Unit 10 “There’s no business like show business”

Individual Skills Audit

As an actor and as a person I’ve developed traits from sports and acting which has gave me strengths. However, I still have to always improve some way or another. What I have developed is the skill to work as a team from sports (basketball), so I can motivate others so we can get the job done. From sports I also gained traits such as leadership, always forming ideas and strategizing to give an effective idea as well. Sports made me express myself on the court by movement such as running and verbally communicate with teammates. This is very useful skill to have because communication is a very vital tool to get down important ideas or strategies spontaneously.

In my class the feedback that I had got is that I improved on my articulation skills being able to say Ts and Ds effectively. I have improved but I feel like I still slip into not articulating some words so I’m always trying to improve that. Furthermore, another reason to improve that is because my teacher said that he “couldn’t hear the words I was saying”. This is important so the audience can hear me clearly so that’s what I am practicing. 

One of my goals with acting is finding the most effective way for me to memorize lines which I have done but for auditions I don’t forget them in the moment. Forgetting my lines happened recently even though I learnt those lines this could be a real problem so finding a way would be very substantial for me. A peer has said that i am able to be emotionally connected with my character and portray emotions but what I think I need work on is being spontaneous with my character and what he is feeling which I am going to get training for.

Confidence is key and being able to stay in role and trust yourself even though you have a hunch for the character to be perfect. Another goal that I want to accomplish and acting classes and consistent practice will help me come out of that shell. Finally, the most important strength of mine is that I’m always wanting to learn a new skill/ technique which will benefit me. As an individual obtaining the ability to learn and comprehend how certain things operate in the acting industry likewise always having the talent to act from different perspective is good. Moreover, mastering the craft of acting and always elevating my skills and development is always an excellent behavior and achievement as a dedicated actor.

Monologue for auditions.
Act 5 scene one Juliet.
I chose Romeo and Juliet because I wanted a challenge. I want to challenge myself with something difficult then work on it and get better at it. Doing this shows my perseverance and dedication because I really didn’t want to step out of that comfort zone and act out a Romeo obsession scene. This is meant to be a foreshadowing of Romeos death in the future. I fantasise about Juliet and I have to play it like I’m infatuated and not in my body. I seem to make it natural from my perspective but not from an exaggerated perspective like Romeo. This character I suppose to be played precise. But make it my own.

Uni or Drama school

University is an institution for higher education”. The performing arts degree from universities are not as valuable in the industry. This is because acting training in a drama school is more rigorous compared to universities. This relates to movement, voice, acting, speech, etc. Furthermore academic training theory, playwrights etc. Drama school has better education overall.

Drama school has less students thus far more difficult to get in with thousands upon thousands of applicants. Auditions are a strict process which consists of primarily learning a classical and contemporary monologue to asses you abilities as well as a workshop to show teamwork skills. Contrasting universities are less harsh.
Another pro for drama school is that’s degree appears more professional than not having one.

Pros and cons of drama school training.
Great training for actors going into detail in multiple techniques for the actor to develop what they need.
The opportunity to meet important industry people.
Final year graduates showcase attract a lot of talent agents. Ultimately a lot of people would be attracted to that one reason so they can work toward an agent hopefully.
Agents and casting directors value it more.

Disadvantages: Very bus class schedule and a lot of work. No time to audition.
No prep on business and on the marketing side.
Difficult to get accepted 
8am to 5pm - Monday to Friday work have to be done during their free time.
Weekends are reserved for exam production.

Pros and cons for universities acting training 

The schedule is not that packed with less homework so you are able to audition and have part time work. (This if from a friend that had told me her situation).
Easier to get accepted.
The training is not intense as drama school which could be a big flaw unless you do acting outside university’s.
Research.

Acting in London.co.uk
Research asking friends who are in universities - Shukri. Also acting teachers.

Unit 7 - Preparation for Specialist Study

About A Goth
Tom wells

MONOLOGUE
Character: Nick, a goth
Nick is seventeen.
To whom - the audience.
Where - unspecified. Perhaps Nicks bedroom and then his kitchen.
When - present day.
What has just happened - This speech is the start of a much longer monologue that forms a short play.

