Radio In Oklahoma
Written and Printed by The Oklahoma Museum of History Education Staff 800 Nazih Zudhi Drive Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73105 Copyright Oklahoma Historical Society 2011
Table of Contents
Note to the teacher Page 2
Audio and Video Resources Page 3
Context for D-Day Audio Resource Page 4
Radio Timeline Page 5
Theater of the Mind Pages 6 – 13
Questions for Theater of the Mind Page 14
Answer Key for Questions for Pages 15 – 16 Theater of the Mind
1889 Land Run Radio Play Pages 17 – 33
How to Build Sound Effects Devices Pages 34 – 40
1940s Radio Show Assignment Pages 41 – 44 Group Plan Sheet
Bibliography Pages 45 - 46
1 A Note to the Teacher
Before your students produce the land run radio play, it may be useful to have them read Theater of the Mind in order to get acquainted with basic radio theater concepts and with some of the methods that were used in radio before your students’ time. The questions that follow the text are intended to check their comprehension of the information and to encourage them to apply critical thinking skills.
Theater of the mind is an overview of radio. Your students are familiar with television and probably the internet and other technologies that have developed since radio. However if they are not familiar with radio drama and comedy, this overview should help to acquaint them with some key concepts to understanding this type of entertainment.
Theater of the Mind also touches on how radio works and how theater in a radio setting works. This information combined with the equipment provided in the radio education trunk and the land run play script should expose your students to something that they are familiar with, theater, but in a different form, radio theater.
It may be useful to let the students listen to all or some of the CD that comes in the education trunk. It has examples of actual radio shows that come from the golden age of radio and some contemporary shows. In addition to reading Theater of the Mind, this may help them to make the transition from television to radio.
Funding for this education trunk is provided courtesy of the Kirkpatrick Foundation.
2 Audio Resources
Included in this education trunk is a CD that has several radio programs, sound clips, and one video that will help students to understand what a radio show is and how it works.
Numbers 1 and 2 are sounds that were commonly used to identify the NBC radio network or to identify the Monitor program on NBC. Numbers 3, 4, and 5 are radio show adventures from the Golden Age of Radio, 1922 to 1962. Number 6 is a comedy show that was popular in the Golden Age of Radio. Numbers 7 and 8 are from a radio talent show that was like American Idol is on television today. Number 9 is a video that shows how a radio play is made. It starts out from the point of view of a boy listening to a show on his radio and then gradually transitions to the studio where the play is being produced and broadcast. Number 10 is live coverage of the D-Day invasion of Normandy during World War II. It is commentary on how people were feeling that day about the invasion. It comes mostly from WKY in Oklahoma City but was being broadcast to the whole NBC radio network. Numbers 11-14 are from a modern radio comedy show.
1. NBC chimes- used to identify the station as an NBC affiliate. 2. The Monitor beacon from the NBC weekend program. The beacon introduced the show and was used in transitions, for example, going to station breaks and accompanied by the tag line: "You're on the Monitor beacon”. 3. Dick Tracy episodes (2) The Dick Tracy comic strip was written by an Oklahoman, Chester Gould. 4. Tom Mix western adventure show. Tom Mix was from Oklahoma and worked on the 101 Ranch in north central Oklahoma. 5. Burns and Allen comedy show 6. Arthur Godfrey Talent Scouts two clips 7. Back of the Mike one video 8. NBC/WKY coverage of the D Day invasion 9. Car Talk four clips
3 Context for NBC and WKY D-Day Coverage
On the audio CD in the radio education trunk, there is a clip of a broadcast that was made on the occasion of the invasion of Nazi-occupied Normandy in France by Allied forces on June 6, 1944, also known as D-Day. Most students will probably need some background for this clip to have meaning.
During World War II, Nazi Germany had occupied all of northern France. However, by June 6, 1944, the Allied forces, consisting of American, British, Australian, and Canadian forces, were prepared to invade Normandy and fight the German army and air force.
Normandy
England
Allied forces crossed the English Channel from England to the beaches of Normandy.
“War time” is mentioned in the clip. During World War II, Congress enacted the War Time Act on January 20, 1942. Year-round daylight savings time, DST, was established in the United States on February 9, 1942, as a wartime measure to conserve energy resources. This remained in effect until after the end of the war in 1945. During this period, the official designation “War Time” was used for year-round DST. For example, Central War Time (CWT) would be the equivalent of Central Daylight Savings Time during this period. Oklahoma is in the central time zone.
4
Radio Timeline
1920______1922______1924______1934______1947___1955______2001______2004_
1924 WKY does the first broadcast 1920 KDKA in that came from a network it was 2004 1947 KWGS, Pittsburg, the singer, Reginald Werrenrath 2001 XM, the Oklahoma’s the first FM first AM first satellite first High station in commercial 1922 WKY becomes the first radio station, Definition Oklahoma, radio station Oklahoma AM commercial 1934 AM radios goes on the (HD) goes on the air in the world, radio station. Opera singer are available in air station begins Alma Gluck was the first cars for the goes on the broadcasting program. first time air KWTU
WNAD AM goes on the air as 1955 90% of the first Oklahoma Oklahoma noncommercial station homes have an AM radio
5 Theater of the Mind
Theater Of The Mind
Radio is theater that you cannot see. Have you ever been in one room listening to a television that was in a different room? You probably have. In a way, that was like a radio show. All of the voices, music and sound effects were easy for you to hear. When that happened, were you able to imagine what was on the TV screen at the time? You probably were. So even if you have never listened to a show that was made just for radio, you have experienced something similar to it. A mother and daughter listen to the radio next to them. They are not looking at the radio because they see the show in their How Does Radio Work? imaginations.
Radio is electrical energy that is sent through the air. A device called a transmitter sends out people’s voices, music or other sounds transmitted as electrical signals to the top of a broadcasting tower. At the top of the tower is an antenna which sends the signals out through the air. Instantly those signals reach radios in homes and cars where the electrical signals are changed into sounds that we recognize.
Radio Shows Drama and Comedy
In the pictures below, you see groups of actors performing radio shows. Notice that they are not looking at an audience. They are looking at their scripts, the microphone or at each other. Looking at each other helps them to get across to the audience how the characters feel about each other.
Notice the man on the left side of this Notice the concentration in these picture. He is looking at a show script actors' faces. They are thinking of in his right hand and with the other how their characters would feel. hand , he is about to close a door for a 6 sound effect.
Theater of the Mind
Since a radio audience cannot see the actors’ facial expressions or other body language, it is important for the actor to get across the character’s feelings through his or her voice.
Are these actors putting a lot of feeling into their performances? Even though the radio audience cannot see their gestures, these actors shake their fists to help produce the emotion of the story.
Radio Tricks
To create the effect of someone being far away, speak further away from the microphone. Gradually move closer to the microphone to create the effect of the
character moving closer to the action.
Hold a sound effect device close to the microphone if the device makes a soft sound. If the device is particularly loud, hold it further away. Be sure that the sound effect does not drown out the actors’ voices. Use your ability to pretend; change your voice to sound older or younger. Remember the audience cannot see you. Pronounce your words very clearly. Remember that the audience cannot read your
lips.
If you don’t already have what you need to create a sound effect, use your imagination . Look around the room, think about what is there. Also think about what sounds can be made by using your hands, feet, legs, voice, and so on. Help the audience to know what a sound effect is supposed to be by speaking about it, such as “I hear horses coming!”.
Remember that you can stop and start the recorder if you need to fix a problem.
Choose music to use in the background to get across an idea, but be careful that
the music does not drown out the actors’ voices. Also be sure that the music is appropriate for the story. Music can also be used to change from one time and place to another. Have music fade in and fade out to show that the story is going from one thing to another. Think of what your character is feeling in the scene that you’re performing, and
with your voice get that feeling across to the audience. Remember they cannot see
you, so your voice has to carry the message.
