What d’you mean, ‘and’? Alex: Did he say anything else? Mum: Something about castanets. Alex: Oh God! Mum: Have you been nicking stuff from your work? Alex: No. Mum: What’s that then, a leaving present? Alex: Look… Mum: Look nothing. I’m not having the polis at my door because of you. If you’ve got yourself into trouble you can get yourself out of here. I’ve warned you, you can pack your bags and… Mum: Where are you going? Alex: Eh? Mum: Oh aye. Spain, is it? Costa del Crime n’that, eh? Alex: Spain! Mum: Castanets. Alex: No. Look. I just need to go away for a while. Trust me. Mum: About as far as I could throw you. Alex: It’s fine. Mum: I’m not going through all that business again. D’you hear me? Alex: I hear you. I have to go. Mum: Just like his father. Extract from: PASSING PLACES by Stephen Greenhorn Stimulus A Forbidden Love Stimulus B

Tick (✓) the appropriate box to indicate which stimulus you have chosen to write about. Stimulus A Stimulus B Stimulus C You should now READ ALL of the following Questions 3a–5b to guide your answers on your chosen stimulus. You may use drawings and/or diagrams to illustrate any of your answers if you wish. The space below is provided for any rough working and will not be marked. Stupid mistake no. 1: you don’t tick a box Stupid Mistake no. 2: you tick a box but reference a different stimulus Stupid Mistake No . 3: you don’t read All of the questions before hand

Chunk One: The basics Plot Form Structure Purpose Theme Use of Conventions Venue Target Audience

Tension Conflict Key Moment Mood and Atmosphere Audience Reaction Chunk Two: Excitement Tension Conflict Key Moment Mood and Atmosphere Audience Reaction

Chunk Three: Acting and Directing Purpose Status Role Voice Movement Relationships Rehearsal techniques/Practical activities

Set Props Make Up and Hair Costume Lighting and Sound Chunk Four: Design Set Props Make Up and Hair Costume Lighting and Sound

FINALLY You must study. Learn your drama words, know what you’re talking about. Here’s what will help – www.cullodendrama.wordpress.com You can leave comments on the blog with any questions you have and I WILL get back to you, holidays or weekends, no problem!

And because we’re cool, we also have Twitter… @cullodendrama Ms Van Exan puts up a different vocab word every day. You see it on your newsfeed, you remember it. Subliminal messages!!!! ADD US. And don’t worry, we can’t see any of your stuff. And we’re not bothered either.