FTII Acting Entrance exam notes CRAFT film School

FTII- Acting Entrance exam notes CRAFT film School, New Delhi CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. com

’ Describe one smell and memory that it triggered in you. ‘Smell triggers memory � Sense memory is a process of actors’ practice. � Stanislavsky’s process of using senses to trigger memory and recreate an act. � Sense memory helps to sharpen or enhance your sensory organs to use it as a tool for actors. � Try and recollect a true story. It’ll be good if its from your childhood. � Try to convey the emotion that story has generated in you. Like funny, sad, anger, etc. � Keep the story only related to smell and not any other senses. � Write the experience in first person and if possible add some dialogue. CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. com

Examine any one performance of any of the actors � Physical characteristics of the actor (height, weight, age, complexion, ethnicity, speaking style, etc). Here talk about the characteristics of the character the actor is playing. � Analyse the change the actor brought in the character in terms of facial and vocal characteristics, learning new language or any skill. How he mould himself to the character. How different his appearance was from his actual appearance. � Describe the acting style, comic, farcical, serious, romantic, tragic, musical note, singing/dancing skills, historical, fantastical, etc. � Traits and function of the character portrayed in the film, as well as his or her relationships with other characters. � Describe a key scene in which this actor plays an important role and tell what idea and/or feeling is communicated by this scene. CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. com

Write a fictional story with key words � Figure out the basic setting and plot. (when, where, who) � Be as imaginative as possible � Decide the point of view (POV-1 st person, 2 nd person, 3 rd person) � Let the actions be believable even if its fantasy � Write in portions � You can start with your personal connection and extend it to some imagination � Be clear about theme/ topic of the story � What’s the problem or conflict of a character or of the story. CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. com � Make sure you use all the key words.

What is acting? Why would you like to undergo the training? � Acting is pretending to be someone or something else. � the art or occupation of performing fictional roles in plays, films, or television. � Acting is an activity in which a story is told by means of its enactment by an actor or actress who adopts a character—in theatre, television, film, radio, or any other medium that makes use of the mimetic mode. � Acting is behaving truthfully within imaginary circumstances. It is about being someone which you are not. Depicting a character which is believably pretended. � Acting is also expressing the appropriate emotion with help of voice, facial expressions and gestures. CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. com

� I want to undergo the training first to learn the craft. Just like doctor, engineer, � � � � � sportsperson. I believe like any other art form acting is also an craft that needs to be learn. Turning my passion into profession. Practical Training helps to recreate the process time and again. It will help me to gather knowledge about different acting techniques. It will help me to understand which acting technique is appropriate for me. I want to take it up as my career and the training will help me to be a professional. The training will also transform me as a person and that would help to become a better person. I can gather knowledge not only about acting but also about literature, music, dance, painting and other art forms. It will help me to be aware of my limitations and also what are my limitations and how I can overcome them. I can undergo a deeper understanding of the art form which will help me to overcome the basic understanding. Lastly, it will give me confidence to take it up as my profession and contribute in my own way. CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. com

If you want to work with a director whom do you choose � Though choices are very personal approach but still choices can change � � � � � lives. Choose a director who makes dynamic films. Avoid directors who make commercial bollywood masala movies because you cannot talk much about the director or the film. Be very clear about the reason of working with that director Collect enough information about the director. Express likes/dislikes about his style of work What in particular you want to learn from this director and how it will help you as an actor in future. How you feel about the Actor- Director relationship? Mention about his genre of film making. Comical, romantic, patriotic, thriller, etc. Name his films you have seen and liked. To let the reader know about your research. Mention a particular film which has inspired you to work with him. And as an actor how this director will help you to grow. Be clear. Be logical. CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. com

Name any one performer/ performance in a film that you felt over-rated � What is over-rating? (when someone or something is appreciated more than he/she deserves) � Be specific about the actor or performance. Mention the film if it’s a performance. If its an actor mention the various films where he has not given deserved performance. � Clearly point out the reasons of his over rating � Compare with any of his other performances where he did good job but was under rated � Compare with other actors of same genre or simultaneously performed � Analyse the impact on audience. � Example : Varun Dhawan as an actor. (you might differ as its just an example) CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. com