7 Theater of the Mind
Radio’s Early Years
For forty years, from 1922 to 1962, millions of people counted on radio for drama and comedy. Before television replaced radio for comedy and dramatic entertainment, people regularly gathered around a nearby radio just as people do now with television. Today people enjoy shows like American Idol to watch ordinary people sing, tell jokes, or play an instrument. The same was true during a time called the Golden Age of Radio. Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts was a popular show that did the same thing as American Idol except that it was sixty years ago. You can hear some of the talent scout show on the CD that came with this education trunk. During its golden age, 1922 to 1962, radio was especially important because America was more rural than it is now. That is, more people lived out in the country. There was no television or internet, and more people lived out of town where they did not have easy access to live theater, newspapers, or movies. So radio was the only source of news and entertainment that they had beyond what they provided for themselves.
A battery powered radio in the 1920s
Comedy
There is still a lot of comedy on radio with shows like a Prairie Home Companion and Car Talk, but drama has mostly moved to television, and movies. Examples of modern radio comedy are A Prairie Home Companion which is about a make-believe town in Minnesota called Lake Wobegone and Car Talk, a call-in show about car repair and anything else that the callers want to talk about. You can hear Car Talk, Golden Age drama and comedy, and the Talent Scouts show on the CD that came with this radio education trunk.
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Clear Channel
Today you can easily listen to recorded books or music as you travel anywhere. It is simple and not very expensive. Before the 1960s though, if you were far away from a town in the daytime, there was little or nothing available on radio, and there was no other way to get music, news, or anything else. However, once the sun went down, things changed. You could be almost anywhere in the United States, and there would be entertainment that you could get through your radio. In the car, at home, or at work, music, sports and other programs were readily available way out in the country after sundown. Special radio stations called clear channel stations could be heard hundreds of miles away from where the stations were located. Some were heard over a thousand miles away. In the mid-1900s, the United States was more rural that it is today, and people in the country and small towns depended on clear channel stations at night. This was before cable, the internet and satellite television. Also these people could not get television in daytime or the nighttime. Therefore clear channel radio was the only way to hear what was happening across the country and around the world, but it only worked after sunset. On most radios you can hear AM and FM stations. FM is more popular now, but AM used to be more popular. What made clear channel stations special is that there were places on the AM band where only clear This radio gets both AM and FM stations
KRMG is a Tulsa channels stations could broadcast after sundown. Some clear channel station stations across the United States had to turn off their transmitters after sundown. For instance, if there were a station broadcasting on 1520 on the AM band in Kansas City, they would have to shut down at sundown because in Oklahoma City there was a clear channel station, KOMA, that was also on 1520, and the Kansas City station would interfere with the radio signal coming from KOMA if they had kept broadcasting. KOMA could be heard in Alaska 3,000 miles away because no other station
KVOO is a Tulsa clear 9 channel station Theater of the Mind
could broadcast on KOMA’s frequency, 1520, after sundown. Think of a person speaking in a large room filled with people. If everyone in the room is quiet except the speaker, the people who are far from the speaker can still hear him or her. In this example, the person speaking is a clear channel. The Air Castle of the South
Another clear channel station that can be heard in Oklahoma is WSM in Nashville, Tennessee. WSM started a very popular radio show in 1927. It was originally called the WSM Barn Dance, but it has been known as the Grand Ol’ Opry This map shows that the for 83 years. The Opry has been a show in signal from WSM which the best country music artists in the reaches Oklahoma. nation perform before an audience, and a large radio audience listens in. WSM is called the Air Castle of the South because its signal covers most of the eastern half of the nation and almost the entire South.
High Definition Radio
All television stations in Oklahoma and the rest of the nation switched from analog, the older type of TV signal, to digital. You might remember when this happened; however, radio stations were not required to make this change. Most radio stations are still analog. Most stations that are digital are also high definition or HD. High definition means that the sound is much better; however, in order to get that better sound you must be listening using a radio that is designed to pick up an HD signal. Both AM and FM stations can use HD. If they do use HD, AM stations will sound as good as nondigital FM stations do now, and FM will sound as good as a CD. Not only is the sound better on HD radio, but also the station can have as many as four channels. For instance, a station could have one channel for music, news on another, weather reports on a third one, and community events on a fourth channel. Also an HD station can send information to be displayed on the front of an HD radio. Twenty-nine stations, about a third of the radio stations in Oklahoma, have made the change to high definition signals. In smaller Oklahoma
10 Theater of the Mind
towns, about one fifth of the stations have made the switch. It is expensive for radio stations to make the change over to high definition, but in time, more stations will probably decide it is worth the expense.
Did you know? The University of Tulsa started the first FM
station in Oklahoma and the first HD station in Oklahoma.
CONELRAD Control of Electromagnetic Radiation
During the 1950s, 60s and 70s there was a great deal of tension between the United States and the Soviet Union. It was so tense that many believed that a war between the two nations could start at any time. To prepare for a possible attack, a new type of radio station was started in 1951 called CONELRAD. It is spelled with all capital letters because it is an acronym. If the United States were attacked, only the CONELRAD stations would be allowed to be on the air, and they would provide only emergency information. Between 1953 and 1963 all new radios were The red circles above show the locations of the two Conelrad stations. required to have the locations of the CONELRAD stations marked on their tuning dials.
This poster explained how to get information in case of an enemy attack.
640 and 1240 were the frequencies of
the CONELRAD stations. They were also the locations of the CONELRAD triangles on the radio dial.
The CONELRAD broadcast system was never used because the Soviet Union did not attack the United States. It has been replaced by the Emergency Alert System, EAS. The EAS makes it possible for the president to talk to the
11 Theater of the Mind
nation through all radio and television stations within ten minutes of the time that he is notified of an emergency that makes it necessary for him to talk to the nation as a whole.
New Developments
Satellite Radio
In recent years, radio has become available from two new sources, satellite and the internet. Satellite radio is available day or night in even the most remote areas. If you are on a long drive across the country and listening to an AM or FM radio, you will pick up stations and then lose them as you drive in and then out of the range of their transmitters. Satellite radio does not have that problem. You can listen to your favorite program and not worry about it going away as you drive. Satellite radio offers a very wide variety of programming. There are specialty shows from satellite radio that you cannot get on AM or FM. But there are two disadvantages to satellite radio. One is that a person must pay a monthly subscription to get that service. Another is that it may be necessary to buy an extra piece of equipment called a receiver to get satellite programs in your car or home. Almost all cars have AM and FM receivers, but only certain ones come with satellite receivers already installed.
Internet Streaming
The internet has made it possible to listen to radio stations from all over the world. A quick internet search can bring up hundreds of radio stations from around the globe. These stations broadcast the music Mumbai is a city in India. A radio station and language of their countries, so it is there is easy to listen to. possible to easily listen to other countries’ radio stations and sample their cultures with a few keystrokes of a computer keyboard.
The Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters (OAB)
Radio and television broadcasters have come together in an organization that works to help both of them. There are many laws that affect broadcasters, and the OAB works with the state and national governments to make those laws helpful to the public and to broadcasters.
12 Theater of the Mind
The OAB also works with universities across Oklahoma to promote broadcasting education, and the OAB helps those who are looking for a job to find employment. Also the OAB encourages cooperation among Oklahoma broadcasters to share their experiences so that they can learn from each other’s experiences.
