Drama Reflection 12/11/09

1) Why do actors spend time in their training learning to role play in pairs and small groups? How would this help them in a stage or film performance?

Actors spend their time training learning to role play in pairs and small groups so that when they are in a play presenting it to an audience or filming a show they can use the techniques they have learned and be able to apply it. Actors also learn how to role-play small groups and pairs so they can learn other techniques from other actors and improve their acting.

2)Which roles were the easiest for you to play today?

The easiest roles for me to play today were the roles that most resembled me, for example; the 14 year old boy on the beach with his family. That role was quite easy for me to play because I am a 14 year old boy so I know how they would think and act. I know that acting similar roles is easier because it does not enquire me to go out of my comfort zone or to think harder about what I need to do.

3) Which roles were the most difficult? Why?

The roles, which were most difficult for me to play, were the ones, which I was not easy to relate to, or opposite of me. The roles which I was asked to play a 45 year old women was not as easy as playing the 14 year old boy because I am not an adult, nor a women. It took me a little more effort to come up with a proper role to play, because I had to think about what to do based on the things I have seen from other women of that age. This role was harder as well because I had to go out of my comfort zone because acting like a girl is not something I am used to doing.

4)How much of your "self" did you put into your role?

The roles which I could easily relate to, of coarse I put a lot more of my self into it because it was easier and felt more comfortable because I am often taking on those roles in real life. They also required me to put myself into character though so it was not as though I wasn’t acting, I was still doing it, but it just did not evolve me going full out acting something different from my usual self. The scenarios, which I had to act something that I would typically, not, I believe that I did a good job taking on those roles but I definitely could have gone more to an extensive rate, into character. By changing the level and pitch of my voice more and the way I moved (how fast, slow, crouched, etc) would have definitely helped me out, which is what I will do for next class.

Journal Reflection: Romeo and Juliet

1. What kind of research do you think the lead actors in the film had to do to prepare for their roles?

I believe that in order to prepare for this part the actors had to get a good back round of the character they were playing. In order to do so I think they would have to watch other versions of the Romeo and Juliet plays and movies, which would also help them figure out what the audience is looking for. Also, they might have acted out their parts while off stage in order to really understand how their character thinks and acts, like Heath Ledger did when he was playing the Joker in the “Dark Night.”

2. What were the most effective aspects of the setting/set design, use of music and costuming for the film?

I thought that the most effective aspects of the settings were from the angle, which the camera caught it in. Any setting can look a lot better or a lot worse depending on the view the camera films it from. I thought that the settings fit this movie for the updated version quite well because they had certain scenes, which were in front of a club, and I do not think that in the first version of Romeo and Juliet that they would be there.

I found the use of music good in every scene because it set the tone and helped you know the motion, which was being felt and the aura, which described weather the scene, was going to be sad or happy.

The costume in this film, to my personal opinion I thought felt the part to a degree. In the original play both sides of the family were very wealthy but judging by the clothes they were wearing you would not be able to tell that. You would have thought that they seemed a little more gang like, although you did know that Juliet’s side of the family had a great deal of money because of the size of her house.

3. How did the actors effectively use pantomime expressions and how did they alter their voices to fit their roles.

I noticed that Leonardo DiCaprio’s pantomime was very good in the scene which he had just killed Juliet’s cousin because when the camera zoomed in on his face he was very slow and had a lot of facial expression. It was very easy to tell what he was feeling. Another scene I thought he used a good job of pantomime was where he was getting in a fight against Juliet’s side of the family because of how he used his body to portray his actions to an excessive amount and his voice was very loud too.

4. Overall, do you think the film was a good adaptation of Shakespeare's original play?

I have not scene any other versions of Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare but based on this version alone I Think that it was a very good adaptation. The characters were all in role at all times and it seemed easier to understand because of the back rounds and sets they used as well as the use of props. I thought it was a good movie.

Pantomime Review

I thought the pantomime project was a fun and enjoyable project because it let us experiment with certain situations, which we will most likely encounter in our lives. It lets us imagine that we were actually going through these scenarios, and I believe that it helped us all become more comfortable with pantomime. I found all four scenes we had to act out were both difficult and easy because of certain aspects. For instance the movie scenario I found getting past the four audience members was quite difficult but purchasing the food was not. I wanted to be as creative with this assignment as possible and I did not want to do the ordinary of what I expected other kids in the class to do. Which is why I pretended to watch a cooking show while I was cooking the pot of chilly.

