AS AN ACTOR WHAT CAN I TALK ABOUT

AS AN ACTOR…. WHAT CAN I TALK ABOUT?

SQA MARKING GUIDELINES SAY YOU MAY COMMENT ON ANY OF THE FOLLOWING; • Characterisation • Acting techniques • Use of voice and movement • Stage proxemics • The relationship between the spoken text and physical movement or gesture • Interaction between characters • Actor/ audience relationship • Acting style • Use of costume/make- up/set/props

VOICE & MOVEMENT Articulation Fluency Intonation Register Clarity Pause Pitch Accent Pace Timing Tone Volume Emphasis Stance Balance Body Language Gesture Facial Expression Mime Posture Pace Timing Slow Motion Blocking Masking Use of levels Use of space Rhythm ACTING STYLE ACTING TECHNIQUES THERE ARE ONLY TWO TO CHOOSE FROM… (MORE SPECIFIC THAN JUST VOICE AND MOVEMENT) NATURALISTIC OR STYLISED PRACTITIONERS (IE. STANISLAVSKI SYSTEM, MEYERHOLD, BRECHT, GROTOWSKI…) METHOD ACTING SYMBOLISM CHARACTERISATION MANNERISMS BEHAVIOUR HABITS GESTURES ACTOR/AUDIENCE RELATIONSHIP Aware of audience or not. Impact – emotion – dramatic effect – thought provoking SPOKEN TEXT VS PHYSICAL MOVEMENT Consider subtext and how to convey this physically INTERACTION BETWEEN CHARACTERS EYE CONTACT DIALOGUE SUBTEXT MIRRORING SUGGESTION STAGE PROXEMICS Use of space to create distance that can represent a relationship

CHARACTERISATION the concept of creating characters There are two ways of conveying information about a character: Direct or explicit; The writer literally tells the audience/actor what a character is like. This may be done via the narrator, another character or by the character him or herself. You may therefore, as an actor, make use of textual references. Indirect or implicit; The actor must infer for themselves what the character is like through the character’s thoughts, actions, speech (choice of words, way of talking), looks and interaction with other characters, including other characters’ reactions to that particular person. This is the process of character development.

ACTOR/AUDIENCE RELATIONSHIP Presentational acting: Refers to a relationship that acknowledges the audience. Can be direct such as addressing them in a monologue or aside. Can also be indirect such as general attitude or use of language/looks/gestures. Either way, it indicates that the character or actor is aware of the audience's presence. Representational acting: Refers to a relationship in which the audience is studiously ignored. Actors remain in-character and absorbed in the dramatic action whilst the audience simply look on and ‘spy’. The actor behaves as if a fourth wall was present, which maintains a divide of dramatic fiction from reality.

ACTING STYLE NATURALISTIC Or realistic; drama which replicates real life. See Stanislavski System – a system for encouraging actors to become emotionally and psychologically involved with their roles, in order to create a convincing, realistic performance. Some characteristics are; characters who act and talk like real people, settings that are real and from modern times like homes, workplaces, bars and restaurants, and the subject matter deals with real events and social/political issues. NON - NATURALISTIC Or stylised; distinctly removed from truth, describing and portraying something that isn't necessarily there. Some characteristics could be playing with space, time or object. Non-realistic acting means that the actor in no way acts as he would do in real life. See Antonin Artaud for inspiration.

ACTING TECHNIQUES STRASBERG; Researching every aspect of your character, especially your backstory and personal life before the narrative of the show begins. You should become so familiar with your characters' lives, the characters would be just as constant as your own life. STANISLAVSKI SYSTEM; Aims to replicate real life, encouraging you to be ‘in the moment’ but always staying one step away from complete belief. Draws on personal emotion to portray character realistically. MEYERHOLD; mixing psychological response with gestures and movement to express emotion. Physical movements should elicit emotion in you rather than the other way round. BRECHT; theory that plays should not cause the audience to react emotionally with characters but to provoke self-reflection and critical views in the audience member themselves. MEISNER; To react truthfully rather than by manipulation. METHOD ACTING; Living day to day as your character. Complete belief in who you are and what you are doing. SYMBOLISM; implies a greater meaning than the literal suggestion and is usually used to represent something other than what it is at face value. Completely stylised.