In Conclusion
For almost a hundred years, radio has provided music, comedy, news, sports, and special events to millions. Old time radio shows teach us a lot about the music of the past, what comedy was like, and how people spoke in those days. Modern radio programs continue to keep us informed, provide opportunities for discussion and to be heard. Even now with television and the internet being a part of everyday life, radio still provides services that nothing else does. For instance, people who go to a sporting event listen to radio coverage of the game even though it is being played in front of them. The radio commentator provides additional information about the players and the game that might not otherwise be obvious. Radio is very useful to people on the road in their cars. Motorists are saved from driving into a traffic jam by a traffic report on the radio. They can avoid dangerous weather by hearing reports in their cars. A complete description of the latest news comes to motorists without it interfering with their driving. Frustrated drivers can be soothed with comedy and music that makes them relax and reduce road rage. Housework and home repairs are made more pleasant by listening to music, comedy, sports, or news. Radio leaves the eyes and hands free to work. There are also radio shows that give tips on how to make house work easier and more effective. Radio can always help out whenever someone is driving or doing anything in which they need to keep their eyes on what they are doing. This has been true for the better part of a century, and it continues to be today.
13 Questions to Theater of the Mind
1. What are two ways that television is similar to radio? What are two ways that it is different? 2. What four things are necessary for radio to work? 3. Why does it help for radio actors to look at each other during a performance? 4. What is the most important tool that a radio actor has to tell the story and get across the character’s feelings? 5. How do radio actors create the illusion that a character is moving away from the scene? 6. What two purposes can music serve in a radio show? 7. In what years was the golden age of radio? 8. What do you think is meant by “the golden age of radio”? 9. Shows like American Idol on television and Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts on radio are similar to each and both were very popular. Why do you think that this type of show was popular then and now? Provide at least two ways that the two shows are different. 10. Comedy has continued to do well on radio today but not drama. Why do you think that is? 11. If you operated an AM radio station on the 1520 frequency in Tulsa what would you have to do at sundown? Why would you have to do that? 12. What part of Oklahoma might not be able to listen to The Grand Ole Opry on WSM? 13. What are three ways that HD radio stations make a better listening experience? 14. In 1958, if the Soviet Union had attacked the United States, what should a radio listener do and why? 15. Today what would the president use to speak to the whole nation in an emergency? 16. If you are on a long trip in your car, what advantage does satellite radio have over AM and FM? 17. If you could listen to a radio station from anywhere in the world, where would that be? 18. The Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters works to make better laws about broadcasting. If you could make a law about radio or television, what would it be? Why would you make that a law? 19. Why is radio better than television when someone is driving a car or doing housework?
14 Answer Key to Theater of the Mind
A note to the teacher: Some of the questions call for basic reading comprehension. Others call for analysis on the students’ part. The answers to the critical thinking questions will vary because there are different interpretations to the answer; however, critical thinking questions provide very good opportunities for discussion.
1. Possible answers include: Both are used for news, sports, and entertainment. Both are received on an electronic device. Both use sound to tell their stories. Originally both were broadcast over the air and received with an antenna. They are different in that radio can use only sound. Radio does not do much drama now. 2. Electrical energy, a transmitter, a tower, an antenna, a radio receiver 3. It can help to look at fellow actors to be in touch with how the characters feel about each other. 4. A radio actor has his or her voice and nothing else. Music and sound effects can help, but they are someone else’s job. The actor must use every ability that his or her voice has. 5. They move further away from the microphone. 6. Music can help to get across the emotion of a scene. It can also be used as a transition device when there is a change in time and/or place in the story. 7. 1922 to 1962 8. Answers will vary, but it was a time when radio was very popular and radio provided all types of programming. 9. Answers will vary, but both shows do the same thing. An ordinary person takes a chance at acceptance or rejection. In most cases, it is someone with whom the audience identifies, so they get involved. They are different because the audience can see the performers on American Idol and not on Arthur Godfrey. They are also different in that the styles of music are different. Also a radio talent show can’t use visual acts like jugglers because the audience would not be able to see the juggler. 10. Answers will vary, but drama relies more on facial expressions, close- up shots and other resources that radio does not have. On the other hand, a joke is funny whether the audience can see the joke teller or not.
15 Answer Key to Theater of the Mind
11. You would have to go off the air. You would have to do this because the 1520 AM frequency is being used in Oklahoma City by KOMA, and they are a clear channel station. If the Tulsa 1520 station continued to broadcast after sundown, their signal would interfere with KOMA. 12. The panhandle as shown in the WSM map 13. The sound is better, the station can have as many as four channels, and the station can send information to an HD radio that will be displayed on the front of the radio. 14. He or she would tune their radio to one of the two CONELRAD stations. They would do this to hear emergency information so they would know what to do next. 15. The Emergency Alert System 16. Two answers are possible: you can pick up satellite stations in even the most remote places, or you don’t lose satellite stations by driving out of their range. 17. Answers will vary. There are several web sites that you and your students can visit to listen to radio stations from all over the world. Here are a three: http://www.live-radio.net/worldwide.shtml http://www.radio-locator.com/cgi- bin/nation?ccode=ec&sid=&go.x=6&go.y=4 http://radiostationworld.com/locations/Fiji/ Some of these links will work quickly and easily while others will not. You will probably find some that will work well with very little trouble. 18. Answers will vary, but the students’ answers should provide a suggestion that shows original thought. 19. You can hear all kinds of programs and enjoy them without having to look at where the programs are coming from.
16 Radio Play
The 1889 Land Run A Radio Play for Classroom Production
Written and Printed by The Oklahoma Museum of History 800 Nazhi Zudhi Drive Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73105 Jeremy Carey, Education Intern Copyright Oklahoma Historical Society 2011
17 Radio Play
Cast of Characters
Announcer: deep, male voice Mr. William Lee: any male voice Mrs. Clara Lee: any female voice Maybell Lee (Eldest Daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lee): soft female voice Abigail Lee (Youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lee): soft female voice Mary Smith: any female voice James Cook: any male voice Soldier #1: any male voice Soldier #2: any male voice Brigadier General Julius A. Penn: deep, male voice
List of Items Needed for Sound Effects (Included in Trunk) Plungers – Used to make clopping sounds of horses walking and running Wooden Wheel – Used to create rolling sound Dowel Rod – Used as an axle for the wooden wheel and to be hammered as a stake Metal Plate and Spoon – Used for metal sounds Metal Stakes(2) – Used for metallic sounds Hammer – Striking device to produce sounds 2x2 Boards (2)- To be used for various wooden sounds Plastic Knife – Used to scrape across plate for eating sounds Leather Belt – Used to make whipping or popping sound
18 Radio Play
List of Items Needed for Sound Effects (Not Included in Trunk)
Paper – Used to make sawing and sounds of papers being handed over Something to Make Creaking Sound – Could be many things, especially old items
Bugle or Small Horn (if possible) – Used for signals given by soldiers. If no student owns one of these, a student can verbally make the noise.
Imaginations – Needed to think about how to simulate human walking, running, creaking, and other background noises.
Recording the Play
See the laminated sheet in the trunk that explains the operation of the digital recorder. Record the play in the order that it occurs in the script. Please do not record one portion of the show until you are finished with an earlier portion of the show. You do not have to get it “right” on your first attempt. If you are not happy with a portion of the recording, make the changes that you would like to make, and then record it again. You can listen to the recording that you have made by connecting the recorder to your computer or other audio device.
19 Radio Play
The 1889 Land Run
Script for classroom recording of the radio show
ANNOUNCER: Good afternoon Ladies and Gentlemen! Welcome to our broadcast on W-O-H-S radio! Today, we are featuring A Moment in Oklahoma History!
SOUND: STUDENTS APPLAUD AND CHEER
ANNOUNCER: Come with us, now, as we travel through the hourglass of time, back to the day April 22, 1889. April 22 marked the opening of the very first Land Run in Indian Territory! We take you now to an area near Fort Reno in the Unassigned Lands of Indian Territory. The scene begins on the morning of the run outside of an old white tent where two homesteaders are eagerly anticipating the run.
SOUND: BACKGROUND CROWD NOISE BEGINS AND THEN SLOWLY QUIETS
MR. LEE: Clara, my dear, are all of the supplies ready?
