24/9/14 - Character profile (Lynette McGregor)

I made my character profile/fact sheet by creating my own Facebook Profile page, I have a few screenshots of the page and the link if anyone wants to visit it!

Link: https://www.facebook.com/people/Lynette-McGregor/100007187117268

Screenshots: 

I have written in the 'About me' section and chosen all the 'Likes' that I think suit Lynette's character, I've also added in other details that you can look through. This homework doesn't have a deadline so I can keep adding to this if I feel the need to, as it could help me get into my character more.

- Matilda ^_^

23/9/14 - Reflecting on my acting skills audit

Let's recap on the three targets I set myself on this audit:

1. Learn to relax my body
2. I need to work on my characterisation
3. I need to project my voice louder whilst acting

First of all, I wasn't particularly able to work on the first target as we didn't actually do any tough/thorough warm-ups or physical activities. I'll work on that this Thursday!

I feel that I have really refined my character's traits in the last lesson (22/9/14). I understand more of my character and how she would be feeling at the time of my scene. I am more confident (especially as I have learnt all my lines) in pulling off a good performance.

The small, stuffy classroom was very loud at one point with every student working on their scenes so I really had to raise my voice. I realised that this was helping me with my projection. I felt that I was saying my lines slower, louder and clearer. I also felt myself using my diaphragm.

- Matilda ^_^

21/9/14 - My script and targets

 UNIT 3 ACTING SKILLS AUDIT 21/9/14

























                           

 LONG TERM TARGET

WORK ON STANISLAVSKI

MY SCRIPT/NOTES ABOUT FACTS AND OBJECTIVES












- Matilda ^_^

14/9/14 hw 2 - Questions and research

Task 1

We started the lesson with a physical warm up. It was called 'Clear the space', inspired by Frantic Assembly. This exercise helped me to warm up because I had to do a lot of moving around so it got my heart pumping. Also, the instructions were given to us at any random time so it helped me with my reflexes and how fast I respond with an order.

Actors need to warm up physically before a rehearsal so they don't get tired quickly. It loosens up their muscles so they don't hurt afterwards. It also gets you feeling pumped and ready for a full proper rehearsal.

After the warm up, my body felt much more relaxed than it was before, the only exception was that my heart rate was higher. It was good to have my heart rate high because it made me ready to do anything asked of me. Although I was nice and relaxed, ready for the lesson, I was a bit sweaty!

We explored warming up our voices through a series of exercises. The voice is a very important tool for actors because, obviously, we need our voice to actually say our lines! If we didn't warm up our voices for rehearsals, we wouldn't be ready to deliver our lines and our voices will get strained and to be honest, it won't pleasing.

After the vocal warm up, I felt much more confident in using my voice. I know that my voice can waver a lot and break and after doing my warm up it felt smoother when I delivered my lines.

We then explored STATUS. Status is the relationship between two or more characters. Quite simply, status is figuring out which character has a higher rank (in society, a group of friends, or in general) than the other. Status is like showing who is the boss, or the most popular in a group of characters.

We explored a 'Hello' scene with a partner focusing on how we could show status. My partner was Daniella and the mini script went like this:

A: Hello
B: Hello
A: Are you coming then?
B: No, I don't think so.
A: Oh, OK
(Pause)
B: Well I'll see you then.
A: Yes
B: OK bye

In mine and Daniella's mini performance we chose B to be in the higher status compared to A. We showed status successfully by creating two completely different personalities for A and B. We gave A a happy bubbly personality, and we gave B a rude personality, so when A asked the question, B just brushed it off. A felt intimidated by B because B decided not to join A herself, whether A liked it or not.

Other pairs showed their statuses differently from ours and it still worked, a lot made B the higher status like us, but a few made A the higher status which still worked. I guess that a simple script like that is good for experimenting different techniques (like status) because A or B could be anyone and they could be anywhere, it needs our imagination.

