Period dramas are set in historic periods and rely on accurate mise-en-scene including props, costumes, lighting, setting and architecture to make the era convincing. They can be adaptations of classic novels or based on historic figures. Details like vocabulary, technology, cars, toys, and clothes must be authentic to the time period portrayed.

1. Period Drama Conventions

2. A period drama is a drama set in a historic
period.
Some period dramas films are adaptions of
classic novels such as ‘Jane Eyre’, whilst others
are based around historic figures such as ‘The
King’s Speech’.

3. Mise-en-scene
The mise-en-scene needs to be accurate to fit the time
period of the drama. The genre relies on props,
costume, lighting and setting to make the era
convincing to the audience.
Buildings in every era have been built differently so
architecture also needs to be taken into consideration.

4. Victorian
The Doctor arrives in London on Christmas
Eve in 1851 where he encounters the
Cybermen and a man who claims he's a
Time Lord called the Doctor.
E.g. Doctor Who
People acted very differently in
the 1800’s. Vocabulary has
changed dramatically,
technology has been
developed since then.

5. 1970’s
Life on Mars tells the fictional story of Sam
Tyler, a policeman in service with the Greater
Manchester Police. After being hit by a car in
2006, Tyler awakens in 1973 to find himself
working for the predecessor of the GMP, the
Manchester and Salford Police, at the same
station and location as in 2006
Every detail has to be
thought out, the cars they
used, toys they played
with, clothes they wore
etc.