MRS. LEE: Yes, William. The girls and I packed them up.
MR. LEE: Good, the tools are in the wagon and I‟ve hitched up the oxen. We should be ready for the start.
SOLDIER 1: We‟re set to begin in 30 minutes folks. We will start moving to the line immediately.
MRS. LEE: Good heavens, we need to get the tent packed up and in the wagon or we‟ll fall behind.
SOUND: METAL CLINKING, BUMPING, AND RANDOM BANGING ON WOOD (Students use metal plate and cup to make clinking noise and use desks or tables for bumping and banging)
ANNOUNCER: The Lees quickly break down camp, stow all of their belongings, and hastily throw their remaining things into
20 Radio Play
the wagon. Meanwhile, their children rush to climb into the wagon.
MAYBELL LEE: Abigail, get in the wagon. Mama and Papa said it‟s „bout time.
ABIGAIL LEE: Help me up! I can‟t climb up.
MAYBELL LEE: Come on Abby, I can‟t reach!
ABIGAIL LEE: Help!!! Mama! Help!!! Pa!! I can‟t get up and Maybell won‟t help. (WHINING)
MRS. LEE: I will get her, William. You finish with the wagon.
MR. LEE: Thank you dear. As soon as I put the tent in the wagon, we‟ll be off.
MRS. LEE: Ok. Abigail, up you go.
ABIGAIL: Thank you, Mama.
MR. LEE: Everybody on? All right, here we go.
SOUND: ROLLING WHEELS AND WAGON CREAKING (Use dowel rod as an axle and roll the wheel close to the microphone. Also, students need to create creaking sounds with their voices)
ANNOUNCER: The Lees join the convoy of wagons and settlers on foot and horseback. Soldiers meet them at the starting line. People of every description are here to start a new life. Many families as well as single men and women await the start of Harrison’s Horse Race, James Cook and Mary Smith among them.
SOUND: HORSES WALKING, PEOPLE WALKING, AND BACKGROUND NOISES (Students clap together coconut halves slowly. Students also need to randomly beat on desks (softly, but close to the microphone) to simulate people walking and talking in the background)
GENERAL PENN: Here we go boys. Give the signal and move out.
21 Radio Play
SOUND: BUGLE (Student(s) need to blow horns lightly to simulate a signal given by the soldiers. If no students have a bugle or horn, one can simulate a bugle vocally)
SOLDIERS 1 & 2: Yes sir! Move along! Let‟s go, move out!
JAMES COOK: Almost time. Would you look at that woman? She‟s makin‟ the run all by herself?
MARY SMITH: I would watch your mouth, sir. I wager I‟ll get a claim before you do.
JAMES COOK: No way, ma‟am. You don‟t have a chance at this race. Only men should be starting at the front. Not any ol‟ woman.
MARY SMITH: My horse is much better than your old mule. I will see you at the land office, sir!
JAMES COOK: Good luck, ma‟am. Try not to get hurt. (LAUGHS)
ANNOUNCER: The settlers finally arrive at the starting line. As noon approaches, anticipation continues to mount. Finally, Brigadier General Julius Penn and his soldiers appear in front of the line.
SOUND: CROWD NOISE AND HORSE CLOPPING (Students talk excitedly in the background. They also need to make some clopping noises with the coconuts)
GENERAL PENN: I will give you the signal once it is exactly noon. Watch for the signal. Get in position. Do not let anyone in early. If they try, arrest them immediately. Understood?
SOLDIER 2: Yes sir! Okay, I will take the north and you take the south.
SOLDIER 1: Sounds fine to me. Let‟s get to our posts.
SOUND: SOUND OF SOLDIERS RUNNING ON THE GROUND AND METAL CLINKING SOUNDS
22 Radio Play
(2 Students need to bang rapidly on desk to simulate running. Students also need to make random metal clinking sounds for the soldier’s accoutrements in conjunction with the banging)
GENERAL PENN: Troops, please keep the wagons back and wait for my signal. Keep a sharp eye for any cheaters.
SOLDIER 1: Yes sir! They don‟t have a chance of getting in early under my watch.
SOUND: RUNNING FOOTSTEPS ON GROUND (Student bangs on desk to simulate running)
GENERAL PENN: Almost time. 30 seconds.
SOUND: WIND BLOWING, HORSES NEIGHING (Students need to blow into microphone and simulate horse neighing vocally)
ANNOUNCER: The general stares at his watch. He raises his arm in preparation to give the signal. Finally, the time has come, and he drops his arm with his white silk handkerchief and the race begins. Thousands of people take off at noon. Many ride horses, families ride in wagons, and even some run on foot. Many others ride trains and bicycles. Out in the Unassigned Lands, people begin staking their claims.
SOUND: WAVING HEAVY CLOTH (Student waves heavy cloth near microphone)
MR. LEE: Hang on everyone. Here we go!
JAMES COOK: See you out there, ma‟am. Yah!
SOUND: HORSES AND PEOPLE RUNNING, WHEELS ROLLING, METAL CLINKING, CREAKING NOISES, AND EXCITED YELLING (All students make noises. Students use coconut halves to simulate horses running (beat together quickly), bang on desks, use metal items to make clinking sounds, make creaking sounds, yell excitedly, and roll wheel close to microphone for rolling sounds).
23 Radio Play
ANNOUNCER: After a long and tiring sprint, eager homesteaders begin staking their claims.
JAMES COOK: (LAUGHS) This looks like a good place. There‟s the stake. Thank goodness, I‟m exhausted. Ok, so I pull this out. (GRUNTS). And put mine in. (GRUNTS)
SOUND: STAKE BEING DRIVEN INTO THE GROUND (Student taps end of dowel rod to simulate hammering)
JAMES COOK: I got a prime piece o‟ land here. Heck, I bet that little woman didn‟t even get 2 miles away from the line. (LAUGHS)
ANNOUNCER: Meanwhile, the Lees arrive at a section of land.
SOUND: WAGON CREAKING AND WHEEL ROLLING (Students make creaking noises vocally and roll wheel)
MR. LEE: This looks great. There‟s plenty of trees over there for wood and it looks like there‟s a stream over that way, too. Now, where is the stake?
MAYBELL LEE: It‟s over there, Pa! Just beyond those rocks!
MRS. LEE (EXCITED): I see it too. William, pull the wagon over there.
SOUND: FEET HITTING GROUND AND THEN RUNNING (Student bangs on desk to simulate running)
MR. LEE: Ok, got our marker. Let‟s get this one out. (Grunts). And stake our claim.
SOUND: STAKE BEING DRIVEN INTO THE GROUND (Student taps end of dowel rod to make hammering noise)
MAYBELL AND ABIGAIL: Hooray!!!
ANNOUNCER: As the day passes, the Lees set out to explore their claim and meet their new neighbors. They hear hammering and sawing from the surrounding claims.
24 Radio Play
SOUND: HAMMERING AND SAWING IN BACKGROUND (Away from microphone, students tap end of dowel rod to simulate hammering. For sawing, students hold three or four sheets of paper stacked together and roughly drag across edge of table or desk)
MR. LEE: Girls, this is Mr. James Cook. He claimed the land just west of us.
MAYBELL AND ABIGAIL: Hello, Mr. Cook.
JAMES COOK: Hello, girls. Ma‟am, how do you do?
MRS. LEE: Just fine, Mr. Cook. Tired, but glad to have a new home. Where are you from, sir?
JAMES COOK: From Missouri, ma‟am. I wanted a new start and some land of my own. Once I‟m settled, I can look for a proper lady to start a family with.
MRS. LEE: That‟s nice. I wish you luck.
JAMES COOK: Thank you, ma‟am. William, we should be off early tomorrow. We have to get back to file our claim with the land office.
