WJEC Section C: A guideline

Right, so for my third...yes, third blog post (I am good aren't I?) I thought I would do a really simple guideline on how to write the perfect Section C for the WJEC Drama Writing paper. Personally, I absolutely love this part of the paper; however, there are times when I really struggle with it, and completely misread the script which drops my grade significantly. So to everyone in the same situation as 'moi' (Nice bit of French to start a blog post mils) I hope this helps with Section C....

STEP ONE: PREPARATION 

Okay, so the first step to getting a good grade in this section of the paper is not something you can do in the exam, but rather something you can prepare way in advance. In the final weeks leading up to my exam, I have created a folder on my laptop which I have filled with loads of different abstract, cool (did I just say 'cool'?) stage types/designs and costumes, which I can use in my Section C. Since I have done this, I have found it so much easier to think of an idea when approaching an Unseen Section C; for example, the other day I found this really strange, abstract script, and instantly thought of this image I had previously found of all of the characters wearing grotesque, excessive half-masks - and straight away I used this as a key element in my idea/stage concept. 

So, one way in which you can prepare way before the exam for Section C, is to collect a large range of ideas which you could apply to any script they may throw at you. Personally, I always choose to pursue a more non-naturalistic, abstract route in Section C; therefore, I have collected lots of really abstract images of stages/costumes to help me. However, if you want to pursue a more naturalistic route, or haven't got a clue and just want to see how you feel on the day, this preparation tip still remains relevant. 

STEP TWO: READING THE SCRIPT

So...Step Two, this is the most important part of Section C, and decides your whole fate/future/life...no I am joking, it's not that bad, it's just very important that you understand exactly what the script is telling you in preparation for your stage concept. 

When approaching this last section of the paper (which I actually do first, just because I feel like it requires more of my energy, and quite frankly I almost dead by the end of the 2 and a half hours) you will be greeted by a two page script, which may have two characters like the one shown below, or may have hundreds of characters and a chorus - just to make things more difficult. However, no matter what you get, read the script three times, I know that this may seem extremely tedious, but it is so worth it, as on your third read of the script you may notice something that you hadn't seen before. 

The key aspects you need to establish when reading the script are as follows:

1. Where is this set? Is it inside? Is it outside?

2. Is there more than one location? If so, what are the others?

3. How many characters are there? What relationship do they have?

4. Does the script seem realistic, or is it more abstract? Naturalistic or non-naturalistic?

Now, I know this may seem like a lot of questions that you have to remember, but as you are reading the script these should come rather naturally to you. Like any script you approach, you should instantly look for the relationships, the location and the key theme hidden under the surface. 

So, to conclude this step:

• Read the script three times
• Establish the location(s) - Inside/Outside?
• Highlight any key props/furniture shown in the script 
• Think of a style to use as you are reading

STEP THREE: THE GROUND PLAN

Right, so now you have read the script, and hopefully have got an idea of what your staging may look like (Step One should help here too.) So, the first vital aspect of the ground plan to think of is your stage type, do you want to stick to a proscenium arch? If so, why? Do you want to create a much more chaotic atmosphere for the audience through the use of in-the-round? Here are some reasons why you might want to choose a specific stage type: 

• Proscenium Arch - This stage type (shown to the left) is great if you want to create a distinct separation between the audience and actor, in order to evoke a much less intimate atmosphere for the audience. Additionally, a great idea for this would be to have a large ornate gold picture frame around the edge of the proscenium arch, in order to create the sense that the audience are observing a 'moving picture' - the play 'Uncle Vanya' would be great for this, as the audience are watching the lives of a family in the role of an observer. 
• In The Round - This stage type is really helpful if you want to create a chaotic, fast-paced, tense and intimate atmosphere, as the actors have to be constantly moving to allow the audience to see every aspect of their interactions. Additionally, this stage type is much more intimate than a Proscenium Arch, as the audience become more included in the action occurring on the stage. 
• Traverse - Traverse staging (which you can remember as being like a 'corridor' or a 'catwalk') has two rows of audience seated on either side of the 'corridor', facing each other; however, the most useful part of this staging is that you can have two different locations at either end of the 'corridor'. So if the script has two distinct locations, one outside and one inside maybe, then 'corridor' staging would be a great one to use. 
• Thrust - A thrust stage is very much like a proscenium arch; however, it only has three blocks on audience, and a back wall - as opposed to audience seated all the way round the stage. This stage type is equally as intimate, but can be very helpful if you want to use some form of projection, as a projector screen or a cyclorama can be placed against the back wall, whilst still allowing the audience to see the stage from every angle. 