The first scene I did was the scenario, which I was pretending to make a pot of chilly. I had to pretend it came out much to spicy, and figure out what I would do with it. I know that with chilly when it is too spicy you put more tomato sauce in it, so I acted out as thou I was doing that. At first I found it difficult to pretend I was opening the can of tomato sauce, so I decided to make it seem as thou I was using a can opener on the can and dumping it in the pot. The second scene I was acting out was a walk in the park. I was suppose to pretend as thou I was taking a stroll in the park and I found a purse and inside were a few various items, including a wallet. I decided to pull out a few items, which you were not likely to find in a purse. That is why I pulled out a baseball bat, instead of makeup. I was thinking about how to be creative with this scene and thought about going either way, I could keep the items in the purse or leave them in the purse where I found them but I thought it would be much better if I pretended the owner of the purse saw me rummaging through their bag and made me give it back and leave.

I liked this project and am looking forward to starting our next unit.

Drama Journal #2

1) Why is it important for actors to be able to work in pantomime?

Because while you are acting in a play the audience members in the back row will not be able to see what you are doing when you are making small actions, so by over exaggerating emotions and working in pantomime even the people in the back row will understand everything completely. For instance if the actors in the Midsummer Night’s Dream did no act in pantomime it would not have been as easy to understand what they were going.

2. What are the three most important things an actor must remember when performing panto?

The three most important things an actor must remember during pantomime are to lead with your chest, slow motions and exaggerated your body and face. I believe this to be true because without those 3 rules it would be just like you are walking and not acting out pantomime.

3. Which exercises were the most challenging for you today?

The exercise which was most challenging for me in today’s class was gesture walking because we had to use our entire body in pantomime where as the facial pantomime where we were sitting down in the chairs I found the easiest because we were only using our facial expressions. Currently I am fine when it comes to exaggerating my body and my face separately but when I am asked to do both at the same time I am finding it rather difficult. As the year progresses I hope to get better at this and feel more comfortable.

Drama Journal

I felt that today’s activities were very helpful and proactive because it let me experience acting with my body language as well as my facial expressions. The tightrope walk and the garbage walk helped me to figure out my movement and how I wanted to act them out. I feel that it improved my skills and I hope we do other activities like that in the near future.

I feel most confident in the slow motion actions because I find exaggerating to be fun and helpful. I enjoyed this exercise because while I act out motions at a slow pace it helps me as I act at a regular speed. I feel that the games and exercise we have been doing in class are very good acting techniques that will definitely come in handy.

The activity that challenged me the most difficult was the tight rope walk because you had to really imagine that you were walking 100 feet above the ground on a non-stable platform that you could easily fall off of. I had to use my entire body and pretend to loose my balance and walk very slowly; at one point in time I really did loose my balance.

I believe that as you are trying to get well known in the acting field you start off with movement drills and activities because as you are performing in a play you will be able to use your face and body more actively and be able to trust your surroundings and the people you are acting with.

Drama Homework 3 Questions

1) Why is it important for an actor to trust the people he/she is working with?

It is important for an actor to trust the people he/she is working with incase they forget their line, that way one of their fellow actors, directors or narrators can help them out. If you are comfortable with the people you are working with and the area it is easier for you to get into character and feel more

2) What was the most difficult aspect of the activities that we did today for you personally?

I found the most difficult aspect of the tourist game was being the traveler from another country because you really had to trust the guide and believe that they would lead you properly across the room without leading you into an inanimate object. The most difficult part of the story game where everyone would take turns continuing the story was trusting the group that they would continue the story without messing it up. Here I notice a common theme that the most difficult thing in this game is “trust” which can actually be a very difficult thing to do if you do not open up.

3) Why are an actor's facial expressions and body movements just as important as the words that they say while they are on stage?

Because that way the audience can understand what is going on better. If an actor says “I hate you” without emotion you might not grasp the concept that they are very angry where as if they are saying it with lots of emotion while being mad and using their body to cope with the actions you can tell that they are very mad.