Creative Writing 101 Ep.5 - Drama and Its Elements

Summary

In this episode of Creative Writing 101, Siranji Javier explores the genre of drama, tracing its origins from the Greek word 'drama' meaning 'to act'. Drama is a prose composition intended for stage performance, but now extends to various media. Javier outlines the essential elements of drama, including plot, theme, characters, dialogue, musical rhythm, and spectacle, and expands on modern elements like convention and genre. The video categorizes drama elements into literary, technical, and performance, providing insights into each for a comprehensive understanding of drama creation.

Takeaways

• 🎭 Drama originates from the Greek word 'drama', meaning 'to act' or 'to do', and is a prose composition intended for stage performance.
• 🌐 The modern concept of drama extends beyond the stage to include television, movies, and internet platforms.
• 📚 Drama is characterized by both literary and theatrical elements, which are crucial for its creation and appreciation.
• 🎨 Literary elements of drama encompass plot, theme, characters, dialogue, musical rhythm, and spectacle, as proposed by Aristotle.
• 👤 Modern drama includes additional elements like convention, genre, and audience, expanding the traditional six elements.
• 📜 The literary elements of drama include characters, point of view, conflict, plot, theme, moral, and literary devices.
• 🗣️ Dialogue in drama can be common, monologue, soliloquy, or aside, each serving a specific purpose in character expression.
• 🏞️ Technical elements of drama involve scenery, costumes, props, lighting, sound, and makeup, which contribute to the stage setting.
• 👥 Performance elements focus on the actors, their acting skills, and techniques such as speaking styles, breath control, and facial expressions.
• 👏 The ultimate goal of drama is to present a story through acting for the enjoyment of the audience.

Q & A

What is the origin of the word 'drama'?

The word 'drama' comes from the Greek word 'dran', which means to act or to do.

How has the medium for drama evolved over time?

Drama has evolved from being presented on stage to also being seen on different media such as television, movies, or on the internet.

What are the two sets of characteristics that define drama?

Drama has literary and theatrical characteristics, which identify the elements of drama one should consider in creating a drama.

Who proposed the essential elements of drama that became the standard used in modern times?

The Greek philosopher Aristotle proposed a set of essential elements of drama that became the standard used in modern times.

What are the six essential elements of drama mentioned by Aristotle?

Aristotle's six essential elements of drama are the plot, the theme, the characters, the dialogue, the musical rhythm, and the spectacle.

What are the three additional elements of drama in modern theater?

In modern theater, the three additional elements of drama are convention, genre, and the audience.

How are the elements of drama categorized?

The elements of drama can be categorized into literary elements, technical elements, and performance elements.

What are the four types of dialogue a playwright can use in a drama?

The four types of dialogue are common dialogue, monologue, soliloquy, and aside.

What is the purpose of the technical elements in a play?

The technical elements refer to the technicalities of the play, including scenery, costumes, props, lighting, sound, and makeup, and are used to set the stage for the play.

What are the performance elements of drama?

The performance elements of drama include the actors, acting, speaking styles, breath control, vocal expression, infection, projection, and gestures.

What is the significance of the audience in the elements of drama?

The audience is significant because the whole effort of making a play is for their enjoyment and engagement.