So, after deciding your stage type, here are the next list of things in which you need to consider when drawing your ground plan:

• Have I drawn a clear, outlined drawing of the stage? Have I written my stage type clearly?
• Have I labelled entrances & exits?
• Have I drawn on my actors' opening & closing positions?
• Have I labelled where the audience will sit?
• Have I acknowledged any key props/pieces of furniture shown in the script. (For example, on Page 2 of a script, Gabrielle might sit on a bed; therefore, using a bed in your stage concept would be important, or something to replace a bed maybe.) 
• When labelling my props/furniture, stating what they are, have I briefly mentioned their colour? 
• Have I thought about what atmosphere I want to create?
• Have I considered when my stage concept will be set? (Because a modern day set would look very different from a 1800's set.)

I understand completely that already, being only on the second part of Section C, this may seem like a lot to remember, but if you create study cards with this written on them...

GROUND PLAN

1. Stage Type

2. Audience

3. Opening & Closing

4. Entrances & Exits

5. Props/Furniture

6. Colours/Atmosphere

7. Time Period

...you will be able to draw that ground plan in no time.

STEP FOUR: JUSTIFICATION & FURNITURE/PROPS 

So, by now you should have drawn your ground plan, and have a clear idea of exactly what you want your stage to look like. If your drawing isn't the most fabulous...don't worry....this section is the perfect time for you to sum up your stage concept in words. Right, so what goes in this section then?

Well, the first section asks you to focus on explaining your 'Type of staging, Set, Colour, Atmosphere (Include explanation/justification)' which is pretty nice, as they tell you exactly what you have to put. Thank you WJEC!! So, all you have to do here is follow what they have asked you...

• Mention your type of staging, and why you have chosen this? So maybe, as an example sentence you could say..."Within my stage concept, I have chosen to utilise in-the-round staging, in order to create an enclosed, intimate atmosphere for the audience, which shows Character 1's constant sense of entrapment through the scene..."
• Mention the key aspects of your set, briefly, such as: "My stage concept will be set in a supermarket, in the present day, in order to accentuate the modern day focus on consumerism and greed." 
• Mention the key colours & atmospheres you want to create, rather than talking about these separately, it is so much easier to kill two birds in one stone (I am not a violent person, I promise), so for example: "I have chosen to use dark, dull tones in order to create a melancholy, depressed atmosphere." 
• Also, to hit the top marks on this section, it would be good to link your concept to any productions you have seen or discussed, or any practitioners you may want to include, such as: "My staging concept is inspired by the entrapping, claustrophobic atmosphere created in the play..." 

Now, the second section is slightly more vague in what they want you to mention in regards to your 'Furniture/Props', but it is still rather simple what you have to mention...

• Mention your type of furniture, have you chosen to have a large, king-size, baby blue, modern day bed in the centre of your stage, if so (which I doubt), why have you chosen to do this? 
• JUSTIFY, JUSTIFY, JUSTIFY - I can't express enough the importance of justification, each time you mention a big decision you have made, you MUST state why you have chosen to do this!
• Mention any props your characters will use, give your reasons for using these props. Are any props you are using oversized, are they extremely small, to create different atmospheres and emotions? Are your props certain colours, or textures? 

STEP FIVE: COSTUME

Now, depending on the script, I always find the costume section either really difficult, or really easy. However, if you follow Step One before the exam, this section should be rather simple. Within this section you must mention....

• All of the characters costumes (including the chorus)
• Consider the age, the social class, the emotions, the personal details for each character. For example, there may be two characters, one of lower class and one of upper class; thus, their clothing might be very different, with the lower class character maybe having their costume torn with holes in, or mismatched colours - in comparison to the slick, 1970's pin-striped suit of the upper class character. 
• Details - fabrics, materials, colour - think about whether a certain character, who appears to be angered all the time, would they wear very rough textures in order to show their defensive, harsh nature? 
• JUSTIFY - Don't forget to always state why you have made this decision, each time you describe a major aspect of their costume, state why. 

