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SimplyScripts Screenwriting Discussion Board  /  Radio and Stage Plays  /  All About Janet - Radio Play
Posted by: Don, December 8th, 2013, 7:45pm
All About Janet - Radio Play by Dustin Bowcott - Play, Drama - A woman is driven to end her terminally ill husband's life. 40 pages - pdf, format 8)
Posted by: DustinBowcot (Guest), December 9th, 2013, 3:53am; Reply: 1
Thanks for listing this. This was really fun to write. I took one of my short scripts and converted it into a radio play. I had to add some stuff here and there to make it more dramatic.

IMO, it's harder writing for the radio than it is for the screen. Everything has to be done through clever (or not, depending on how you look at it) exposition.

If you've never tried it, I'd suggest giving it a go. It's an enjoyable exercise. Not sure it helps much with the screenwriting as that is an opposite medium in that we tell as much as we can through imagery. Exposition avoided at all costs. I suppose this is an exercise in how to bury exposition though. How to talk the plot without really talking the plot.

Anyway, I enjoyed it... and I'll probably write one again, if the mood takes me.
Posted by: Forgive, December 15th, 2013, 6:55pm; Reply: 2
Hey Dustin. You might have to explain this some. For Radio, in large part, I think Janet's character worked, I and I felt like the audience could warm toward her quite well. The premiss works well here, and there's room to explore all that potential.

But Desdemona? Where is she from? She just seems to be this bitch from hell with no motivation? As far as I can see we have this contrast of the real and the unreal - Janet's true world where there are thoughtful challenges that she has to deal with, and the Ms fantasy D, who's part surreal, part drug dealer, part angel of death (and mates with Donald, don't'cha know?).

The problem for me was that I kept on expecting D to find some 'place' within the the script, but it never really happened? She always remained unexplained, out there, something other.

So what does she bring that Donald doesn't? Because really, all the doubts, questions, etc that Janet had, could have been played out with Donald, couldn't they? His desire for her, her need for him and the burden of her husband; all of that was waiting to be explored without wierdo D.

As a play, this worked well; you had the dialogue element well worked, which needs to be strong for an audio piece. Gripes where occasional missed question marks and language - your limited audience will be hit with the 'fresh' lingo that was not really needed. Just not sure about ms D.
Posted by: DustinBowcot (Guest), December 16th, 2013, 1:39pm; Reply: 3

Quoted from Forgive
Hey Dustin. You might have to explain this some. For Radio, in large part, I think Janet's character worked, I and I felt like the audience could warm toward her quite well. The premiss works well here, and there's room to explore all that potential.

But Desdemona? Where is she from? She just seems to be this bitch from hell with no motivation? As far as I can see we have this contrast of the real and the unreal - Janet's true world where there are thoughtful challenges that she has to deal with, and the Ms fantasy D, who's part surreal, part drug dealer, part angel of death (and mates with Donald, don't'cha know?).

The problem for me was that I kept on expecting D to find some 'place' within the the script, but it never really happened? She always remained unexplained, out there, something other.

So what does she bring that Donald doesn't? Because really, all the doubts, questions, etc that Janet had, could have been played out with Donald, couldn't they? His desire for her, her need for him and the burden of her husband; all of that was waiting to be explored without wierdo D.

As a play, this worked well; you had the dialogue element well worked, which needs to be strong for an audio piece. Gripes where occasional missed question marks and language - your limited audience will be hit with the 'fresh' lingo that was not really needed. Just not sure about ms D.


Thanks for checking this one out. I tried to make it clear, without making it too obvious, that Desdemona is actually Janet's subconscious. I think that's why you assume Desdemona and Donald are friends. Donald is actually talking to Janet.
Posted by: Forgive, December 17th, 2013, 6:39am; Reply: 4
Well, I can see why you tried this out as a radio as it naturally lends itself to that medium; but is it going to be missed? I didn't get that element at all. It'd be interesting to see what other people say. Still leaves you two routes to go with this as there is good ground just having Janet and Donald go through the complexities presented - what would your conclusion be should it be played without Desdemona?
Posted by: DustinBowcot (Guest), December 17th, 2013, 6:46am; Reply: 5

Quoted from Forgive
Well, I can see why you tried this out as a radio as it naturally lends itself to that medium; but is it going to be missed? I didn't get that element at all. It'd be interesting to see what other people say. Still leaves you two routes to go with this as there is good ground just having Janet and Donald go through the complexities presented - what would your conclusion be should it be played without Desdemona?


OK, yes. I see what you mean now. Sometimes it takes a while for the cogs to grind. I'm not quite sure yet how the conclusion would play out without her, although I can see plenty of options.

I suppose it wouldn't do any harm to write a version without her and see where it goes. Thanks again.
Posted by: DustinBowcot (Guest), July 14th, 2016, 7:48am; Reply: 6
Just got an email regarding this and informed that all the character voices have been recorded and it should be finished toward the end of August. Extremely pleased to be able to add a radio play to my portfolio.
Posted by: AnthonyCawood, July 16th, 2016, 4:45pm; Reply: 7
Great news mate.
Posted by: DustinBowcot (Guest), July 17th, 2016, 1:45am; Reply: 8
Cheers mate, I may even try writing another one if this works out. I was talking to somebody in the business the other night and he told me that the Beeb pay a few K for radio plays.

They are fun to write... but it's a little like writing with your eyes closed. You have to hear the story, not see it in your mind.
Posted by: Grandma Bear, July 17th, 2016, 7:24pm; Reply: 9
How cool is that! Excellent! As someone who loves radioplays, I think this is great. Never really thought of that medium for our scripts before.
Posted by: DustinBowcot (Guest), July 18th, 2016, 3:30am; Reply: 10

Quoted from Grandma Bear
How cool is that! Excellent! As someone who loves radioplays, I think this is great. Never really thought of that medium for our scripts before.


As you love them you should find it a lot easier than I did. It might be even easier for you to record/produce your own and sell the finished product. Something to look into if you have access to the right equipment.

Cheers, Pia.
Posted by: Reef Dreamer, July 19th, 2016, 3:57pm; Reply: 11
I echo Pia..how cool is that!!

Well done
Posted by: DustinBowcot (Guest), July 21st, 2016, 3:02am; Reply: 12
Cheers, mate. Good luck with Inner Journey.
Posted by: PabloM, February 12th, 2018, 5:03pm; Reply: 13
I can't take it on the radio but in a short film. it's grabbing and human like nature contagious in the bottom of despair and agony. sardonic the very end of it, I just thought Janet would have finished in the jail for the dig out of the corpse. but smetimes the fate is playful unfair with all of us.
You can take my scripts here 'On the Road and Curst' thriller and mystery/horror.
and let us know anything new you post.
Bests.
Posted by: PabloM, March 2nd, 2018, 4:48pm; Reply: 14
It's a good one. Janet and the other characters are realistic, dealing a hardscrabble situation. The end tragic and i would expect Janet going to the jail for being accused of have been murdered her husband.
anything else you had posted let me know about it.
i have my scripts 'On the road' a thriller and the play 'Curst.'
Thanks.
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