What To consider for the character:
Nick is narrated in the present tense, the events of a life changing day. Recollections from the past.
Nick is gay
He has feelings for Greg, and later on in the play it seems it may be reciprocated.
By the end of the day, Nick is no longer a goth.
WHAT HE WANTS
To vent out his feelings of frustration.
To separate himself from certain people.
He wants a strong identity for himself.
What benefit does he get by becoming a goth?
To find an outlet for his intelligent and highly sensitive nature.
To figure out why Greg has not called, and what Greg’s postcard might signify.

As beds go it is passable, I suppose. Obviously I would prefer to sleep in a coffin but as my mum has hilariously pointed out, they don’t seem to sell coffins at IKEA.
Yet.
I check my phone but. Nothing. Greg still hasn’t replied to my text. It has been three days and eleven hours now, which seems a bit relaxed even for someone as simply as him. Look in my sent text messages. It’s there in capital letters:
I HATE MY SELF AND I WANT TO DIE.
Ive wonder if I’ve been to subtle again. Probably. I forget not everyone is as emotionally mature and sensitive as me. I decide to have a wank, even that is doomed. Halfway through, I start worrying about getting stains on my new black duvet cover. My heart isn’t in it after that.

Breakfast is depressing as usual. All I want is to read Camus and eat my Coco pops, but it is so hard to concentrate with Dad’s armour clanking and mums clattering about with her tankards in the sink. Honestly. It’s tragic. Everyone else’s parents lie and cheat and have inner and Chuck teapots at each other. I get the worlds most cheerful medieval re-enactors. My mum leans over, dangles her fluted sleeve in chocolatey milk, passes me a postcard. It’s got a donkey on the front. Looking jaunty.
‘Camping is amazing.’
Three exclamation marks.
‘Weather perfect.’
A further two exclamation marks.
‘Dropped my phone off a cliff to prove it is shatterproof. It’s not. That was my old phone. Brilliant.’
Underlined.
‘Bet your missing me.’
‘Your’ spelt wrong.
‘ you big gay.’
No comment.
‘Greg.’
And a kiss.

Drama school is the direction I would want to go to hone in more skills and improve my acting this could change in the future. I feel from the start I lacked a lot in my acting and due to studying Stanislavsky, Brecht, Meisner, and using these elements such as naturalism and method acting in my acting dramatically improved my skills from what I previously had likewise known these techniques more in detail made me embody my characters wants, needs and desires.

Moreover, the feedback I received from peers is that they have noticed my articulations, projection and also confidence which has improved me to become more successful in demonstrating my character's purposefulness. However, on previous occasions, those elements had been a real obstacle when I started in the first term as it deprives me of manifesting the characterisation for the character that I was allocated. As a result, being able to improve these areas of my acting gives me multiple concepts on how I can develop my character successfully on upcoming events. Furthermore, the report I received from my teacher- Robert- was that I should eyeline up, avoid brands, phone away when appropriate, I should be confident in my ability, do my assignment has requested, endeavour to self-manage as I shouldn't be attempting to memorise a task e.g. monologue  the day before, think carefully about the words I proclaim, overly articulate my words when necessary.

Love and information Unit 8

Name: Pedro Small.
Candidate number:
Pathway: Level 3 acting.
Project title: Love and information.

Rationale
Overall I noticed a dramatic improvement in my acting. Starting off from Oedipus I had seen that I was very loud shouting my characters lines and I didn't characterise also I was not in the moment with my character. I didn't seem to have ask myself the questions who is my character, why am I here in this situation, and Who am I in relation to the other character. This is what I dramatically improved on. Also I improved on not breaking concentration this could be from forgetting lines or from stumbling over my words but tongue twister in preparation helped.