MR. LEE: Yes, but we need to find all the markers first though. We have a few hours of light left. I need to get something set up for my family to sleep in. We can pitch the tent fairly quickly. Would you join us for dinner?
JAMES COOK: That sounds mighty fine. I will go look for my markers and get the numbers written down for tomorrow. See you in a few hours.
MR. LEE: See you then.
ANNOUNCER: Mr. Lee and Mr. Cook go off to look for their section markers. They each find a pile of rocks indicating the coordinates of their claims. Mr. Lee bumps into his new neighbor to the north during his search.
MR. LEE: Hello, ma‟am. How was the run for you?
25 Radio Play
MARY SMITH: Wonderful. I‟m happy to have a claim. I was worried my horse wouldn‟t hold up to the strain.
MR. LEE: Well it‟s a good thing he did. Glad to have you as a neighbor. If you need any help, let me know and my family and I will do our best to help out.
MARY SMITH: Thank you, Mr. Lee. Actually, I may need some help getting some wood and building some kind of cabin. But no need to worry about that now. I have a tent and some food. I will need to find some supplies somewhere. I heard rumors from other neighbors that there are already plans to build shops and businesses on some of the claims.
MR. LEE: Hmm…well it would make sense to build some shops close by. Another neighbor and I are traveling to Kingfisher to file our claims. You are welcome to come with us in the wagon, and we can bring back supplies for all of us.
MARY SMITH: That sounds wonderful. Thank you, sir. I will see you tomorrow then.
MR. LEE: I can‟t believe I didn‟t ask, but how about you come to dinner over at our tent and meet my family? My wife is making stew and corn bread. One of our other neighbors will be there, too.
MARY SMITH: That sounds delightful. Again, thank you. Tell your missus I will bring over some vegetables and meat to add to the stew. And I‟ll make something sweet. We can have a feast to celebrate.
MR. LEE: Wonderful, see you in a while.
ANNOUNCER: Mr. Cook walks over to the Lees. To his surprise, he finds a familiar face helping Mrs. Lee cook.
SOUND: BACKGROUND NOISE FROM GIRLS, METAL SCRAPING AND CLINKING SOUNDS, AND MUSIC IN THE BACKGROUND (Abigail and Maybell giggle and laugh excitedly in background. Students use metal plate, cup, and plastic utensil to make scrapping and clinking sounds)
26 Radio Play
JAMES COOK: What in tarnation?
MR. LEE: Ahh, Mr. Cook, welcome. May I introduce Miss Mary Smith? I invited her to dinner and to come with us to town tomorrow.
MARY SMITH: I see your old mule made it.
SOUND: MULE BRAYING (Student vocally brays like a mule)
JAMES COOK: And I see you made it, ma‟am. I do apologize for what I said earlier. You certainly proved me wrong. Where is your claim?
MARY SMITH: Just to the north of the Lees. And yours, sir?
JAMES COOK: Just to the west of the Lees. It seems we‟re neighbors now.
MARY SMITH: So it does, Mr. Cook. Well, hopefully I have proven that a “little woman” on a horse can do just as good as a man on a mule.
JAMES COOK: That you did, ma‟am. My hat is off to you.
MRS. LEE: Looks like we are all acquainted, so it‟s time for supper. Ms. Smith was kind enough to make some pudding and added more to the stew for a proper meal. Children, go wash up. We have much to celebrate for our first night in a new home.
SOUND: ABIGAIL AND MAYBELL YELL AND CHEER EXCITEDLY
(Skip if going on to continuation) ANNOUNCER: And so, ladies and gentlemen, that was our…MOMENT FROM OKLAHOMA HISTORY! Thank you for tuning in. This is Radio Station W-O-H-S signing off.
SOUND: STUDENTS APPLAUD AND CHEER
27 Radio Play
Cast of Characters for Part 2
Announcer: deep, male voice
Mr. William Lee: any male voice
Mary Smith: any female voice
James Cook: any male voice
Claim Official: any male voice
Michael O’Brien: any male voice
Shopkeeper: deep, male voice
28 Radio Play
Continuation (Complete if time allows) ANNOUNCER: Welcome back ladies and gentlemen.
SOUND: STUDENTS APPLAUD AND CHEER
ANNOUNCER: The scene now shifts to the morning of April 23, 1889. Mr. Lee, James Cook, and Mary Smith have made their way to the upstart town of Kingfisher. Today, they must register their claims and get supplies. Hopefully everything will go smoothly for them.
SOUND: CROWD NOISES MIXED WITH HAMMERING AND SAWING IN THE BACKGROUND (Students make sounds away from microphone. Tap dowel rod to simulate hammering while using paper to simulate sawing)
MR. LEE: Oh gracious. Things seems to have sprouted up overnight. Look, Miss Smith. There are a couple of people building over yonder. They look like they‟ve been working all night. It‟s almost finished.
SOUND: HAMMERING AND SAWING GETS LOUDER (Students move closer to microphone)
MARY SMITH (Loudly to speak over sound): There is an awful lot of noise here. Hopefully we don‟t have to stay here long. I‟m getting an awful headache.
JAMES COOK (Loudly to speak over sound): I agree, there is a lot of racket here.
SOUND: HAMMERING AND SAWING GETS CONTINUES
JAMES COOK (Loudly to speak over sound): Now where is that blasted claim office? We need to get this taken care of and get back soon.
MR. LEE (Loudly to speak over sound): I think it‟s somewhere to the south of here. Hopefully there aren‟t a lot of people over there yet. It‟s still is kind of early.
29 Radio Play
SOUND: HAMMERING AND SAWING FADE INTO BACKGROUND (Students quiet the noise and stop) JAMES COOK: Ok, I think I see it, Mr. Lee. Look just beyond that tent over there.
MARY SMITH: Goodness! Look at that line. Those people must‟ve gotten up really early to get here before us.
JAMES COOK: Well, we better get in line soon. I can see more people coming into town over to the east.
ANNOUNCER: After standing in line for over 5 hours, the settlers are almost to the Land Office. Luckily for them, the line has grown to a mile long behind them. People have begun to set up tents for the long wait.
MICHAEL O’BRIEN (Angry): What do you mean the land was claimed already? I was the only one there yesterday! I got there first and came here first thing this morning. That land is mine.
CLAIM OFFICIAL (Business like): I‟m sorry. That claim was filed earlier this morning. A gentleman named Cole was here at about 8 o‟clock sharp. He paid to file his paperwork, had a witness sign off, and we finished it promptly. There is not anything I can do for you.
MICHAEL O’BRIEN (Angry): That just isn‟t right. I made the run and claimed that land. Then some cheater gets here and claims the land I found. That just isn‟t right. You people need to fix this. He had to have been one of them Sooners I heard about.
CLAIM OFFICIAL (Business like): Sorry, sir. I can‟t do anything about that. I tell you what, there‟s some lawyer shops set up in town already. Go over and talk to one of them and see if they can help you out. Other than that, there‟s nothing else I can do for you.
MICHAEL O’BRIEN (Dissapointed): I guess I‟ll do that. I‟m sure not happy about it, but I guess there‟s nothing I can do right now.
30 Radio Play
SOUND: FOOTSTEPS OF MAN WALKING AWAY (Student bangs on desk to simulate walking and slowly fades to quiet)
CLAIM OFFICIAL: Next in line.
MR. LEE: Yes, sir. What was that all about? That man seemed awfully angry.
CLAIM OFFICIAL: Oh, he got swindled by one of them Sooners. He says that no one was on the claim that he wanted. But, a man named Cole got there first and then came to town. He was lined up at 8 A.M. this morning to file a claim.
MR. LEE: That‟s just not right. I can‟t stand cheaters. He‟ll get what‟s comin‟ to him.
