OK, so you’ve found a great video clip and you’ve identified the springboard moment. Now might be a good time to look at the note on copyright in the footer of this page. When you’re ready to go, there are a few technical points to bear in mind. No one will become immersed in the drama if the viewing experience is poor. So make every effort to ensure that the video will be projected with adequate size, brightness and quality (can the room be darkened, for example?). However, although it seems counter-intuitive, the sound quality is even more important. It’s an old adage in the video industry that whereas an image of indifferent quality might be usable if the sound is good, it is never the case that a video with poor sound is usable. The eye is much more forgiving than the ear. So make sure you’ve tested the audio output of your projection system before you start the DRAW session.
Now, when you’re ready to start the DRAW session, don’t just launch straight into viewing the video clip. Remember this is a short excerpt of the drama; you should do a bit of scene setting for the audience. Just a few sentences to explain what’s happening will make all the difference. Oh, and you have chosen your role-playing trainee doctor before you press the start button, haven’t you? And they’re sitting out front, opposite the ‘actor’, ready to start the role-play as soon as the pause button is pressed, aren’t they? It’s important that there is a smooth transition from video to role-play at the springboard moment.