Project concept
       What I would like to do for love and information is to learn lines and depict a different perspective to Churchill’s depictions or other directors in my group. I will think creatively bring ideas to the group and discuss how the process of our hole play is going to be. I will characterise my characters for the audience fully acknowledge the character change and commit and not break role.
As a whole Stanislavsky objective, and actions will be my main goal and showing naturalism in my acting. Also implementing Meisner acting in "imagined circumstances". I will also need to research so I can get into role for certain scenes that involve violence, being restrained in jail and geologists. Ultimately ,the concentration with my group work needs to stay consistent and know what I'm helping others with.   

Evaluation

What I want to do in this unit, is Note down feedback I get from acting lessons from teachers and take ideas that other associates suggest that will make my piece more impactful. Also ask I would blog my progress. And I would improvise with my partner to get ideas for my characters in the scenes. This will help me understand my character more. Learn all my lines and can perform it different ways to show different approaches I can take. Most importantly be able to characterise each character so the audience can depict each different character.

Research sources and Bibliography (Harvard Format).

I will watch this production for my research:https://youtu.be/17eg13lOCyE. This is so I can get Idea of what this play can be depicted as. Also I will also use research pack for love and informatonhttps://d19lfjg8hluhfw.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/25191802/Love-and-Information-Resource-Pack.pd. This will help expand my knowledge on love and information.
Information on the seven deadly sins: www.bibleinfo.com/en/questions/what-are-seven-deadly-sins
Love and information Act 1 (2016):https://youtu.be/O5_P9Y7xSAk.

Project Action Plan and Timetable.

Week 1

• Get the script and discuss ideas.
• A script will be needed for this.
• And group members.
• Notes.

Part of Week 1

• Organise who will be acting each scene.
• A full group with members choosing scenes.
• Scripts.
• Notes.

Week 2

• Begin to finalise the ideas and tell the group the ideas.
• Our group, scripts and feedback.

Part of Week 2

• Line revision and running it with group members.
• Script needed because not off book yet.

Week 3

• Some scenes off book but some needed work on.
• Group members and script to help memories lines.

Part of Week 3

• Off book organising play and the running order.
• All group needed off book so we can do the whole play as a whole and get feedback from teacher.

Week 4

• Concluded the ideas and technical rehearsals.
• All group members, script for prompt. Lighting and sound needed. 

Part of Week 4

• Perform, watch the footage of my performance.
• Video evidence which is helpful for notes.

Week 5

• Note down feedback after the performance.
• Notes in phone, video evidence and feedback which will help my evaluation.

Context

Caryl Churchill is a female playwright and wrote the play love and information which has different stories. The play came out in the royal court theatre September 14 2012 which could have a underlying meaning as well of writing this play and that relates to love and information such as technology has been established and part of everyone’s lives and their love for a device that gives a broad spectrum of information. These stories have different endings some can link if the director chooses to link them due to Churchill saying that it’s up to the director interpretation to the construct and structure the way they wanted it to be. Love and information is structured episodically meaning that some scenes can intertwine and link to each other (if the director chooses) but it can all be different and it would be totally fine because it’s just a bunch of scenes which the audience could think and make an opinion on the scenes. I have a scene with Troy and we are doing Stone (one of the scenes in Love and information). The play has 7 sections which could be depicted in different type of forms like the seven deadly sins which is different facets of life. Love and information gives us the chance to question our society and give a different perspective on life to the audience. 

In the play love and information it does not have characters so the director chooses how many characters are in each scenes ( so the play could just be played with three characters). 

The titles of each scene could mean what is going on in the scene. 
Secret
The scene could be shown as a secret someone is hiding. Which is very common choice directors use.
Mother
Sibling telling a surprising truth.  " I've something to tell you".
Grass
Someone gives a police officer an a secret tip. "What do you thinks going to happen".
Recluse
(including three characters) Someone hiding from persecution. "Don't answer its only"
Stone
(includes 2 character) A geologist lost his bosses stone. "Hes got a special stone"

Staging
Thinking of the stage, Maddie put tape on the ground outlining the space we was going to perform  and we was to use it for during the rehearsals so we can picture how we are going to block the scenes. In the scene changes we limited the amount of blackouts that are used and made the transitions flow well into each other. Our goal is to make our play episodic so we would intertwine Anger, Happiness, Frustration. We want the audience to create different interpretation.

