Dramatic Elements in VCE Drama

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What are Dramatic Elements in VCE Drama?

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Dramatic elements are essential features of drama and are a core aspect of every performance. They are manipulated by actors and practitioners to shape and enhance content to make meaning.

Dramatic elements for VCE Drama are: Tension, Space, Rhythm, Conflict, Contrast, Mood, Climax, Sound

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What is a Climax in VCE Drama?

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Climax is the significant moment of tension or conflict in a drama, often occurring towards the end of the plot. Other points of climax or anticlimax may occur within a work.

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What is Conflict in VCE Drama?

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Conflict occurs when a character cannot achieve an objective due to an obstacle, which may be internal or external, between characters or between characters and their environment. It can be shown through physical, verbal, psychological, or symbolic means.

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What is Contrast in VCE Drama?

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Contrast presents the dissimilar or opposite to highlight or emphasize difference. It can be explored through expressive skills, characters, settings, times, themes, elements, production areas, and performance styles.

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What is Mood in VCE Drama

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Mood is the overall feeling or emotion that a performance may evoke, achieved through manipulation of expressive and performance skills, conventions, or production areas.

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What is Rhythm in VCE Drama?

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Rhythm is a regular pattern of words, sounds, or actions created by an actor. It is influenced by the emotional nature of the plot, pace of line delivery, dialogue, scene transitions, and length of scenes.

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What is Sound in VCE Drama?

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Sound is created live by the actor using voice, body percussion, and objects to create sonic effects and enhance meaning. It may include silence or the deliberate absence of sound.

'Sound' as a dramatic element is different to the production area 'sound production'.

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What is Space in VCE Drama?

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Space involves the use of the performance area to communicate meaning, define settings, represent status, and create or manipulate actor-audience relationships through levels, proximity, and depth.

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What is Tension in VCE Drama?

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Tension is the suspense that holds an audience’s attention as a performance unfolds. It can be constructed through mood or other elements, and its release may have a comic or dramatic effect.