LETTERS IN BLOOD

2. LETTERS IN BLOOD

3. What Radio Station? • The Radio Station for ‘Letters in Blood’ would be BBC Radio 4. It is suitable for this radio station because, older people and generations listen to this station and since my target audience is based around adults.

4. The Style? • My Radio drama would be a linear, so it would have a beginning, middle and an end. • This is a stand alone drama. • The drama is a Traditional style.

5. Brief Synopsis • It starts in 1989 Rose Hobbs reading a letter. There is a flashback to the first world war, two brothers James and Oliver. Oliver is the eldest, he writes a letter to his mother but before he can finish the letter they go over the trench. James gets shot in the leg, and whilst Oliver tries to save James he gets shot and dies. It then goes back to present time and Rose finishes the letter simply.

6. Setting the scene. It is 1989, the room is small and cosy, there is a fire crackling in the background. The rustling of paper is heard in the foreground, an old woman speaks reading what seems to be a letter. As she speaks the words fade out and then the sounds of canons and gunshots begin to fade more into the foreground. The sounds become clearer and the woman’s voice begins to fade even more until the only sounds are the canons and gunshots. There is the sounds of the explosions and gunshots are quietened James speaks.

7. Oliver Hobbs • Age: 24 • Occupation: Farmer. • Background: • Oliver Hobbs was born in 1892 in Devon; he was brought up in a rather poor family, with not much to live by. His father was a known alcoholic, as a child he always liked to ride the small horses whenever his mother would allow him to, it was then in 1899 when Oliver was just seven years old, he had a younger sibling who was named James. Oliver instantly took a brotherly role with looking after James, especially as he grew up and he was learning new things Oliver would always be making sure that James was safe, he felt as if it was almost his job since their father never did a lot with the family, the role was in a sense passed down to him. When Oliver was 16, his father had suddenly died which was most likely due to alcoholic poisoning, he did not feel much remorse for the loss, though he knew that his mother did which made him rather angry at the fact she was hurting so much and it was in that moment did Oliver decide to take care of his mother and James. When he was 21, 1912 he got married to one of the village girls named Cecilia, at the age of 22 1913, they had a daughter named Rose. • Appearance: Oliver is a tall man his height is 6’2. He is not too muscular, though he is rather strong, he has warm brown eyes, and kind features. Oliver has a scar across his arm from an accident at the farm, he was ploughing the horses when there was a sudden dip in the mud the blades had moved up and as he went to move away, the blade had cut his arm causing the scar he has now. • Hobbies: Since Oliver was a child he had always enjoyed horse riding, he has his own horse named Raffles which he takes on rides where he doesn’t have to do farm work for a day. • Costume: Blue shirt, trousers, farming boots, and a cotton murky brown jacket. • Personality: Due to his father not taking much care for the family, Oliver has always been a rather protective person, especially of the people he cares for. He has a specific connection with his brother that is more fatherly then brother like. He is a kind person though he does have his moments where he gets angry and also stubborn, when he is angry he tends to lash out at people not in a physical way but a verbal way which can then result in saying things he perhaps did not mean. • Likes and Dislikes: Oliver doesn’t like being called Olly, his mother sometimes calls him this and he tends to correct her in a rather blunt tone. He doesn’t like pushy and bossy people and gets rather annoyed and can easily lash out at them.

8. James Flynn Hobbs Age: 17 Occupation: Farmer Background: James Hobbs was born in 1899, he was brought into a poor family, that lived off the crops they made and the horses they sold for money. He has one older brother named Oliver, whom is 7 years older than he is. As a child, James liked to explore and perhaps got himself into more trouble than was necessary, though he sometimes learnt by his mistakes. James had always looked up to Oliver and had always aspired to be like him, his older brother was like his role model. At the age of 9, their father had died though much like his older brother, James never connected with his father since he was always so disconnected to the family. James had never been confident unlike Oliver, he was always much smaller too and was easily picked on by the other village boys. Personality: James is naturally quite a mischievous person; he always gets himself into trouble and likes to find it too. Though he causes a lot of mischief, he is rather shy too, though because he is shy he is able to cause more mischief in a silent and sneaky way. Though there is sometimes another side to James, he can be kind and he can be helpful, though for him to do this, it is usually on very rare occasions. Hobbies: James doesn’t have any hobbies apart from getting himself into trouble. Costume: Grey shirt, blue trousers, farming boots and a dark blue almost black cotton thinned jacket. Likes and Dislikes: James likes to cause mischief, he doesn’t like it when people mess with his family, although he is the youngest and because he aspires to be like Oliver, he still becomes rather protective and angry.

9. The Start The drama starts in 1989. It is in a posh old people’s home, she is in a living room, reading the letter in a small support group. It goes to a flashback of the trenches, everything is murky, it had just been raining the night before the smell of petrichor in the air. Gunshots, canons are fading in. The voice of James is then heard first.

10. The Middle. Oliver calms James down as he starts to panic telling him to try to sleep as the night draws in he writes a letter to his mother, explaining how they are going to be going over the trench, apologising if anything happens, and he tells her that he loves her, his daughter and wife. They go over the trench at the first light of dawn, the mud is still wet from the heavy down pour of rain from a few nights ago, the canons and gunshots are heard again. They stick together, shooting the enemy, James is then suddenly shot in the leg and Oliver tries to pull him to safety, though due to the sticky mud it becomes quite difficult.

11. The Ending. • As he tries to do so from behind, Oliver is then shot, there is high pitched ringing, muffled gunshots and canons. James slowly falls to the ground, a thud blood trickles from his mouth, eyes open and then there is only silence. The fire is then slowly heard again, and the old woman says one line “That was all I will ever know of my father..” before putting the letter away, everything fades out and then the credits then start.

12. Why did I chose this idea? I chose to do this drama because: - I find WW1 plays interesting - I liked the idea of two brothers in war. - I liked the film War Horse and it inspired to create my own World War Drama.

13. Target Audience • people who like Historic Dramas • No distinct gender preference for the listeners • Main audience would go out to those whom are studying some form of history, and since mixed genders study this subject. • The age range would range between 30+ younger generations wouldn’t enjoy it as much.

14. Budget Budget: £20,000.00/60 = 333.33 x4 = £1333.33 Spent: £1,211Left over: £122.33