Decisions
All the decisions were made in our context lessons. All the ideas we discussed was taken and adjusted so we can make our play successful. Lighting as I said before was limited because it would be annoying for the audience getting random blackouts after each scene. But for sound we chose for individual scenes for example: Secret has television sounds in the background to give the effect that the actors are having a good time laughing. Using a strong spotlight for certain scenes would enhance specific scenes. The child who didn't know sorry would be very effective.

For Stone we used green spotlights so we could show a difference in the location which is a forest. This would immerse the audience and they would pick up what we intended to show which is a forest atmosphere.

In schizophrenic we had a front wash in normal lighting because we were in front of the stage.  This is for a static impression to the scene. It was suppose to have a weird vibe. The audience is suppose to be questioning what is going on.

Shrink had the same lights as schizophrenic because it was after and we transitioned after that swiftly. So we didn't need any blackouts. From the audience perspective it could look likes its linked. 


Changed the storyline
As a group we had the idea to rearrange all the scenes and split up the wedding video into seven section. We used wii music to give the audience a sigh of relief for each wedding video because its meant to be funny and take you out of the action. The wedding video involves everyone in our group we split up into groups having different situations. We added quotes that questioned the themes of love and information , And it also questioned life as well. Adding this gave a deeper depth to our scenes. Furthermore the audience would question themselves as well as that is our intention. 

Rehearsals

Week 1

We got our script for love and information, and this was at the time when we just finished Macbeth I feel compared to when I started I massively improved with characterisation for example . First glance at the play I noticed that there wasn't any character present in the script, so it looked weird at first glance. As a class we had to think about what we saw at first glance. Another student (Diamond) had suggested that we could make our own character and shenagh approved. So this brings up the idea that this play (love and information) could be your own interpretation which I like. Knowing this knowledge shenagh split us into two groups. This is the group members for a month ill be with: Mya, Danielle, Ben mills, Diogo, Troy, Jean Paul, Favour, Tristan, Kieran, Madelina, Deja, Daniella.

In acting class me and my partner Troy thought of an idea that I would be looking for a mystery  special stone which is lost. It starts abruptly with me panicking looking for the Stone and Troy is just asking me about the stones, and it ends with us throwing a bunch of stones away at the end. We got this idea from improvising giving a back story for the characters. Both of us was acting as geologists. I was the one that was lazy and smoked and looked as if I didn’t really care. Troy was enthusiastic. energetic. passionate about the stone. Troy found a rare stone and brings it to me as I’m smoking, I look as if I don’t care until I realise the stone and its significance. I tell him to keep it safe and I’ll get back to him as I was smoking, and I was lazy. That whole improvisation is a week before the Stone scene. So, this was an effective way of figuring out and distinguishing our scene because another person could of scene a different perspective of the story. Props needed rocks that could be thrown.
    
Week 2

Me and Danielle is working together and we chose shrink. Initially it would be easy to make a scene because our scene is shrink which the definition means a psychiatrist. So its easy to do a psychiatrists scene but ultimately everyone would do that so it really isn't a creative idea. We both were trying to get a creative idea but we couldn't. I had a idea brother and sister but Danielle didn't really like it from her viewpoint and didn't really understand how the word could correspond with the acting which I agreed with. There wasn't a main objective in that scene which we liked. That scene was just a conversation. 

Danielle's idea was that I was a handicapped brother and my sister (Danielle) sees me on the bus and sits next to me. Additionally she wanted the brother to feel neglected by his sister but I thought I didn't really work in my opinion and also I didn't like it because I was conflicted on the actual objective of the scene it just seemed conversational again. We did not construct any ideas until we both asked Monique and she suggested that we could do a prison scene were my sister comes to see his brother in the prison which was a excellent idea. The objective in that scene is me trying to get my sisters attention as she's on her phone typing paying little attention. This worked well because my characters backstory is that I'm 19 and I'm in jail for a crime I didn't commit.  I totally agreed with the prison scene and so did Danielle.

