Drama
Unit 3 & 4
Course Description
VCE Drama focuses on the creation and performance of characters and stories that communicate ideas, meaning and messages. Students use creative processes, a range of stimulus material and play-making techniques to develop and present devised work. Students tell stories, explore ideas, make sense of their worlds and communicate meaning through the practice of performance-making. The study of Drama enables students’ individual and collective identities to be explored, expressed and validated. Students develop an ability to empathise through understanding and accepting diversity.
Students learn about and draw on a range of performance styles relevant to practices of ritual and story-telling, contemporary drama practice and the work of significant Drama practitioners. Students explore characteristics of selected performance and apply and manipulate conventions, dramatic elements and production areas. Students also analyse the development of their own work and performances by other drama practitioners.
Unit 3: Devised Ensemble Performance
In this unit students explore the work of drama practitioners and draw on contemporary practice as they devise ensemble performance work. Students explore performance styles and associated conventions from a diverse range of contemporary and/or traditional contexts. They work collaboratively to devise, develop and present an ensemble performance. Students devise and shape their work to communicate meaning or to have a specific impact on their audience. In addition, students document and evaluate stages involved in the creation, development and presentation of the ensemble performance.
Students also analyse and evaluate a professional drama performance selected from the prescribed VCE Drama Unit 3 Playlist published annually on the VCAA website.
Outcomes - On completion of this unit students will be able to:
Develop and present characters within a devised ensemble performance that goes beyond a representation of real life as it is lived.
Analyse the use of processes, techniques and skills to create and present a devised ensemble performance.
Analyse and evaluate a professional Drama performance.
Unit 4: Devised Solo Performance
This unit focuses on the development and the presentation of devised solo performances. Students explore contemporary practice and works that are eclectic in nature; that is, they draw on a range of performance styles and associated conventions from a diverse range of contemporary and traditional contexts. Students develop skills in extracting dramatic potential from stimulus material and use play-making techniques to develop and present a short solo performance. They experiment with application of symbol and transformation of character, time and place. They apply conventions, dramatic elements, expressive skills, performance skills and performance styles to shape and give meaning to their work. Students further develop and refine these skills as they create a performance in response to a prescribed structure. They consider the use of production areas to enhance their performance and the application of symbol and transformations. Students document and evaluate the stages involved in the creation, development and presentation of their solo performance.
Outcomes - On completion of this unit students will be able to:
Demonstrate, in response to given stimulus material, application of symbol and transformation of character, time and place, and describe the techniques used.
Create, develop and perform a solo performance in response to a prescribed structure.
Analyse and evaluate the creation, development and presentation of a solo performance devised in response to a prescribed structure.
Resources/Requirements:
School laptop
A3 Visual Art Diary
Textas/pens/pencils etc.
External Assessments
In Unit 3/4 Drama, students will complete two end of year external examinations.
This consists of:
Performance examination
Students will present a solo performance based on a prescribed structure selected from the VCE Drama Solo Performance Examination published annually by the VCAA. The performance will draw on key knowledge and key skills from Unit 4, Outcome 2.
A panel appointed by the VCAA will set the structures for the performance examination. All the key knowledge and key skills that underpin Unit 4 Outcome 2 are examinable. Assessors appointed by the VCAA will mark the examination.
AND
Written examination
The written examination will be set by a panel appointed by the VCAA. All the key knowledge and key skills that underpin Unit 3, Outcomes 2 and 3, and Unit 4, Outcomes 1 and 3, are examinable.
The examination will be completed under the following conditions:
Duration: one and a half hours.
Date: end-of-year, on a date to be published annually by the VCAA.
VCAA examination rules will apply. Details of these rules are published annually in the VCE and VCAL Administrative Handbook.
The examination will be marked by assessors appointed by the VCAA.