CLAIM OFFICIAL: I rightfully hope so. Oh well. Let me see your claim information and we can get this paper work finished.
SOUND: PAPER BEING HANDED OVER (Mr. Lee and the Claim Official hand over papers close to microphone)
ANNOUNCER: After filing their claims, Mr. Lee, Mary Smith, and James Cook head to one of the small general stores to gather supplies. The store is a small tent with goods spread around. A burly shopkeeper has just finished attending to another patron.
MR. LEE: Hello. How are you today, sir?
SHOPKEEPER: Just fine. What can I do for you?
MR.LEE: Well, we need some supplies for our homesteads.
SHOPKEEPER: Supplies I‟ve got. Sorry they‟re so spread out. Hopefully I‟ll have a store built soon. I may be hiring some people to build it for me since I don‟t have much time.
JAMES COOK: Hiring? Well, sir, I might be able to help you. I have some experience in carpentry.
31 Radio Play
SHOPKEEPER: Do you? Well, then I‟m willing to hire you if you know what you‟re doing. When can you start?
JAMES COOK: I can start tomorrow if that‟s ok.
SHOPKEEPER: All right. That sounds wonderful. We can discuss pay after our business is finished. Do you have a list of the supplies you need?
SOUND: PAPERS BEING HANDED OVER (Students exchange papers with Shokeeper)
ANNOUNCER: The settlers hand over their lists of supplies, and the shopkeeper quickly finds everything they need. After James Cook finishes talking with the shopkeeper about the next day, Mr. Lee and the others talk by the wagon.
MR. LEE: So do you have a job?
JAMES COOK: I do indeed. He wants me to start building him a store. He agreed that I could keep any excess wood or materials along with what he‟s already paying me. There should be some extra so I can start on some improvements to my homestead.
MARY SMITH: I‟m very happy for you, Mr. Cook. That‟s awfully nice of that shopkeeper to let you have the extra. I might be willing to take some of that off your hands if you‟re willing.
JAMES COOK: I may have some extra and I‟d be willing to give you what I don‟t use. No need to sell it to you, ma‟am.
MARY SMITH: Mr. Cook, why you are a gentleman after all. Since you‟re an experienced carpenter, do you think you and Mr. Lee could help me build a small home? I know I can‟t do everything, so some help would be greatly appreciated.
JAMES COOK: I could probably help some. And thank you.
MR. LEE: I‟d be willing to help.
32 Radio Play
MARY SMITH: Thank you both very much. I sure did get lucky to be near some gentlemen, even if Mr. Cook didn‟t believe a little ol‟ woman could make the run all by herself. (LAUGHS)
MR. LEE (LAUGHING): Let‟s get going. Clara and the girls will be wondering where we are.
SOUND: FOOTSTEPS WALKING AWAY (Students bang softly to simulate footsteps and fade slowly to quiet)
JAMES COOK: Right. After you, Ms. Smith.
MARY SMITH: Thank you, sir.
SOUND: CREAKING OF PEOPLE CLIMBING ONTO WAGON (Students use something old to make heavy creaking sound)
MR. LEE: Everybody ready? Let‟s go.
SOUND: WHIPPING OF REINS, CLOPPING OF HORSES, AND WHEEL ROLLING (Students fold leather belt in half, scrunch it up, and quickly pull the ends to make whipping sound. Students also use coconuts to simulate the horses walking and roll wheel near microphone)
ANNOUNCER: That’s the end of our show. Thank you for tuning in. This is Radio Station W-O-H-S signing off.
SOUND: STUDENTS CHEER AND APPLAUD
33 How To Build Sound Effect Devices
Advice from Tony Palermo
It's a Wonderful Life script & SFX for radio - Details about how you can produce my radio adaptation of Frank Capra's classic film.
Also available: Stage play version of "It's a Wonderful Life"
There are only a few special devices necessary for radio sound effects. I've found it's not the props themselves, but the way they are manipulated that make the difference. For one show, I had Crusaders venturing underneath a volcano. One scene called for them to wade through an ocean of bones. We tried spooning a bunch of gravel, but it didn't sound right. I turned to my mentor, Cliff Thorsness, CBS's ace sound effects artist in Los Angeles from the 1930s to the 1960s for help. At first he grabbed some hi-lighter pens and moved them in his hand, but it didn't sound big enough for an ocean of bones. Then he went to our gravel box and started manipulating the gravel up against the sides of the wooden box--Wham, that was it! It's all in how you use the sound effects devices. Here's how I built a number of simple SFX devices we use all the time.
CRASH BOX:
The crash box is one of the most useful SFX devices in radio drama. I've used it for car crashes, planets being destroyed, ghostly clunking about and also as a contributing background noise under medieval wars and gun battles. It's also a fine first part for doing a thunder- crack (followed by the rumble of a "thunder sheet" being flexed--see below).
Some of the old time radio shows had crash boxes that resembled a small metal trash can on a crank. I've found a much simpler version that is easily manipulated in a number of ways. I use a popcorn can, the kind Christmas popcorn comes in (11 inches high and 10 inches in diameter--a bit larger than a basketball) and fill it with junk. These popcorn cans are only sold at Christmas-time (which now starts in early October). I just picked up several cans at one of those office superstores (Staples, Office Depot, etc.) for $5.00.
I dump the popcorn (OK, we eat it) and fill the can with broken ceramic coffee mugs, a crushed aluminum can, pennies, nails, pieces of wood (about the size of a fist), and two handfuls of gravel. I then tape the lid shut with grey duct tape. You want to keep the lid on tight or the junk or its soon-to-be fine dust will leak out. I don't use glasses or wine bottles anymore because they powderize too much. The ceramic coffee mugs are sturdier and sound similar.
34 How To Build Sound Effect Devices
As in most SFX work, manipulation is everything. We use a two handed shake and roll motion to get a variety of crashes out of it. When shaking it for a sound effects cue, you have to remember to end the motion with the can upright or you'll create unwanted crashing/settling as you put the can down. If not, your actors will have to ad-lib "Look the car's crashing...again!"
After a while of use, the mugs and rocks grind down and the crash may not be as loud, so you may have to put in another coffee mug. At some point the debris will turn to such fine dust that it begins to leak out the seams. Dump everything out and start over--or get another popcorn can and start from scratch. You may have to tape up the seam, but don't cover the whole can with duct tape or you'll deaden the crash too much.
I suggest you buy a couple of cans at a time as they break and dent and leak after prolonged use. Once the Christmas season is over, they're impossible to find.
THUNDER SHEET:
Convincing thunder and other low rumbles as well as odd space sounds can be wrung from a 2 x 4 foot sheet of high impact styrene plastic--with a thickness of about 60 mil. These are sold by specialty plastic shops--try looking in the Yellow Pages. You can buy a sheet for about $10. You can manipulate it in various ways to get different sounds. To get thunder, I grab it with two hands from the 2 foot end and move my hands in a punch-after-punch motion (like a boxer working a speed bag at a gym.)--you ripple it. To get a really convincing thunder-crack, have a second person quickly jerk a crash box and then follow it up immediately with the thunder sheet. You can get some outer space "wup-wup, wup wup" sounds by grabbing each 2 foot end with a hand and flexing it in broad slow strokes. I've used that sound for giant amoebas undulating around.
THUNDER ROLL:
Shake a thunder drum close to the mic. Search Google for: schylling "thunder maker"
35 How To Build Sound Effect Devices
WIND MACHINE:
The old time radio shows used wind machines for Superman flying, storms and spooky backgrounds. The sound is produced by rotating a drum of wooden slats against a canvas sheet that is pulled lightly against the slats. It's not too tough to make your own, but will require some carpentry skills. I made one in an afternoon out of plywood and a 1 -1/2 inch closet pole dowel. Total materials cost: $20.
