Building Characters and Relationships in Drama - IB Board Grade 9 Drama
Students

Academic Programs

AI-powered learning for grades 8-12, aligned with major curricula

Professional

Professional Courses

Industry-relevant training in Business, Technology, and Design

Games

Interactive Games

Fun games to boost memory, math, typing, and English skills

Building Characters and Relationships in Drama

Building Characters and Relationships in Drama

The chapter provides an in-depth exploration of character and relationship development in drama, emphasizing the importance of believable characters and the dynamics of their interactions. It discusses various aspects such as archetypes, motivations, and the subtleties of communication through voice and body. Additionally, it highlights improvisation as a tool for bringing authenticity to character interactions, ultimately aiming to deepen an actor's portrayal of complex relationships.

64 sections

Sections

Navigate through the learning materials and practice exercises.

  1. 2
    Building Characters And Relationships In Drama

    This section explores the fundamental aspects of creating realistic...

  2. 2.1
    Week 3: In Character - Exploring Role And Motivation

    This section focuses on the importance of creating believable characters in...

  3. 2.1.1
    Understanding Character: Layers Of Human Portrayal

    This section explores the various layers of character portrayal in drama,...

  4. 2.1.1.1
    Archetypes: The Universal Blueprints

    This section explores archetypes as foundational patterns in drama that help...

  5. 2.1.1.1.1
    Common Examples And Their Qualities

    This section discusses archetypes in drama with focus on their...

  6. 2.1.1.1.2
    Application In Drama

    This section explores the creation and portrayal of characters in drama,...

  7. 2.1.1.2
    Stereotypes: The Oversimplified Labels

    Stereotypes in drama oversimplify characters and can lead to flat...

  8. 2.1.1.2.1
    Characteristics

    This section explores the essential characteristics of characters in drama,...

  9. 2.1.1.2.2
    Application In Drama

    This section discusses the importance of character development and...

  10. 2.1.1.3
    Complex Individuals: The Heart Of Believable Drama

    This section discusses the importance of creating complex characters in...

  11. 2.1.1.3.1
    Key Characteristics

    This section highlights the main elements that contribute to the development...

  12. 2.1.1.3.2
    Application In Drama

    This section explores the application of character creation and...

  13. 2.1.2
    Motivation And Objectives: The Driving Forces Of Character

    This section explores the key concepts of motivation and objectives that...

  14. 2.1.2.1
    Motivation (The 'why'): The Character's Inner Drive

    This section explores the importance of motivation in character development,...

  15. 2.1.2.1.1
    Sources Of Motivation

    This section explores the various sources of motivation that drive...

  16. 2.1.2.1.2
    The Importance Of Nuance

    This section highlights the significance of nuanced character portrayals in...

  17. 2.1.2.2
    Objectives (The 'what'): The Character's Immediate Goal

    This section explores the importance of objectives in character development,...

  18. 2.1.2.2.1
    Characteristics Of Good Objectives

    This section discusses the essential characteristics of effective objectives...

  19. 2.1.2.2.2
    The Role Of Obstacles

    Obstacles in drama are essential as they create conflict, adding depth to...

  20. 2.1.3
    Voice And Body As Tools: Bringing Character To Life Externally

    This section discusses how actors use their voice and body to express a...

  21. 2.1.3.1
    Voice As A Tool For Expression

    This section emphasizes the importance of vocal expression in portraying...

  22. 2.1.3.1.1

    This section explores the art of character and relationship development in...

  23. 2.1.3.1.2

    This section discusses the importance of character layering and the nuances...

  24. 2.1.3.1.3

    This section explores the use of pace and tempo in drama, highlighting their...

  25. 2.1.3.1.4

    This section discusses the importance of tone in drama, exploring how actors...

  26. 2.1.3.1.5
    Articulation/enunciation

    Articulation refers to the clarity of speech that actors must achieve to...

  27. 2.1.3.1.6
    Breath And Pauses

    Breath and pauses in acting are essential tools that enhance a character's...

  28. 2.1.3.1.7
    Accent/dialect (Use With Care)

    This section emphasizes the careful use of accents and dialects in...

  29. 2.1.3.2
    Body As A Tool For Expression

    This section emphasizes the significance of using the body and voice as...

  30. 2.1.3.2.1

    This section explores the significance of posture in embodying character and...

  31. 2.1.3.2.2

    Gait, or walk, is a key component of character development and can reveal a...

  32. 2.1.3.2.3

    This section explores how gestures play a vital role in expressing character...

