STARK DRAMA
Board: Not set
⚠️ Board lens: Set your exam board (top-right) to tune wording for AQA, Edexcel, OCR or CCEA.

Design Essentials

Four model paragraphs + the terminology that actually earns marks.

Board lens: Not set

How to use this page

Pick one paragraph and adapt it to the extract: add one specific moment and one audience effect. That’s the difference between “nice idea” and “marks”.

Extract focus

Pick what your extract is mostly about. The four model paragraphs will rewrite to match.

Tip: still add one *specific moment* from the extract.

Set: oppression as architecture

unit setlevels/rostrumsightlinesclaustrophobia
Go to Set page

Lighting: exposure vs shadow

profilegobocold washintensity
Go to Lighting page

Sound: silence → contagion → consequence

diegeticnon-diegeticreverbcrescendo
Go to Sound page

Costume: repression + status + breakdown

palettesilhouettedistressingstatus
Go to Costume page

Terminology mini-bank

Unit setOne structure used across locations with minimal furniture changes.
Levels / rostrumHeight = status; forces accused to “look up” at power.
GoboStencil in a lantern to project bars/windows/texture.
Cold wash / intensityHarsh exposure (court) vs low intensity shadow (paranoia).
Diegetic / non-diegeticHeard by characters vs only by audience.
Reverb / distortionTurns voices into a wall of hysteria; can feel “demonic”.
Palette / silhouetteColour and overall shape communicate modesty/status.
DistressingBreaking down costume to show time, poverty, imprisonment.