Finally we explored a scene between Callum and Sephy. We had to take it form the page to stage using the skills developed in the exercise before. We were asked to focus on status. In my group it was me and Lloyd, I obviously played Sephy and he Callum. We chose Callum to have the higher status in this scene because the scenario was of Callum scolding Sephy, and telling her not to do something. We showed Callum's higher status by making him never break eye contact with Sephy, so he seemed more confident. Sephy kept looking away, or not looking right in his eyes. We also showed the status by our tone of voices, Callum was very angry so he was louder than Sephy and and again more confident in what he was saying. Sephy sounded desperate for his forgiveness so she kept repeating the same words over again because she knew she was in the wrong. This is the script we were acting from:

We played the scene by them both sitting down by the beach. We carried on sitting the whole way through the scene but as things escalated, body language was clear enough for the audience to see who was higher status. Our tones of voices escalated as the play progressed, up until one point where they both physically seemed to calm down.

We were asked to think about our character's objective. Sephy's adjective was to have Callum's forgiveness. Callum's adjective was to teach Sephy a lesson. Knowing my character's adjective helped me a lot in playing them because it made me change the way I delivered my lines. If I hadn't worked out her adjective, I wouldn't of had so much emotion or desperation in my voice.

Throughout the sharing we were asked to write some notes on other pair's work. My notes are quite messy so I'll type them up on here (Easier to read!)

Alex/Sara- There was good tension between each other
                  - Their dialogue was very spaced out and they controlled their voices well
Eric/Susanna- Their anger built up to create tension
Alabama/Jake- The differences in their personality and tone of voice was clear so we could 
                             easily see who had the higher status
Jamie/Jed-Their body movement and hand gestures showed their personalities
                   -Callum was sarcastic in this scene
Tim/Anya-Their was a humorous tone in their voices the whole time
Tara/Will- Callum looked very annoyed which was good because he delivered his lines 
                    quickly. Sephy was somewhat cocky but desperate for his forgiveness
Rory commented on mine and Lloyd's performance. He said that our use of facial expressions gave a good effect for the scene 

The acting skills I have developed in this session are finding out status and good physical and speaking warm-ups. 

Task 2


So obviously, we are working on the scripted version on 'noughts and crosses' by Malorie Blackman. The story itself is set in an alternate universe where society is split into two racial groups - black people (cross) and white people (nought). This is an alternate universe because the crosses are a higher status than the noughts.

Callum is a nought and Sephy is a cross and the story is about how their relationship progresses whilst they find out about how bad everything thing is in reality and how they handle it. Overall it is a deep book and it covers a lot of complicated and adult problems. 

As a class, we have been discussing these topics. We are living in a world where racism is very small and we don't see it as often and as harsh as 'noughts and crosses' does. We have been talking about how much the difference would be if the problems in the play were brought to this day and age in 2014. Would it be as harsh? Would there be more ways to stop the racism? These are a couple of questions that we asked ourselves. 

We will continue to discuss the world of the play as the term unfolds.

-Matilda ^_^

8/9/14 hw 1 - Acting skills audit

During this first week at the Brit School, I've noticed that all of my Strand classmates all have their own stronger and weaker skills, everyone is different. But we're not talking about them, this blog is about me! 

I find it quite hard to point out my strong points in acting, seeing as I haven't had a lot of classes or practise in the subject of theatre. I feel like I'm a rookie (but the Brit School will change that!)

Okay, so on to the positives. I think that I am a pretty decent group leader. I make sure that everyone in my group has at least one line and that they always have a role to play. I don't deal with slackers and I get down to business and take every task and project seriously. I try to achieve the highest grade I can in every exam or even practise. In terms of skills I know that I can easily adapt to any character that is given to me to play. I can quickly analyse the character and find out their traits by looking at a few of their lines. This helps me to adapt the way I use body movement, hand gestures, facial expressions and sometimes my voice (although my accents are quite rusty!) Finally, I think that my improvisation is good. I did a lot of it in my old school so I know a few tricks about how to get the hang of it. 

There are a few acting skills that I do need work on. One of these skills is my spacial awareness. I know that when I am in the middle of a role, I tend to stay in the same spot, or just walk up and down (this habit is because I have done a lot of monologues in my time!) I'm going to need to learn to move around the set to suit the scene that is playing and what my character is saying and feeling. For example, I could move to a chair and sit if my character is feeling fed up or sad. 

I think I have covered everything for now, I can always add to this because of the trusty old 'edit' button!

- Matilda ^_^