2 days to go to ABBA deadline!
With only 2 days left to the Alfred Bradley Bursary Award deadline, I thought I'd share some closing thoughts on writing for radio drama as you pen your final words. Formatting - we are not completely rigorous when it comes to formatting. You won't be penalised for the wrongly placed word, or the odd straggly sentence, but you do need to present your work so that it is in a clear and readable script format. Use the Writersroom script formatting tool, or look at the radio drama scripts on the website and copy how they are formatted.
Sound effects and music - Sound effects are not stage directions, so keep them to a minimum. If they are essential e.g. a telephone ringing, then keep them in, but if, for example, your scene is set in a café, then we don't need to know what the two old ladies sat at the table behind your characters are saying, instead the sound directions 'a busy café' would be sufficient. Our team of fantastic sound designers will create the sound world for you, so keep the focus on your story.
If you want to specify certain music for your script then you can do, although ultimately the soundtrack of a play is up to the Producer, so you need to be aware that your suggestions are subject to change. Also don't worry about music copyright issues, this is something we sort out in production.
Cast of characters - Generally we never cast more than six actors in a single afternoon play, quite often it's less than that, so make sure that up to six actors could play your parts without having to play three or four characters each. As you put your finishing touches to your play it may be worth counting up your characters and cutting those who are not essential to the plot. Small parts especially add up, so check that you haven't got too many characters with just one or two lines.
Opening - Make sure you start your script in the right place. Throw us right into the heart of a scene, place us in the middle of a conversation or sentence, grab us straight away with your story. The first ten pages are crucial, hook us in, make us ask questions and pull us along with a strong narrative thread.
Last of all GOOD LUCK to everyone who enters, we look forward to reading your scripts!
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