We have received a few questions regarding the Call for Scripts and feel that other people might also have similar questions. If you have any other questions you would like answered, please leave a comment or email Robin Perenchio at Robin@mediaforhealth.org
Thanks for reading and enjoy!
Question 1: The application states that there should be “3 to 4, five minute scripts.” In addition, the application calls for “six copies of the script.” Do I submit six copies of one script, or six copies of 3 to 4 scripts?
Answer: Because the radio soap opera program will eventually become a serialized show, with as many as 20 episodes per season, we wanted the writers participating in the Call for Scripts to demonstrate how they would write in a serialized form. We are asking for 3 to 4 scripts, that are each five minutes long, to see how writers progress their storyline, characters, etc. A good way to think of it is that we are asking for 3 to 4 “episodes” that are each five minutes long. Then, we are asking you to make 6 copies of all that you have written. These copies will go to each member of the reviewing panel, so they must include the scripts for each of the “episodes” you have written.
Question 2: One of the parameters is that it has to be based on the principles of Entertainment-Education. What exactly are the principles of Entertainment-Education?
Answer: Great question! We can start with the academic definition: Entertainment education includes any kind of entertainment that is meant to convey an educational message. Because of its unique power to entertain while educate, it has the ability to convey a specific health message, evoke a powerful emotional response and create a lasting impression that can change a listener’s behavior. Historically, stories and storytelling have been used around the world in communities to teach people important messages and information (i.e. parables, myths, etc); entertainment-education is just a modern day word to describe this way of educating people.
What this means for Healing Circle: The Healing Circle radio show plans to utilize the principles of entertainment-education by informing listeners about healthier living while entertaining them. In the other entertainment-education radio shows we have produced, the writers weave in important messages about healthier living while also maintaining highly dramatic storylines about other issues that would typically be in a soap opera: relationships, love, family, etc. Listeners learn from hearing the characters in the show deal, both successfully and unsuccessfully, with their different health issues. For example, when a character with diabetes eats too many sugary foods and they don’t feel well as a result, the audience learns information about the consequences of not eating healthy when a person has diabetes. Some excellent examples of this type of entertainment-education radio show can be found on the website for Media for Health’s other show, Bodylove, which is located at www.bodylove.org.
To hear an entire BodyLove episode visit the following link. Please keep in mind that we don’t necessarily want the radio project for American Indian radio to sound like BodyLove–so don’t let it limit your creativity. This example should only be used as a guide in terms of how to integrate health messages into a soap opera story. http://www.m-mc.org/mmc_search.php?sp=&ref_crmb=Resources&ref_id=resources&step=results&view=detail&detail_id=CD_USA_160&adv=mat
(You can download the show under the box with the BodyLove logo)
Thanks again for reading more about Healing Circle. We are looking forward to reading everyone’s submissions!
