GCSE Written paper

Sections A & C

The written Paper (Unit One) has 2 AOs• AO1 is assessed in Questions 1, 2, 9 & 11:

“Recall, select and communicate your knowledge and understanding of drama to generate, explore and develop ideas”

• AO3 is assessed in Questions 3, 4,10 & 12: “Analyse and evaluate your own work and that of others using appropriate terminology”

• Each AO is worth 20% =40% of your GCSE

Quality of Written Communication

• Each section is marked out of 40. To get the full marks, you need to have a clear, fluent and coherent written style.

• To get the full 40 marks, you need to show the examiner that….

Band 1: Information is exceptionally well-organised, presented very clearly

and fluently in a form that suits its purpose. The text is clearly legible. Candidates spell, punctuate and use the rules of grammar accurately, enabling their meaning to be clearly understood.

• Remember, examiners will be positive in their marking, rewarding points that you make, but it’s not just about ticking the boxes to get the marks, it’s holistic-based upon the overall picture, which includes QWC

Section A

Practical work completed during the course

Include elements such as…• Target audience-SEN students• Education pack• Augusto Boal• Tension• Voice, pace, tone, language-choice of words-simplicity • Rehearsals and what changed (time restraints, shorter activities) • Learning aids (bright, short bursts of exercises/activities)• Spec-actors• In the round, performers sitting next to the students• Contemporary, relevant, • Consultation process with school• Reflects the National Curriculum (PSHE)• Non-threatening environment • Joker• H & S, safe environment in which to explore road safety • Feedback (constantly asking students and letter from teacher)

0 1 State the style, period and genre of the piece, your target audience, the chosen performance space, the use of technical and

design elements and what you did your contribution. (10 marks)

• Style • Genre • The target audience • Period The performance space (hall, in the

round)• Your contribution, eg actor, stage manager, set

designer • Design elements • Technical elements.

0 2 Explain what the first ideas for the piece were and give

details of how you and your group developed them. (10 marks) • Clearly identify your first ideas, eg choice of text, style,

space, equipment • Give supporting practical details as to the nature of the

working process, eg consultation, rehearsal methods, blocking

• Give supporting details as to the basis of the decision-making by the candidate and group, eg practical constraints, audience needs, interpretations, budget

• Clearly explain the strategies used to develop the ideas, eg improvisation, working sketches, hot-seating, experimenting with materials, scale model

• Clearly explain how you used a range of skills eg performance, design, technical.

0 3 Explain what improvements you made to the piece during the rehearsals and your reasons for making them. (10 marks)

• Identify what elements changed, eg characterisation, pace, mood, designs, lighting/sound, plot, fabrics

• Identify the strategies and skills employed in effecting the changes, eg improvisation around a text, emotional memory

• Analysis the needs of the production, eg awareness of need for changes in pace or focus, use of special effects, live sound, costume, set, properties to establish period

• Give reasons for change and evaluation of improvements, eg identification of need for comedy

• Evaluate the use of design (subtle lighting plot to direct audiences emotion)

• Be awareness of health and safety issues • Justify your points

0 4 Explain what you felt were the strengths and weaknesses of your own practical skills in the final performance. (10 marks)

• Your own skills strengths, eg interpretation of character, focus, interpretation of design

• Your own weaknesses, eg lack of projection, slowness on cues, poor construction and realisation of design

• Your awareness of the processes undertaken by self, eg rehearsals, plotting cues, rigging, working to a design brief

• evaluation of practical skills, eg convincing characterisation but audience unable to hear speeches, effective construction of costume but detail on costume washed out by stage lighting, ability to cover effectively for missed cues.

Section C

Study of Live Theatre Production Seen

Answer either 9 and 10 (actor)OR

11 and 12 (technical/design)

Q. 9 Describe in detail how your chosen actor used voice, movement and facial expressions to create comedy and/or tension in at least one

scene or section. (20 marks)• style and genre • actor’s range and use of their vocal skills (accent, volume, pace, pitch, tone,

emphasis, punctuation, silence, tension)• actor’s use and range of their physical skills (stance, posture, gait, facial

expression, gesture, pace, blocking, use of space) • audience reaction • Interaction and relationship with other characters, how they communicated or

contrasted each other• how the design and/or technical elements created an effect (music aided

tension/surprise/comedy)• period • costumes – fabrics, textures, colours – details and justification needed • set – use of space and levels –projection, materials, colours, textures • make-up, masks or puppets • lighting – colours, intensity, plot, special effects, eg gobos, projection sound – live,

recorded, balance• how properties were used• awareness of health and safety factors – taping cables, use of fire extinguishers • Use a well-labelled sketch or diagram

Q. 10. Evaluate the effectiveness of this actor’s creation of comedy and/or tension in your chosen scene(s) or section(s). You should refer

to specific moments from the production and give clear reasons to support your answer. (20 marks)

• analysis of the use of design and/or technical elements, eg use of bright primary colours to

• convey warmth and happiness • reasons for the ways in which the design and/or technical

elements were used (how it reflected the genre and style of the piece)

• evaluation of the effectiveness of the use of the design and/or technical elements, eg the

• extent to which the costumes aided the actors in communicating their characters

• awareness of the integration of different elements in the overall effect, eg the link between mood of the music and the colours of the lights, set and costumes

• justification of the statements offered.• Use a well-labelled sketch or diagram

Q. 11. Describe in detail one area of design or technical skill that made an important contribution to the atmosphere or style of the production in

at least one scene or section. (20 marks)

• style and genre • period • health and safety- fire-proofing, taping cables, use of fire extinguishers,

warm-up (physical, vocal) • costumes – fabrics, textures, colours – details and justification needed • set – use of space and levels - representation of location by flats,

projection, materials, colours, textures • make-up, masks or puppets – in terms of style, proportion, colour,

appropriateness • Design- colours or images appropriate to the mood or atmosphere and

ensuring consistency • lighting – colours, intensity, plot, special effects, eg gobos, projection of

digital images • sound – live, recorded, balance, equipment• properties and their use and management• awareness of health and safety factors• Use a well-labelled sketch or diagram

Q. 12. Evaluate the success of this area of design or technical skill in contributing to the atmosphere or style of the production. You should

refer to particular moments from the production and give clear reasons to support your answer. (20 marks)

• refer to the technical and design skills in specific key moments and how they reflected the genre and style (Horror-use of shadows, music fx, etc. )

• how the set/lights communicated a theme• how the set/lights created moments of tension (the use and choice

of colour, gobos, how shadows were used to define space, misters, gels and performance skills).

• how actors interacted with the set, design and how it created the mood (use of levels, masks, puppets)

• how the audience reacted to the mood created• Use of a range of different elements in creating an impact, eg sound

effects, music, trap-door, etc.• How costume contributed to the set, theme, genre and style• justify your statements