We have hit the half way point now folks. 

STEP SIX: MOVEMENT, LX & SFX COLUMNS

Okay, so now this is the hardest part of the Section C (well I think it is anyway) but this is no reason to give up, just take it step by step and it will be super easy in no time. So the first column is named 'Movement' - and within this section you will basically do what it says on the tin...paper...oh whatever.  So, as you will notice, these three columns line up perfectly with the two pages of the script - how convenient! However, this is done on purpose, to make things that little bit...that very very little bit...easier for you. Right, so you should start at the top of the first column by stating the Pre-Set of your movement, which means the opening positions, which could look like this: 

• Pre-Set = Gabrielle should start in her opening position, seated at the table at centre stage. Joe should begin the play, standing in the DSR (downstage right in other words) corner. 

After this, you should then put on the script where you want your first character movement to happen, by marking it with 'M1' in a circle next to the line where you want the character to move. Then you should (in line with the M1 on the script) write M1 in the Movement column and explain exactly where you want the character to move. Confused? Well I certainly am, as this is extremely hard to put into words. So, let's try and simplify this...

• On the script, Gabrielle says the line: "Hello Joe" - M1 (in a circle)
• In the column - M1 is put in a circle - 'Gabrielle moves closer to Joe as she says this line.'

You should repeat this throughout the script, until your script is covered in little circles with M1, M2, M3 and however many other sections you want to do, and your movement columns are filled with explanations of these symbols. If you approach the movement column/script and have absolutely no idea what to put, then think of much more simple movements: does Gabrielle move closer to Joe each time she speaks? Does he turn away from her? Could both repeat a movement in synchronisation? Do they sit down or stand up frequently? 

Now, in regards to lighting and sound, the layout is exactly the same, you will repeat the small circles on the script which line up with your explanations in the column, but this time you will have 'LX1' for your first lighting cue, and 'SFX1' for your first sound cue. However, there is much more to consider when thinking of lighting and sound cues, for example:

• Lighting = what type of light, the duration the light is on for, the intensity of the light (is it harsh or very dull?), where is the light positioned & where is it shining?
• Sound = the volume of the sound effect/pre-recorded music, the length the sound plays for, is it a piece of music like an 'underscore' which plays throughout, or is it a functional sound like a telephone ringing, and will your sounds be non-naturalistic or naturalistic? 

STEP SEVEN: JUSTIFICATION 

So...close....yet....so...far. Okay, so the final section, can we all just take a minute's silence for your writing hand please, R.I.P. Anyway, enough mourning our tired brains, this is the final section, and once again this isn't actually as difficult as it may seem. So, the first section asks you to focus on your 'Explanation/Justification for Movement', therefore in this section, you should: 

• Explain your choice of movement, did you choose naturalistic, did your choose non-naturalistic? If so, why?
• Explain if you made your characters distinctly different from one another - if one character was of a much faster pace than another, why? To show what?
• What mood/atmosphere did you want to create through your movement? 
• Highlight maybe one/two key moments of interesting movement, and explain why you wanted the characters to do this? To show what? 

And, finally. The last section: 'Explanation/Justification for lighting and sound effects', here is what you have to put....

• Your chosen style for your lighting/sound - did you chose more abstract sounds, or much more naturalistic music/sound effects - why?
• What mood/atmosphere did you want to create through your technical elements?
• USE TECHNICAL TERMINOLOGY, please don't put something like: 'I used that round light that shines a bit bright, but not too bright, to light up something at the back of the stage.' Instead, maybe put something like: 'I used a harsh, pink/rose focused spotlight, shining on the focal character standing at centre stage in order to highlight her sudden emotions of love, passion and lust for romance.'

STEP EIGHT: TAKE A SIGH OF RELIEF...PHEW. 

So, there we have it. That is Section C for you. It's a bit like marmite really, you either love it or hate it. Personally, I love it! Except for the other day when I completely read the script wrong and took a different path of my own, which safe to say did not get a good grade, but we all learn from our mistakes I suppose. Please comment below if this has helped you, or even if you have any interesting ideas for Section C which you might use in the exam! 

Millie xx