100 years of Indian Cinema � A hundred years ago Dada Saheb Phalke made a movie about a king who never lied. Phalke’s inspiration came from an English film ‘The Life and Passion of Christ’ and he too wanted to translate the lives of Indian Gods to the screen. � Raja Harishchandra, Indian cinema's first silent film, was released on 3 May 1913. � ‘Alam Ara’ debuted at Majestic Cinema in Mumbai on 14 March 1931, a love story between a gypsy and a prince, starring Zubeida, Master Vettal as well as Prithvi Raj Kapoor. It was so popular that police had to be called in to control the crowd. � Apart from looks, the actors not only needed a commanding voice but also singing skills, as music became a defining element in Indian cinema. CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. com

�In the middle of the Second World War in 1945 came ‘Kismet’ starring Ashok Kumar which became one of the biggest hits in the history of Indian cinema. It came with some bold themes – the first anti-hero and an unmarried pregnancy. �By the 1940 s, the winning formula at the Box Office had been thought – Songs, dance, drama and fantasy. �It was against this backdrop that filmmakers like V. Shantaram, Bimal Roy, Raj Kapoor and Mehboob Khan made their CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. com films.

�In the meantime, the film industry had made rapid strides in the South, where Tamil, Telugu and Kannada films were taking South India by storm. �The golden period of 50’s provided a strong impetus to the industry, with themes changing to social issues relevant at the time. �Raj Kapoor’s ‘Awara’, the story about a man caught in the centre of a nature Vs nurture debate brought him immense glory. The film went on to become not just a national but international success especially in then USSR. The film also got nominated in the Cannes film fest in 1951. CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. com

� The golden period also produced some of India’s most critically acclaimed films and memorable actors of all time. Among those in Bollywood’s hall of fame are Guru Dutt, Mehboob Khan, Balraj Sahani, Nargis, Bimal Roy, Meena Kumari, Madhubala and Dilip Kumar. � Indian cinema moved one step ahead with K Asif’s magum opus ‘Mughal-e-Azam’ in 1960. It was after the release of this movie that the magnanimity of Indian cinema was established. � In the 70’s a genre was born – masala movie. Masala films were the demand of the time. The genre promised instant attraction and had great CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. com entertainment value.

� While Indian commercial cinema enjoyed popularity among movie-goers, Indian art cinema did not go unnoticed. Adoor Gopalakrishnan, Ritwik Ghatak, Aravindan, Satyajit Ray, Shaji Karun and several other art film directors were making movies that gave India international fame and glory. � This was Bollywood’s prime period, a time when director Ramesh Sippy gave us his iconoclastic ‘Sholay’ (1975). The film, which has been internationally acclaimed, also clinched the title of ‘superstar’ for Amitabh Bachchan. � 80’s saw the emergence of several woman directors such as Aparna Sen, Prema Karnath and Meera Nair. CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. com

�And then in 90’s, it was a mixed genre of romantic, thrillers, action and comedy films. � A stark upgrade can be seen on the canvas as technology gifted the industry Dolby digital sound effects, advanced special effects, choreography and international appeal. �It was time to shift focus to aesthetic appeal. And stars like Shah Rukh Khan, Rajnikanth, Madhuri Dixit, Aamir Khan, Chiranjeevi, Juhi Chawla and Hrithik Roshan began to explore ways to use new techniques to enrich Indian cinema with their performances. CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. com

� Indian cinema finally found global mass appeal at the turn of the 21 st century. As the world became a global village, the industry reached out further to international audiences. � Rise of independent film-making. CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. com

How important is observation and listening for actors and why? � Observation is a very important to trigger imagination. � actor to become more aware of their surroundings and little details. � It develops actors’ sense memory data bank � the power of imagination and eventually their ability to create and transform into a script’s character convincingly. � An actor should practice as frequently as possible to enhance the skill. � You can go to any public place. Select a character and develop stories around him/her. And start observing as minutely as possible. � According to Meisner, listening is the key of good acting. � Acquire the art of listening to make yourself ‘fully’ available to your co actor CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. com � Listening enhances the undertanding between actors, it requires