My drum was 12 inches in diameter and 16 inches long. For the ends of the drum, I bought two pre-cut 12-inch circles of 3/4 inch particle board at a building supply superstore (Home Depot). I drilled two 1- and-7/16 holes in the center of the circles and filed it to allow a tight fit for the closet pole--which serves as the axle. I then cut 18 slats - 1- inch wide by 16 inches long, from a piece of 1/4 inch plywood.
NOTE: The slats must be of a fairly hard wood or they won't be loud enough when rubbing against the canvas sheet. I used tiny nails to attach the slats to the circles leaving about an inch of space between them. They don't have to be perfectly spaced--just nail one then it's polar opposite and continue by halves, quarters, eighths, etc., until the drum is covered with slats.
I built the drum platform out of a 20 inch by 16 inch rectangle of 3/4 plywood and used two triangles to serve as braces for the drum. The dimensions depend upon how much axle you use. (Sorry I can't be more precise, but I don't have the machine beside me).
For the axle, I used a 1 -1/2 inch closet pole and cut it to about 19 inches. I used one of those plastic end-caps for hanging closet pole to hold the axle on one end of the dowel and just drilled a 1-and-9/16 hole through the other brace. The drum is attached to the axle just where it goes through the circles. The crank was just a short piece of 2 x 5 inch plywood with a bit more dowel for a handle. I attached them with several screws.
I used a cut up "butterfly chair" seat for the canvas sheet. It is wrapped around an extra slat at either end (like an old roll-up window shade) and secured against the platform on one end only.
36 How To Build Sound Effect Devices
The cranking motion really makes the device slip around, so I cut out a piece of a thin rubber-backed welcome mat and attached it to the bottom of the platform--carpet side facing the bottom of the platform-- rubber side facing whatever tabletop surface you put the device on.
To get the wind sound, you crank and, optionally, pull the canvas tighter against the rotating drum. You don't have to crank too fast to get a convincing wind storm. You can also leave the canvas away from the slats and apply other things (playing cards, a drummer's wire brush, etc.) against the rotating slats to get other mechanized sounds.
My wind machine isn't too loud (maybe harder slats would increase the volume), but it really produces that classic dust storm or Superman flying sound. It's an amazing little contraption.
WALK BOARD:
The walk board is used for running, walking, dancing, and even dragging ghostly chains on. I use a piece of 2 foot by 3 foot plywood, doubled up (two 3/4 inch pieces attached on top of one another). You may want to cover one side with tile or carpet. We have people walk and stomp on the board, but noticed that many people wear athletic shoes which don't make much noise. You could get some leather soled shoes and walk them on the board with your hands-but I don't bother- -I just have people stomp louder. If you prop up one end of the walk board with a two by four, you can simulate a stair step sound.
GRAVEL BOX:
The gravel box is generally used for horse hoofs and walking. I use an 18 inch by 30 inch wooden box (I made it from 1x6's and plywood) filled with a layer of garden gravel. We then use two coconut shells for horses and two two-by-four blocks (7 inches by 4 inches) as cowboy "boots" to walk on the gravel. Some old shows used a canvas bag filled with gravel, but we've found the box sufficient--also having the gravel exposed allows us to manipulate it for other sounds--such as Crusaders wading through an ocean of bones. I recently added a small plywood "deck" covering part of the box to use for streets or bar room floors. A piece of ceramic tile might help for cobblestones. Some wooden "boots" had spurs too. Hi-Yo, Silver!
37 How To Build Sound Effect Devices
OLD FASHIONED TELEPHONE RINGER:
A couple of years ago, I investigated using real telephones for phone SFX and can't recommend it. The way an old Bell phone works is that two voltage levels are run through the same two copper wires. I don't quite recall the exact low voltage, but I think it was something like 15- 20 volts for the talk signal and 84 volts for the ringing. But to generate the 84 volts, you need an expensive transformer. I just thought it was too much money and too dangerous to use with kids.
So, here's what I recommend instead: Go to a hardware store and buy a doorbell kit--not the "Ding Dong" variety, but the little 3 inch bell with a clapper. It's about $10-$15. Then mount it on a board and remember to push the button 2 seconds on and 4 seconds off. If you get the right kind of bell, it works fine as an old phone. I also keep an old-style desk phone nearby so people can loudly pick up and put down the handset in conjunction with the bell.
What I don't have is the sound of the bell ringing through the phone line--what YOU hear when you're waiting for somebody you've called to answer. So I always have characters dial or answer the phone and only put one of them through an EQ filter to simulate the "tinny" sound of a phone voice..
ROLLER SKATE BOX:
Take an old fashioned kid's roller skate and attach it to the bottom of a wood box (10 x 4 x 4). The old skate should be the kind that would strap onto a kid's shoe and use four metal wheels--you want something noisy, not fancy. This can serve as a horse-drawn buggy, an elevator door opening, a double-sash window opening and even the creaking of a sailing ship at sea. You can put chains or gravel in the box to jostle around too.
EGG MARACAS:
You can buy these plastic egg maracas at musical instrument stores or make your own out of egg sized plastic Easter eggs filled with seeds or rice. Get two and shake them very fast, then vocalize some jungle bird sounds and you've got an instant rainforest. This is very evocative.
38 How To Build Sound Effect Devices
SWORD FIGHT:
Bang together several large metal cooking spoons and pancake flippers. I like the flipper with the wooden handle and a 10 x 3 inch blade. The metal spoons can be plain or have strainer holes. The crash box and some battle cries add extra mayhem too.
FIVE GALLON BUCKET:
Get one of those plastic 5 gallon paint buckets, fill it one third full and swish water around inside. This can serve as rowboat oars or swimming or sharks. A plumber's plunger can work as a swish stick, but what's better is an "X" shaped cross of 1/4" plywood on the end of a stick. To get the sound of a splash you don't plunge into the bucket-- that splashes water all over you--instead you put the X-stick into the bucket and pull it out. That's how they did on the Lone Ranger. Plus you can use the bucket to carry around other small SFX gear. I also bought a little lid/seat for $5 that fits over it, so I can sit on it during any stretches of a show where there are no sound effects.
GUN SHOT CLIP BOARDS:
The typical office clipboards can be snapped to make decent gunshot noises. I find the wooden backed ones to be noisier. I think they really need a resonating box to amplify the sound. Maybe snapping the clipboard in a small metal trash would work. Another idea is to use a drum stick to hit a throw pillow or vinyl covered drummer's throne-- however this requires some skill to slam the body of the stick onto the pillow. If you're not precise with your hits, you might end up shooting "blanks" when real bullets are called for.
Lately, I've found an old CBS gunshot slapper that's pretty easy to make. The concept is to slap a hinged ruler-sized "tongue" of 1/4 plywood on a small 12"x4" pad of chamois--that goat skin drying rag sold at auto part stores. I take a 13"x5" platform of 1/4 plywood, affix a small cabinet hinge on one end, attach the 2"x11" ruler/tongue to it and staple a folded bit of chamois under it. Then you pull back the tongue and slap it for the gun shot. It works really well in a theater and can be "fired" repeatedly. If you add some reverb to the sound in post-production, it's a convincing gunshot.
39 How To Build Sound Effect Devices
WAVE DRUM:
To produce the sound of surf lapping at a beach, get one of those black plastic witches' caldrons they sell to hold candy at Halloween and pour in a few handfuls of BBs, then slosh them around. You'll have to use two hands to control this sound, but it's very realistic. I've tried it with marbles instead of BBs, but the marbles clack into one another and spoil the effect. Find a cauldron that's smooth inside, so the BBs won't bump or stick when you start sloshing them around. You can find the BBs at gun shops for about $3 for a 1/2-pint milk box. Look for "Airgun shot, steel BB Caliber (4.5mm)."
The REMO drum company makes a commercial wave drum with two different surfaces. They run about $50. You could make your own by rolling the BBs in an 18-22 inch bass drum rim and drum head.
