SCREEN SCHOOL AND FILM ACADEMY
TV FORMATS
Inspired by the Jonathan Neelands' Drama form, “Come on Down”, we modeled these
improvisations on contemporary, cheap-and-cheerful television shows. TV Formats provide:
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An instant route into both issue and text based content.
An energiser for your class, with ample opportunity to improvise off text.
A fresh and engaging approach to study material.
An exploration of relationships, narratives and messages.
Please find below some examples of how various texts can be explored:
Daytime News (Julius Caesar, Brutus' speech)
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A reporter on the scene gauges the reactions of spectators who heard the speech.
Back in the studio, the experts hold a debate with opposing views.
The anchor holds it all together, and can sum up at the end of the segment.
Adverts (Miss Julie, the dreams)
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A presenter describes a holiday company, offering holidays in the opposite social status.
Scenes are shown, which show people enjoying a holiday with a new social status.
Happy customers offer testimonials of the success of their holiday.
Finish with a memorable tagline.
Game shows (Macbeth)
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Macbeth goes to murder Duncan “In the Cube”, following Lady Macbeth's example.
The witches, as gameshow hosts, show the couple with what they could win.
The couple “phone-a-friend” (Banquo) for his assistance, without giving the game away.
Reality shows (Midsummer Night's Dream)
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Helena, Hermia, Lysander and Demetrius are minor celebrities in the jungle.
They try to collaborate on a task which will provide them a meal.
Ant-and-Dec style hosts (Oberon and Puck) provide commentary and break the fourth wall.
During the task, Puck puts the juice of “Love in Idleness” into Lysander's eyes.
Talk shows (An Inspector Cal ls)
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The host introduces and interviews Sheila Birling.
The host introduces and interviews Gerald Croft, then the surprise guest Eva Smith.
The host provides lie detector test “evidence” and sums up at the end of the show.
Public Information Broadcasts (Antigone)
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King Creon's announcement, as the new ruler of Thebes, seeks the citizens' support.
“Info-graphics” and demonstration of the Eteocles/Polynices back-story.
Actors enact the proposed honouring Eteocles' and the shaming of Polynices' body.
A tagline sums up the message, and warns against disobedience, in a well-crafted sentence.
SCREEN SCHOOL AND FILM ACADEMY
Notes
TV Formats are well known and have broad appeal, making them very engaging and easily accessible
classroom activities. They are simple and easily replicable, with minimal expectations placed on
show hosts and participants. The format provides structure and reassurance, which takes
performance pressure off students, who can engage with, and succeed at, the task on many levels.
Any TV format will serve a purpose; preferably contemporary and well loved, including Preschool
Television, Lifestyle Shows, Food Programmes, Antiques Shows, Award Ceremonies, etc. Find out,
beforehand, which format the students recognise and are familiar with. Use your own judgement as
to which will best suit your aims.
We would recommend using a single TV Format across one or two lessons per term (forming part of
a balanced scheme!) Use TV Formats as an entry into new material or to refresh old material.
Presenting
Students can have great fun with the potentially confrontational nature of some TV Formats, so
please make sure your class is briefed properly on your expectations, in terms of their language and
behaviour, before you begin.
When each group performs, the teacher should encourage the audience to behave as a studio
audience would behave for each format. This might entail a warm-up act to prime the audience
between each group's performance, or employing students to use “applause” cards to elicit the
desired audience response.
These exercises are not designed to develop or discuss acting ability. What TV Formats provide, is
engaging activities, where students can have fun and explore their sense of humour through
reassuringly familiar forms.
Analysing
The TV Formats differentiate by task, with students naturally providing material at their level. Less
able students should be set a challenge to map relationships and narratives accurately to the text.
More able students should be challenged to further identify and develop the rich moments of
dramatic irony that TV Formats generate.
Students can be primed to analyse objectively, the inconsistent or flawed messages, themes, issues,
relationships and ideologies exposed by the format (think Brecht rather than Stanislavski).
Extended post-performance analysis is key to students exploring and assimilating new
understandings of the texts.
Final ly
Have fun with TV Formats and don't hesitate to adapt them to suit your students' preferences and
your own aims. If you enjoy these activities, please take a moment to print out and display or
distribute the poster at the end of this document. Thank you!
Stephen Woods
ACT 2 CAM
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SCREEN SCHOOL AND FILM ACADEMY
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