Recently I have become increasingly
aware that to create a successful period drama, you must be aware of
the time-frame of which you are telling your story in. Of course, to
carry out a comprehensive study of the period would be impossible due
to time constraints. Therefore, I shall use the knowledge I already
have alongside some base research in order to make a product that is
professional and in-keeping with professional competitors and
conventions.
I have chosen the late 18th
and early 19th Century as a setting. This will influence
my piece in these main ways:
- Most glaringly obvious are the
choices surrounding costume. Of course, I do not have the budget to
go extravagant with my costumes. I just need to make sure that the
choices I do make are coherent. There will be a separate post about
costume as I feel it is quite an extensive discussion and will
overflow this post.
- In this time period, there was a
growing number of Romantic writers, like Blake, and realist writers,
like Austin. This means that language was savoured and was delicately
chosen by the educated. This is why the gaps between the classes was
so evident – because of the gaps in education. For example, Bronte
in 'Wuthering Heights' purposely writes the servants dialogue,
Joseph, in a riddling unreadable way to exaggerate the effects of the
class system. In short – how one character speaks should imply
their status and their education. This means that much care
should be taken during the script writing process but also during the
rehearsal with actors to make sure that the viewer can understand the
characters as quickly as possible.
- As I, sadly, do not have the
facilities or the budget to film at an old manor house or a stately
home – I have decided to film in natural settings as many of the
period dramas I have analysed are inspired by the pastoral and the
rural. Bearing in mind that many people spent time outside within
this era in order to play and to entertain themselves.This does arise
problems, though, as I will be filming in changing seasons therefore
my script and planning must compensate for this, to ensure that there
are no continuity problems. The locations must also feel authentic
(with no signs of the modern world) and isolated – so I am
currently thinking that a woodlands or forest would be best for the
bulk of filming.
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