Art Vs Entertainment. The longest running debate. What’s your view? � Art is the application or expression of human creative skill and imagination into various outlined branches like painting, music, literature and dance. � Entertainment is the action of providing or being provided with amusement and enjoyment. Action, event or activity to entertain or amuse in public interest. � Entertainment makes us feel good whereas Art transform us, break heart, makes us cry, etc � Entertainment is predictable pleasure. Art is not. � Entertainment is about getting responses from the people where Art is more internal. � Entertainment is about passive receiver but Art asks your soul to awake. � Entertainment has a market of consumerist in nature. Art creates market of its own. Not popular. � Entertainment has a amusing, happy, comical approach attached to it. Art has a wide range of emotion. � Entertainment has the power of reaching a mass. Art is more about individual understanding. � Entertainment is temporary. , changing with time. Art is permanent. CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. com � Both are important in its own ways. But as Art can bring change in world. In

“CBFC is not responsible for giving certificates to films but also accountable to preserving culture and tradition of India”. Comment. � Central Board of Film Certification � Objectives : 1. the medium of film remains responsible and sensitive to the values and standards of society 2. certification is responsible to social changes 3. the medium of film provides clean and healthy entertainment; 4. artistic expression and creative freedom are not unduly curbed; 5. as far as possible, the film is of aesthetic value and cinematically of a good standard. � CBFC ensures that, 1. anti social activities such as violence are not glorified or justified 2. showing involvement of children in violence 3. ridiculing specially abled people. 4. cruelty against animals CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. com

� Scenes of violence to de-sensitise or de-humanising people � scenes which have the effect of justifying or glorifying drinking are not shown; � scenes tending to encourage, justify or glamorise drug addiction, drinking, smoking � human sensibilities are not offended by vulgarity, obscenity or depravity; � scenes degrading or denigrating women in any manner are not presented; � scenes involving sexual violence against women like attempt to rape, rape or any form � � � of molestation or scenes of a similar nature avoided, and if any such incidence is germane to theme, they shall be reduced to the minimum and no details are shown scenes showing sexual perversions shall be avoided and if such matters are germane to theme they shall be reduced to the minimum and no details are shown visuals or words contemptuous of racial, religious or other groups are not presented visuals or words which promote communal, obscurantist, anti-scientific and antinational attitude are not presented the sovereignty and integrity of India is not called in question; the security of the State is not jeopardized or endangeredvisuals or words contemptuous of racial, religious or other groups are not presented communal, obscurantist, anti-scientific and anti-national attitude CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. com

� Also ensures : � Is judged in its entirety from the point of view of its overall impact; and � Is examined in the light of the period depicted in the films and the contemporary standards of the country and the people to which the film relates provided that the film does not deprave the morality of the audience. � Suitable for adults/ non-adults � Start the answer with a brief note on all these points and how you feel it is about maintaining culture and tradition. But also national integrity. Peace. And humanist approach. CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. com

Describe any space / building / monument that you visited, using the feeling/perception of your five senses. � Five senses : see, touch, smell, hear, taste � Try relate to memory with the senses. � Try add emotion to the sense. � Try to find micro but significant elements � If you have rare information to add. � Jama Masjid during Eid: See : people, namaz, white kurta, architecture, historical importance of the monument, your family members (after long you are meeting them) Touch : hugging is a important gesture during Eid. Hugging known and unknown people. Emotion that you are transferring. CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. com

�Taste : food, kebab, firni, sweets, biryani at home. . Add a memory. . Emotion. . �Hear: people talking, singing, namaz, qazi telling something, a guide talking, vendors, shop keepers, beggar, overall emotion of the space �Smell: burners, agarbatti, food smell, itr. . Add a situation or story. Emotion. Memory. CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. com

Write a note on Stanislavsky � Konstantin Sergeyevich Stanislavsky � Russian actor, director, and producer, founder of the Moscow Art Theatre (opened 1898). � He is best known for developing the system or theory of acting called the Stanislavsky system, or Stanislavsky method. � Stanislavsky first appeared on his parents’ amateur stage at age 14. � Although initially an awkward performer, Stanislavsky obsessively worked on his shortcomings of voice, diction, and body movement. � He adopted the pseudonym Stanislavsky in 1885. � Theatre was a powerful influence on people, he believed, and the actor must serve as the people’s educator. � Stanislavsky concluded that only a permanent theatrical company could ensure a high level of acting skill. � In 1888 he and others established the Society of Art and Literature with a permanent amateur company. CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. com