  33. 2.1.3.2.4
    Facial Expressions

    Facial expressions are critical tools for actors to convey emotions and...

  34. 2.1.3.2.5

    Eye contact is a powerful tool in drama, influencing character relationships...

  35. 2.1.3.2.6
    Personal Space (Proxemics)

    This section discusses the concept of personal space, or proxemics,...

  36. 2.1.3.2.7
    Energy Level

    This section discusses the importance of energy levels in character...

  37. 2.1.4
    Activity: 'character Walk' - Embodiment Through Movement

    The 'Character Walk' activity helps actors embody character traits and...

  38. 2.1.4.1
    Observation And Inspiration

    This section emphasizes the importance of observing human behavior and using...

  39. 2.1.4.2
    Character Selection

    This section focuses on the importance of character selection in drama,...

  40. 2.1.4.3
    Physical Transformation

    This section explores the intricate process of embodying a character through...

  41. 2.1.4.4
    Movement In Space

    This section explores how actors use both voice and body to express the...

  42. 2.1.4.5
    Share And Observe

    This section emphasizes the importance of observation and sharing among...

  43. 2.1.4.6

    This section explores the importance of character reflection in drama,...

  44. 2.1.5
    Assessment: Character Analysis Of A Short Provided Scene

    This section focuses on character analysis, where students evaluate a...

  45. 2.2
    Week 4: The Dance Of Interaction - Developing Relationships

    This section explores the dynamics of relationships in drama, emphasizing...

  46. 2.2.1
    Dynamics Of Relationships: The Interplay Of Human Connection

    This section explores the dynamic interactions between characters in drama,...

  47. 2.2.1.1

    This section explores the dynamics of power in drama, focusing on its...

  48. 2.2.1.1.1

    This section delves into the status dynamics in drama, emphasizing how power...

  49. 2.2.1.1.1.1
    Expression Of Power/status

    This section explores how power and status dynamics influence character...

  50. 2.2.1.1.2

    The section emphasizes the central role of character development and...

  51. 2.2.1.2
    Love/affection

    This section delves into the significance of love and affection in character...

  52. 2.2.1.3

    This section explores the complexities of character conflicts in drama,...

  53. 2.2.1.3.1
    Sources Of Conflict

    This section explores the sources of conflict in drama, highlighting the...

  54. 2.2.1.3.2
    Types Of Conflict

    This section explores the different types of conflict in drama, examining...

  55. 2.2.1.4
    Support/dependence

    This section explores the dynamics of support and dependence between...

  56. 2.2.1.4.1

    This section explores the core elements of character development in drama,...

  57. 2.2.1.4.2

    This section explores the dynamics of character interplay in drama and how...

  58. 2.2.2
    Status And Its Impact On Interaction

    Status in drama dictates the dynamics of character interactions, influencing...

  59. 2.2.3
    Improvisation: Developing Scenes Through Spontaneous Interaction

    This section emphasizes the significance of improvisation in drama,...

  60. 2.2.4
    Activity: Paired Improvisation Exercises Focusing On Relationship Development

    This section introduces paired improvisation exercises designed to explore...

  61. 2.2.4.1
    Scenario A (The Shifting Power)

    This section delves into the nuanced dynamics of character interaction in...

  62. 2.2.4.2
    Scenario B (The Unspoken Conflict)

    This section explores the dynamics of unspoken conflict in dramatic...

  63. 2.2.4.3
    Scenario C (The Moment Of Crisis & Support)

    This section focuses on the dynamics of crisis and support among characters...

  64. 2.2.5
    Assessment: Video Submission Of A Short Improvised Scene Demonstrating Clear Relationship Dynamics

    This assessment focuses on video submissions of improvised scenes that...

What we have learnt

  • Understanding character motivations and objectives is essential for authentic portrayals.
  • Relationships in drama are multi-dimensional, encompassing power dynamics, love, conflict, and support.
  • Improvisation enhances spontaneity and active listening, essential for creating believable interactions.

Key Concepts

-- Archetypes
Universal patterns of human behavior or roles that serve as a foundation for character development.
-- Motivation
The underlying reasons or desires that compel a character's actions and decisions.
-- Objectives
Specific, tangible goals that a character aims to achieve within a scene.
-- Status
The perceived power balance between characters in a scene, affecting their interactions.
-- Improvisation
A spontaneous performance technique that allows actors to explore character dynamics without a script.

Additional Learning Materials

Supplementary resources to enhance your learning experience.