Video drama

Project requirements: Video drama

According to the NESA website, this project will involve the preparation of a short but complete Video Drama which will be a narrative developed by the student.

Video Drama does not have to be a completely original idea or narrative as required in the Group Performance. However, the narrative must be treated in such a way that the student can demonstrate they have adapted and developed the work for the Individual Project: Video Drama in an original way. The criteria for examining the Individual Project: Video Drama refer to originality and clarity of directorial vision.

Where a student has adapted or re-interpreted the work of another for the Individual Project: Video Drama, they must acknowledge sources as part of the requirements for academic honesty in the HSC.

The project will include:

  • a 300-word rationale in the form of a director’s concept/vision for the Video Drama

  • A Video Drama which must be 5–7 minutes in length and submitted as a digital file on a USB stick or thumb drive. The file format should be AVI, MP4 or WMV.

The video must be:

  • able to be viewed directly from the USB (any associated applications must run on current Apple or Windows operating systems directly from the USB)

  • designed for playback requiring no specialist hardware or software

  • tested to ensure playback is enabled. A different computer than that used to develop the work should be used for testing.

Assessment and Reporting in Drama Stage 6, NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) for and on behalf of the Crown in right of the State of New South Wales, 2020, date accessed 20/09/2021.

More NESA advice

The NESA website also includes the following advice for the video drama project.

Use of actors

Teachers and students are advised to use Year 11 or Year 10 students where possible when selecting actors for Video Drama from the candidate’s school.

Students should not act in their own Video Drama as candidates are required to demonstrate directorial vision, scriptwriting, direction of production and dramatic action as part of the requirements for this project. Given these requirements, students should focus their attention on making decisions about camera operations, and managing crew, resources and actors during production. It may be difficult for students to provide evidence that the video is their own work if they are appearing as a featured actor.

Director of photography

Originality, clarity of directorial vision form part of the marking criteria for Video Drama. It is possible to use another person to operate the camera, for example on a 2-camera shot; however, directorial vision includes being responsible for framing of dramatic action, shot selection, camera movement, focus, lighting, sound capture etc. Logbooks and supporting paperwork should document and substantiate that the student was responsible for these directorial decisions. This evidence may be requested by NESA to substantiate and verify the project.

Use of stock footage or the work of others

The Video Drama must be the student’s own work.

The criteria for examining the Individual Project: Video Drama refers to originality and clarity of directorial vision. The criteria for this project assess the student’s ability to direct the action of the film by creating their own mise en scène through the selection and composition of production elements (location, lighting, costume, casting). The student must also demonstrate their ability to use the camera to capture the action and their ability to edit the footage and apply post-production effects as appropriate.

Any use of appropriated or outsourced material should be in keeping with the conceptual intent of the work and be essential to the work. Any such material should be kept to an absolute minimum and students must acknowledge all source material in keeping with the requirements of Academic Honesty in the HSC, All My Own Work and Copyright in both their logbook and in the end credits.

Credits

The Individual Project: Video Drama should include credits where students can acknowledge sources and other contributions to the project. Where a student has adapted or re-interpreted the work of another for the Individual Project: Video Drama, they must acknowledge sources as part of the requirements for Academic Honesty in the HSC. The credits are included in the total running time for Video Drama of between 5-7 minutes.

Assessment and Reporting in Drama Stage 6, NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) for and on behalf of the Crown in right of the State of New South Wales, 2020, date accessed 20/09/2021.

Learning from other students

There are several reasons why learning from your peers is effective. You share a similar language and perspective. Seeing what other students have done to achieve success can support your understanding.

In this lesson students will respond to the ideas and experiences of a successful HSC drama video drama student.

'I chose to make a film for the individual project as I'd been making films since I was 10 years old. And I saw this as a great opportunity to hone my craft, get more practice with film work.'

Asher Harris-Cohen discusses his IP Video Drama titled 'The Coin Trick', Student Interviews about Stage 6 Drama.