� Stanislavsky staged his first independent production, Leo Tolstoy’s The Fruits of Enlightenment, in 1891, a major Moscow theatrical event. � The Moscow Art Theatre opened on October 14, 1898. � To seek knowledge about human behaviour, Stanislavsky turned to science. � Both as an actor and as a director, Stanislavsky demonstrated a remarkable subtlety in rendering psychological patterns and an exceptional talent for satirical characterization. � In 1922– 24 During this period he wrote his autobiography, My Life in Art. � “theatre of representation, ” nonetheless produced brilliant actors. � He has successfully staged The Cherry Orchard, The Lower Depths. , The Three Sisters � While acting in The Three Sisters during the Moscow Art Theatre’s 30 th anniversary presentation on October 29, 1928, Stanislavsky suffered a heart attack. � Abandoning acting, he concentrated for the rest of his life CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. com on directing and educating actors and directors

Discuss about the Stanilavsky acting method. � Method of Physical Actions: His search for the ‘conscious means to the unconscious’ led him to create this ‘Method of Physical Actions, ’ a physical map plotted out for the actor. This ‘conscious’ physical map of action would then arouse and bring out the ‘unconscious’ emotions of the actor. Objective: every unit has its own objective. A series of action towards that objective. To make her angry. To love him has physical objectives. To think cannot be an objective. When objectives were strung together in a logical and coherent form, a through line of action was mapped out for the character. � Actions in text In analyzing an action, the actor answered three questions, ‘What do I (the character) do? ’ ‘Why do I (the character) do it? ’ and ‘How do I (the character) do it? ’ This helped the actor understand the aim or main idea of the play. � Truth, Belief and the ‘Magic If’ Stanislavski stated that truth on stage was different from truth in real life. This was an important factor in acting, especially so in realism where the aim of the actor was to create the appearance of reality or ‘truth’ on stage. CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. com

� In Stanislavskian technique 3, as in most other theatre training techniques, an actor does not actually believe in the truth of the events on stage, only in the imaginative creation of them. � This then posed the problem of creating the appearance of reality for the spectator � Stanislavski’s answer to this problem was in the creation of the ‘Magic If. ' The actor tried to answer the question, “If I were in Macbeth’s position, what would I do? ” � In Stanislavski’s opinion, the actor who had the ability to make the audience believe in what he/she wanted them to believe, achieved ‘scenic truth. ‘ � There is no such thing as actuality on the stage. Art is a product of the imagination, as the work of a dramatist should be. The aim of the actor should be to use his technique to turn the play into a theatrical reality. In this process imagination plays by far the greatest part. CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. com

� Imagination: Stanislavski insisted that an actor was either driven by emotions or by the mind to choose physical actions. This in turn aroused the ‘will’ of the actor to perform the given actions � Motivation : He posits that ‘motivation’ looks backwards into psychology and the past, while ‘objective’ looks forward towards an action. � Tempo-rhythm � Physical apparatus � Relaxation � Concentration � Emotional memory CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. com

What is Method Acting? How ‘Method’ is different from Stanislavsky’s ‘System’? � If one listens to either its critics or supporters Method Acting is described as � � � � a form of acting where the actor mystically ‘becomes’ the character or tries to somehow literally live the character in life. Method acting is what all actors have always done whenever they acted well. The Lee Strasberg Method™ trains actors to use their imagination, senses and emotions to conceive of characters with unique and original behavior, creating performances grounded in the human truth of the moment. This was the (re)experiencing of life by the actor within the fiction of the story as if it were true and happening now. Actors focus on an “inside-out” performance, stirring past emotions from the actor’s life that they could draw upon during performance. The goal is to create a lifelike character, to escape impersonation and simply be. Strasberg asks, “What would motivate me, the actor, to behave in the way the character does? ” Think of your past as it relates to the emotions that you have identified in your character. Was there a time when you felt a similar emotion? What did it feel like? method actors “…use their imagination, senses and emotions to conceive of characters with unique and original behavior, creating performances grounded in the human truth of the moment. ” CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. com