DOOR OPENING/CLOSING/SLAMS:
While you can try the typical prop doors used in stage plays, I suggest you build a small SFX door to stand on the SFX table. For photos of my SFX doors, see: www.ruyasonic.com/ruya_news.htm
You can make a small door from a single panel off an old 4 or 5 panel door--which can be found at architectural salvage yards. Build a frame out of 1”x6” pine. Use 2-1/2” non-mortise hinges. What’s important for a good SFX door is to use an old-style mortise lockset. Search at Amazon.com or Google for: “Mag Engineering” #8785 Brass Mort Lock. The lockset and strike are more important than the door dimensions. Attach 1”x3” wooden feet to the frame so it can stand upright. Clamp those feet to the SFX table so the door won’t rock when you slam it.
DOOR LOCKING:
Jiggle mortise-style door knob to get a “ka-CHINK.” Again, the old-style mortise lockset produces a clearer “door” sound than modern (a/k/a “Kwikset”) locksets--which are too quiet.
BELL (ATTACHED TO DOOR) RINGS
Ring a small “tea time” bell or similar. This bell “hangs” on the lobby door of the Savings & Loan office and is heard when Violet makes her entrance and exit while seeking a letter of recommendation from George. Coordinate the bell to ring when the door opens/shuts. Do NOT attach it to the door---just
40 How To Build Sound Effect Devices
open the door with one hand and ring the bell with the other. Search Google for: “tea bell” and find one with a 1” or 1-1/2” or so diameter.
DINNER PLATES/FORKS:
Scrape a fork on small dessert plate. You may wish to drop the fork on a particular line of dialogue--for dramatic emphasis. Have two or three different sized plates/saucers and several forks--so you can quickly grab one on a crowded SFX table.
41 1940s Radio Show Assignment Group Plan Sheet
1940s Radio Show Assignment Group Plan Sheet
Objective: The students will write a 1930s-1940s style radio show incorporating the style and sound effects of the time period. Students will also work in groups incorporating performance skills with an emphasis on diction, vocal variety, and projection.
In groups of 4-5, you will write an old fashioned style radio show. Each member must speak and help write a component of the show. You may not have more than 5 members without the permission of the teacher. You must work in a group and practice the time given. Do not allow yourself to be the weak link.
Group Members: ______, ______, ______, ______, ______,
You will perform behind a screen or curtain, so the emphasis must be placed on your vocal variety, diction, and projection. The show can be about anything, but must be appropriate. It must be done in either a serial form (not breakfast food, but serial as in a continuing series like on TV). It can be a mystery, a melodrama, adventure, horror story, or cliffhanger style. If you do not know these forms, please look at your literature book. It is a great resource.
You will be graded on the following: Circle the Style of your Radio Show: Melodrama Adventure Mystery Cliffhanger Horror Main Plot: ______
______
______
______
The following pages show an example of Radio Show script that you may look at as an example. You must follow the script. The finished product must be no shorter than three minutes and no longer than five. (Each commercial may be 30 seconds to 1 minute long only).
Music: There must be music to introduce your show. It must fit the theme of the the show. Do not pick a song just because you like it. Music sets the tone.
40 1940s Radio Show Assignment Group Plan Sheet
Sound Effects: There must be at least 4 effects that is not music or using a cell phone. Two can be sounds that you download from one of the free websites such as A1 Sound Effects that are in the old fashioned style. You must provide the CD or sounds. You may use the computer, but you are responsible for downloading prior to your performance day. There will be a CD player provided. For anything else such as an iPod, you must provide speakers. Two of the sound effects must be created in the old style as recently introduced in the handout and discussion. If you missed the discussion, then you may research the styles online.
My Groups Four Sound Effects:
Sound Effect How is it created? Member Performing Effect
1.
2.
3.
4.
Commercials: Here is your chance to create your own commercial product. You must create two commercials. You may not use a product that is already out there. You will create a jingle for your commercials and may add extra sound effects for extra credit or just for fun! Each commercial may be 30 seconds to 1 minute long. Commercial 1:
Product: ______
______
Jingle: ______
______
Extra Effects:______
______
Time:______
41 1940s Radio Show Assignment Group Plan Sheet
Commercial 2:
Product: ______
______
Jingle: ______
______
Extra Effects:______
______
Time:______
Radio Show Grade Breakdown & Critique:
Rehearsal Grade also known as production points: Each student will be given 20 points per day for a total of 100 points for the week. Each student is expected to use their time working on writing, rehearsing and putting together their radio play. If they are not with their group, working on something else, or refusing to help their group, it will result in lost points for the day. If you are off with another group, you are not helping your group and will lose your points. Do not expect full points for the day if you are gone to the bathroom for long periods of time. If you are absent, it is your responsibility to catch up and get the information. Basically, you are given points for doing what is expected of you. Do not be the person who lets two people do all the work.
Status Check Grade: Each student is expected to fill out the Radio Show Assignment Plan Sheet. The group will be given status check for the following:
Plan Sheet Complete by: ______ Script Completed by: ______ Sound Effects Completed by: ______ Commercials Completed by: ______
42 1940s Radio Show Assignment Group Plan Sheet
Performance Critique:
Vocal Quality: 1 2 3 4 Creativity: 1 2 3 4 Music 1 2 3 4
Script Quality: 1 2 3 4 Style Followed: 1 2 3 4
Sound Effect 1: 1 2 3 4 Sound Effect 2: 1 2 3 4 Sound Effect 3: 1 2 3 4 Sound Effect 4: 1 2 3 4
Commercial 1: Product Creation: 1 2 3 4 Jingle: 1 2 3 4 Commercial 2: Product Creation: 1 2 3 4 Jingle: 1 2 3 4
Total: ______x 2= Grade
43 Bibliography for Radio in Oklahoma
Archival
Dick Tracy episodes. Oklahoma Historical Society Research and Archives
Division. Oklahoma History Center. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Tom Mix Western Adventure Shows. Oklahoma Historical Society Research
and Archives Division. Oklahoma History Center. Oklahoma City,
Oklahoma.
Websites
French, Jack. “Sound Effects.” The Original Old Time Radio Web Pages.
http://www.old-time.com/sfx.html (accessed January 13, 2011).
Genco, Louis V. “The Stories behind OTR.” The Original Old Time Radio Web
Pages. http://www.old-time.com/stories.html (accessed January 13,
2011).
Matzat, Cynthia. “Radio Days: a Webquest.” Thematzats.com.
http://www.thematzats.com/radio/ (accessed January 13, 2011).
OTR Cat.com. George Burns and Gracie Allen Radio Show. OTR Cat.com.
http://www.otrcat.com/burns-and-allen-p-1148.html (accessed
January 13, 2011).
______. “Arthur Godfrey Radio Show. OTR Cat.com.
http://www.otrcat.com/arthur-godfrey-p-1058.html (accessed January
13, 2011).
45 Bibliography for Radio in Oklahoma
Palermo, Tony. “How to Build Sound Effects Devices.” Tony Palermos’
Ruyasonic. http://www.ruyasonic.com/sfx_make.htm (accessed
January 13, 2011).
______. “A Catalog of Live Sound Effects.” Tony Palermos’ Ruyasonic.
http://www.ruyasonic.com/sfx_make.htm (accessed January 13,
2011).
Wikipedia. “Radio” Wikipedia Online Encyclopedia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio (accessed January 13, 2011).
Online Videos
Handy (Jam) Organization. “Back of the Mike, 1938.” Prelinger Collection.
Internet Archives. http://www.archive.org/details/Backofth1938
(accessed January 13, 2011).
*Some information also included correspondence between local
radio employees and our education staff. NBC/WKY coverage of the
D-Day invasion courtesy of Michael Dean’s private collection.
46