Student activity 1 - Example of a successful approach

The interview above is part of a series in which Year 12 students discuss the development of their individual projects - including their use of the drama logbook. Each student reflects on their journey towards the successful completion of their individual project.

On a new page in your individual project logbook or in a new digital document create a concept map to summarise the successful student's approach to their chosen individual project. You might use one of the concept mapping tools in the digital learning selector on the NSW Department of Education website to record your responses.

  • View the interview with Asher Harris-Cohen above.

  • Summarise the experience of the student in concept map format. Make notes on your concept map as you watch the video. Stop the video so that you can jot down ideas. Add more branches to your concept map where appropriate.

  • Share and discuss your summary in pairs or in a small group. Consider: What were some of the strongest messages that came out of the interview? What new information did you learn about the process of developing this individual project? What was already familiar and reinforced through the interview?

Criteria for examining the Individual project: Video drama

The NESA website lists the following criteria for examining the video drama project.

For the Individual Project: Video Drama, a mark out of 10 is awarded for each of the 3 criteria, giving a total mark out of 30.

Criteria 1: Narrative/directorial vision (10 marks)

  • originality and clarity of the directorial vision

  • clarity and integrity of screen writing and narrative structure (including character setting and plot development) that promotes audience engagement in the drama

  • ability to control the elements of drama in the narrative.

Criteria 2: Production (10 marks)

  • framing the dramatic action, including shot selection, coverage and variety, camera movement, angles, focus, shot length, shot size light and perspective to create dramatic meaning

  • directing the dramatic action for the screen

  • controlling production elements including location sound, lighting, location, costume and casting.

Criteria 3: Post-production (10 marks)

  • editing the film for dramatic meaning with particular reference to tension, pace and mood

  • designing the sound to support dramatic meaning

  • making appropriate choices in post-production effects to support dramatic meaning.

Assessment and Reporting in Drama Stage 6, NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) for and on behalf of the Crown in right of the State of New South Wales, 2020, date accessed 20/09/2021.

Student activity 2 - Strategies for success

Look back at the marking criteria for video drama.

It may be helpful to think of the three criterion as relating the 3 stages of production.

  1. The choices made before the shoot.

  2. The choices made during the shoot.

  3. The choices made in editing after the shoot.

Look closely at the at the NESA marking guidelines for video drama. While the 5-7 minute film can use any style or structure, these choices need to be driven by the narrative or story of the film.

Think, pair, share routine

  1. Time management is a key element in the video drama process. Think individually about the marking criteria and guidelines for the video drama project and use your logbook to brainstorm strategies for managing the time wisely before, during and after shooting the film.

  2. Share and discuss your strategies with a classmate. Did you both have any of the same ideas? Were there any ideas that were different? Are there any you wish to add to your list?

  3. Share your final list with your teacher and/or the class. These ideas could be added to a class collaborative video drama strategy list using a shared Google Doc or any other online document.

Student activity 3 - Apply new understanding

Watch Derin Seale and Josh Lawson's award winning short film 'The Eleven O'Clock' (12:52) and HSC drama student, Finn McGrath's video drama 'Time Blind' from OnStage 2017.

As you watch, record key observations about the choices the filmmakers have made before, during and after the shoot.

  • How many actors have been cast?

  • How many locations are used?

  • Is there a clear problem and solution set up?

  • Are there any surprises?

  • Is there a narrative journey?

  • Are the characters transformed?

  • Is there a clear premise?

  • What's the film really about?

Record this information in concept maps in your logbook or online. You might use one of the concept mapping tools in the digital learning selector on the NSW Department of Education website.

Share and discuss your concept maps with your teacher or with a class mate. You might use your observations to inform your planning for your own video drama project.

Hands held up with the words 'yes' and 'no' written in white on palm of each hand.

Student activity 4 - What's in it for me?

Considering everything you now know about the project requirements, peer approaches, and marking criteria, how do you feel about this individual project option? Keep a record of your response in your logbook or in digital form and then let your teacher know what you are thinking by completing the individual project questionnaire at the end of this module.

References and images