Difference between ‘Method’ and ‘System’ � Stanislavsky sought to find the very basics of an actor's approach to a character and stage performance, breaking it down into four parts: physical actions, relaxation, concentration, affective memory, whereas Lee Strasberg prefers to have a planed performance, down to the very detail of thoughts and actions. � Stanislavsky's main goal was to achieve a system that would produce genuine and natural performances. Lee Strasberg’s goal His goal was to produce a method of acting that would produce repeatable and consistent performances. � Stanislavsky’s focus was using action to drive the natural responses of an actor, so when in a scene, the actor should push for an outward sense of observation. Lee’s focus was on an actor's awareness of self and on his character's development, which is how some actors became famous for living their roles. CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. com

� Strasberg, branching off from Stanislavsky's teachings, also adopted relaxation and concentration. His bit on action differed from Stanislavsky's, though, in that it focused on the actor's sense of reality and his reactions to that reality. � Strasberg identified what he saw as limitations to Stanislavski’s system, in that actors’ emotional memories were insufficient to fully connect to the circumstances experienced by the characters they were portraying. � Method acting dictates that actors should prepare for a role by immersing themselves as much as possible in the circumstances of their characters. This can include living on a farm, working in a factory, or transforming their bodies. � Strasberg took the idea a step further. Strasberg’s method requires actors to go beyond emotional memory and use a technique called “Substitution” to temporarily become the CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. com characters they are portraying.

Write a note on Lee Strasberg � Lee Strasberg was born Israel Strasberg in Galicia, then part of Austria- Hungary, on November 17, 1901 � Strasberg's father was a garment worker and was active in a trade union which supported community theater. � While he was still a young boy he joined the amateur Progressive Dramatic Club, whose leaders were quite familiar with theories of Constantine Stanislavsky, the great acting coach and director of the Moscow Art Theatre. � Strasberg's professional career in theater began when he joined the Theatre Guild as an actor and assistant stage manager in 1924. � It was at the Theatre Guild that Strasberg met Harold Clurman and Cheryl Crawford, two young Theatre Guild staffers who were dissatisfied with the commercial bent of the New York theater scene. Strasberg, Clurman, and Crawford began to meet informally with other similarly discontented young theater people, and eventually these informal meetings grew into rehearsals and workshops. � In 1931 the Theatre Guild released the rights to Paul Green's The House of Connelly to the young idealists, and the Group Theatre was born on Broadway. � The Group Theatre was a unique establishment in the history of the American theater. Under the leadership of Strasberg, Clurman, and Crawford, the Group attempted to establish a company of actors, designers, directors, and playwrights CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. com

� Strasberg blossomed as a director and acting coach with the Group, achieving his greatest success with Sidney Kingsley's Men in White (1933), for which the author won the 1934 Pulitzer Prize. � Strasberg left the Group in 1937 and pursued interests in Hollywood through most of the 1940 s. � He returned to Broadway to direct occasionally, achieving success with such works as Clifford Odets' Clash by Night (1941). He returned to New York to stay in 1948 to become the director and dominant force of the Actors Studio, an organization started by Kazan, Crawford, and Robert Lewis. � Strasberg was the artistic director and guiding spirit of the Actors Studio for 34 years, from 1948 until his death in 1982, and his reputation as America's finest acting teacher spread worldwide. � At his 75 th birthday it was estimated that actors trained by him had received 24 Academy Awards and 108 nominations. CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. com

� Strasberg's career as a stage actor ended in 1929 with his retirement, and his career as a film actor began in 1974 with his role as Hyman Roth in The Godfather, Part II, for which he received an Academy Award nomination for best supporting actor in 1975. � Strasberg's effectiveness as a teacher derived from his interest in the psychology of dramatic interpretation and from his emphasis on the actor's private personality as the raw material from which performance should be created. � Combining theories of Stanislavsky and some modern psychology, he urged his students to create "backlife" for their characters, previous and subsequent histories based on assumptions from facts in the script. � Strasberg died of a heart attack on February 17, 1982, in New York City, several days after appearing in a benefit chorus line at CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. com Radio City Music Hall.