SPOKEN WORD VS PHYSICAL MOVEMENT Spoken word is the language used, or the performance of the words themselves. Consider dynamics, rhythm, repetition, pause, emphasis, slang or rhyme. Physical movement is non-verbal communication - use of the body to communicate particular messages. Consider facial expression, gesture, posture, body language and eye contact. Subtext is content underneath the dialogue; it is what happens when spoken text and physical movement contrast, where other emotions are implied. Subtext is the unspoken thoughts and motives of characters - what they really think and believe. An actor may say one thing with his mouth but signal another thing with his body.

REMEMBER TO LINK IT TO THE QUESTION – IN THIS CASE… How would the actor use voice or movement to show strength/weakness? How would the actor interact with other characters to show strength/weakness? How would the actor interact with the audience to show strength/weakness? How would the actor use the space to show strength/weakness? How would the actor use their costume to show strength/weakness? How would the actor use props to show strength/weakness? How would the actor use make-up to show strength/weakness? How would the actor use props to show strength/weakness? How would the actor use the set to show strength/weakness?

VOICE Articulation Fluency Intonation Register Clarity Pause Pitch Accent Pace Timing Tone Volume Emphasis MOVEMENT Stance Balance Body Language Gesture Facial Expression Mime Posture Pace Timing Slow Motion Blocking Masking CONVENTIONS alternative ways of presenting all or parts of a presentation Slow motion Tableau (C) / Frozen Picture (F) Freeze Frame –action frozen in time Soliloquy Flashback/flash forward Narration Voice Over( recorded speech played during a drama)/ Voice in Head (recall words said by others about a character or situation) Mime Monologue soliloquy OTHER ACTING TECHNIQUES Aside- to audience only Stage whisper Masks stereotype CHARACTERISATION - the process of developing a character fully Character Role Play -exploring attitudes and beliefs Thought Tracking - when prompted the character says their thoughts out loud Voice in the Head Writing in Role Hot Seating Thought Tunnel -character walks past other characters. Those other characters speak their thoughts outloud usually about the character walking past.

Lighting Follow Spot Profile Spot Fresnel Flood Light (gauze) Barn Doors Gobo Gel Pyrotechnics Focusing (the lights) Black out Slow fade Cross fade Snap-to Sound cue Cross fade Recorded voice over Set Back cloth Cyclorama Gauze Flies Door Flats Window Flats Scenery Trapdoor Rostra Treads Truck Wings Backstage Staging Venue Thrust Theatre in the round End on Proscenium Arch Avenue Auditorium Revolving Stage Ground plan Key Rake Enter/exit Audience Sight lines Stage Directions Stalls, balcony, dress circle Props objects used by actors Personal Prop Set prop Costume Period Costume Write in super detail for full marks Make Up liners Wax/nose putty Crepe hair Fake blood Latex Spirit gum Makeup pallets Stipple sponge Scarring Skull cap Tooth varnish

C A Acting Style Actor/Audience Relationship Central Character Complex Character Important Character Minor Character Main Character Pivotal Characterisation Character Behaviour Character Motivation Character Development Character Interaction Relationships between Character B G CKIN BLO D ts oncep C n g i Des ue Dialog dia M nd a e Dram , video, sou ions roject pes) p a k a ( sca ess a Proc Dram Feature atic Dram ic Tension at Dram f Tension o Points of Tension nts Mome atic Irony Dram gue Duolo E Episodic Structure F Focu s G Given Circumstances Ground Plans K Key Scene Key Moment

M Message Mood P is alys ts n A p e anc Conce m r o e f Per rmanc ow fo re-Sh r Pe P Plot ists w agonist T t o Pl t/Ant nis e tago Purpos mics o r P e x Pro ing e g Sta osition P S Setting Site Specific Theatre Special Effects Textual Evidence Traditional Theatre Special Effects Stage Imagery Status Stimulus Subtext Symbols and Imagery U Use of levels T Textual Evidence Traditional Theatre Target Audience Tension Textual Analysis Theatrical Background Themes and Issues Time period Passage of Time Shifts in Time V Venue