In rehearsal I came in downstage left with imaginary handcuffs getting pushed by an imaginary police officer and I struggled to sit down. I notice my sister walk in with her phone typing and I look a bit frustrated but I brace myself and cooldown. I say my lines and Danielle says hers with a bit of attitude, I look at her with a serious face questioning in my head is this the right time to be rude. The conversation goes on until I shout with anger hitting the table in complete rage " you spoil it, you completely spoil everything you always do". Props needed cuffs an acting police officer to help with scene.

Week 3

Finally, I had schizophrenic with Kieran, and we had got a brilliant idea which Ben mills brought up. It’s a scene we are both siting close together mirroring each other in front of an invisible mirror saying the same words at the same time. Ideas like this may confuse the audience but it would be interesting and different some people may like it some wont. The most difficult part was is synchronizing both voices together but by much practice and if we have learned the lines the easier it will be. Our character has different personalities in the middle of our scene where we say "because it’s about you" this is intentional because it’s supposed to be two different people and then we go back to mirroring. 

Generally, a lot of the class learned the lines for some scenes from what I noticed except a few. And at this time, we were thinking what the running order would be. We want it episodic but not so episodic that none of the scenes ever linked. We wanted as a group to have some episodic and some that linked to kind of have a story which I liked. Caryl Churchill approves of changing the order because it’s up to the director’s choice which gives us endless opportunities to be creative with the play, so as a group we wanted blocks to use so we can make our scenes abstract and up for interpretation.

Week 4

In this week mostly all our lines are learned except a few but and we finally got the running order sorted out. It’s what we wanted a little episodic and a little story. Rob was watching our scenes in our running order and gave feedback to us individually. The most general note was to raise our voice levels volume so the back of the theatre can hear us. My individual feedback for stone is to feel the weight of the stone as my partner Troy puts stones in my hands this shows the audience how heavy the stones are. Feedback for schizophrenic is to slow down saying the words to each other because it looks like we are rushing and we were stumbling over our words, this feedback helped us a lot with our scene. I’m taking this feedback and incorporating it so I can give my best performance. I brought the cuffs for the prison scene which was needed.

Week 5

Tech Rehearsal and Performance week

This week was for dress rehearsal and getting everything together: props. costume, lighting and sound. We had got pipes which I didn't know anything about, and the stage was filled with newspaper but not all the stage for health and safety reasons such as someone slipping on the newspaper. This staging set up with the pipes could be viewed by the audience that the people that stand on the stage is trapped in an alternate reality. The aim of this play is to get the audience thinking so there is so many conclusions you can come up with. Tech rehearsal is very important so that the light and sound team can queue everything right so we can elevate the play. Before we started, we had a good 10-minute vocal warm which is very effective for articulation and projection which is needed so it’s less likely to break our voice mid-sentence.

Performance

https://youtu.be/tmDmzD9JQYg

Evaluation

 Love and information is an intriguing play being able to make and organise your own play with the words that you have been given from Caryl Churchill. The process in which we had to characterise each character differently really helped with me creating and embodying characters. Being able to question myself who each character is, each gesture, and my thoughts within my character ultimately helped be to vision what I wanted for each character. Overall from the start I see the improvement with my acting using Stanislavsky, Meisner techniques using imagined circumstances and Objectives. The outcome of the of the proposal is accurate with what I intended to accomplish in Love and Information practising different approaches to see which approach will be most effective in rehearsal.

I took notes of feedback from teachers which improved elements of my performance with questioning my character and the backstory. Discussed different ideas and worked as a group member effectively so my group didn't need to worry because I was doing the work. I was the most nervous with schizophrenic getting the movement in sync with the voices was very difficult, but a lot of practice strengthened the scene. I've grown in confidence in acting overall especially with theatre which is fun being able to express yourself and be another character. I worked well with the actors I was put with and motivated each actor to try and get the lines down so we can go into more depth with our characters. 

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