How is method acting different from Classical Acting? � Sometimes called “the Shakespearean style, ” classical acting has its roots in the British theater. More focused on control and precision in performance, classical actors are action-oriented, whereas method actors are than emotion-oriented, � Where method acting can allow for quite a bit of improvisation, classical acting demands a degree of exactness, � Method acting asks you to live the character, where its not needed in classical acting. � real, powerful emotions in order to breathe life into a character. CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. com

Write a note on Sanford Meisner � Sanford Meisner was born in Brooklyn on Aug. 31, 1905, into the middle-class family of Herman Meisner � He graduated from Erasmus Hall High School, the Damrosch Conservatory of Music (now the Juilliard School) and the Theater Guild School of Acting. � He made his Broadway acting debut in 1924 as a farmhand in a Sidney Howard drama, ''They Knew What They Wanted. '' � In 1935, he was the co-director of ''Waiting for Lefty'' with Odets. Reviewers called his work ''passionate, '' ''excellent'' or ''extraordinary. '‘ � he concentrated on teaching, as the director of the Neighborhood Playhouse school from 1936 until 1959 and from 1964 through the 1980's. � From 1959 to 1964 he directed a new-talent division at 20 th Century -Fox in Hollywood and headed the drama department at the American Musical Theater Academy in Manhattan. � In 1987, Vintage Books published ''Sanford Meisner on Acting, '' CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. com which he wrote with Dennis Longwell.

� Sharing a stage convincingly with other actors, he stressed, is just as � � � important as creating a character. ''It's a very bitter pill for the actor to swallow, '' he once said, to be told that another actor ''is more important than you are, but you have to believe this. '‘ In 1933, he became disillusioned with Method acting, and wrote, ''Actors are not guinea pigs to be manipulated, dissected, let alone in a purely negative way. Our approach was not organic, that is to say, not healthy. '' He decided that American actors needed ''an American approach. '' He began teaching at the Neighborhood Playhouse in 1935 and the next year took over as its head. He was a skilled pianist, who was often called on by friends and associates to buoy their spirits when productions were stymied or reviews were negative. He retired from teaching in 1994. Although he was confined to a wheelchair, he continued to attend meetings and performances at his school. In February 1995, at the age of 89, he gave his last performance as a patient in an episode of the television series ''E. R. Steven Spielberg wrote, ''It's a pleasure to see that after so many years of teaching acting, the teacher finally gets to show the students that he's the best. '‘ � He developed the acting technique after working with Lee Strasberg and Stella Adler at the Group Theatre. CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. com

What are the key elements of Meisner technique of acting? � Sanford Meisner said that his approach to training “is based on bringing the � � � actor back to his emotional impulses and to acting that is firmly rooted in the instinctive. It is based on the fact that all good acting comes from the heart, as it were, and that there’s no mentality to it. ” Learn to live in the moment as an actor, and let go of any idea of result. Learn what it means to really “do” and to respond truthfully to a given moment based on what you get from your partner. Through improvisation, emotional truth and personal response learn to resonate authenticity within a given circumstance. understand the definition of real acting, which is “to live truthfully under the imaginary circumstances”. The training involves a specific series of exercises that build upon each other. The successful comprehension and execution of each exercise is essential to the success of the next and so on. Listening, responding, being emotionally vulnerable, sharing opinions, and using your imagination are all central to doing Meisner work. � Meisner’s method acting most famous exercise is ‘the repetition exercise’, which trains actors to respond ‘truthfully’ and encourages them not to think, but instead to respond to circumstance. CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. com

� The approach is very practical: students won’t find themselves writing on their scripts and analysing them. Thinking is almost discouraged. � ‘is based on bringing the actor back to his emotional impulses and to acting that is firmly rooted in the instinctive. It is based on the fact that all good acting comes from the heart, as it were, and that there’s no mentality to it. ’ CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. com

How Meisner Technique is different from Method Acting? � Method Acting has been introduced by Stanislavsky and later on Lee Strasberg whereas Meisner founded his own technique of teaching actors. � The technique focuses on external rather than internal stimuli, making it different from method acting. � Emotional Recall is what Method Acting is about and Meisner is reacting to the impulse. � Method acting concentrates on being the character or living the character whereas Meisner is asking to respond to the situation then and there. � Meisner technique asks the actor to find the truth through repetition whereas Method actor finds the truth through living the life of the character. � Meisner emphasizes behaving truthfully under imagined circumstances whereas Method actor gives stress on the internal process or feeling of the character. � Method acting is based on the self-oriented journey of the character wheareas Meisner is asking the actor to go beyond selfconsciousness. CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. com � Meisner puts emphasis on the existence of co actors whereas Method actors stay involved more with the conscious self of the

� people who are naturally more honest and expressive as regards their emotions, find Meisner easier to work with. Whereas people who tend to naturally keep things inside themselves – a very unhealthy thing to do – find Method easier than Meisner. � Meisner is more about ‘doing’ whereas Method is about ‘feeling’. CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. com

Explain the importance of improvisation in Meisner technique. � Act before you think – your instincts are more honest than your thoughts. � It is a key stage in the Meisner Technique, teaching you how to defeat self- � � � consciousness when alone on stage, how to prepare before your entrance and how to work with your partner in the moment, enhancing and developing your emotional and intellectual capacity to create/improvise instinctively. how to work with your partner in order to live truthfully through imaginative scenarios. You will also be introduced to the method of emotional preparation. This will further develop your emotional range and ability to “live truthfully under imaginary circumstances”, which is the benchmark for any Meisner-trained actor. Once an actor has done the exercise—repeating until they know how they feel and can come to their opinion—repetition is swiftly removed. The next step is the introduction of emotional preparation, behaviorally-difficult activities, relationships, and shared circumstances. The technique teaches the actor to think less, react to stimuli and get in touch with their instincts snd emotions. Later, as the repetition/ improv exercise evolves more can be added, such as, given circumstances, relationships and actions and obstacles. � Meisner’s main principle is that you should ‘Act before you think - your instincts are more honest than your thoughts. ’ � The technique is liberating, encouraging the performer not to think, but instead to just do. CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. com

Write a note of Michael Chekhov � Mikhail Aleksandrovich "Michael" Chekhov 29 August 1891 – 30 September 1955) was a Russian-American actor, Director, Author and Theatre practitioner � He was a nephew of the playwright Anton Chekhov and a student of Stanislavsky. He was one of the brightest students of Stanislavsky. � He was raised in a middle-class family his father being in the Imperial Customs Service as well as a moderately successful writer. � Chekhov studied Stanislavsky at the First Studio of the Moscow Art Theatre where he acted, directed, and studied Stanislavsky’s ‘System’. � When Chekhov experimented with affective memory and had a nervous breakdown, this aided Stanislavski in seeing the limitations of his early concepts of emotional memory. � In the late 1920 s, Chekhov emigrated to Germany and set up his own Studioteaching a physical and imagination-based system of actor training. He developed the use of the "Psychological Gesture“. � Chekhov taught a range of movement dynamics such as molding, floating, flying, and radiating that actors use to find the physical core CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. com of a character.

� Despite his seemingly external approach, Chekhov's techniques were meant to lead the actor to a rich internal life. In spite of his brilliance as an actor and his first-hand experience in the development of Stanislavski's groundbreaking work, Chekhov as a teacher was overshadowed by his American counterparts in the 1940 s and 1950 s and their interpretations of Stanislavski's 'system, ' which became known as Method acting. � Interest in Chekhov's work has grown, however, with a new generation of teachers. Chekhov's own students included Marilyn Monroe, Clint Eastwood, Elia Kazan, Robert Lewis, etc. � In the television programme Inside the Actors Studio, noted actors such as Johnny Depp and Anthony Hopkins have cited Chekhov's book as highly influential on their acting. � Chekhov's description of his acting technique, On the Technique of Acting, was written in 1942 CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. com

What is Psycho-physical acting? � When Constantin Stanislavski first started to develop his system of actor training in 1911 he focused a great deal on the inner emotional truth of the performer, however the system was never meant to be static and as his theories and ideas developed he realized that the internalized truth of the performer was not being effectively communicated in her outward physicality. � This event and the ability to create it belong to what Michael Chekhov calls the Creative Individuality of the actor, and is not directly tied to his personality. � Michael Chekhov developed an acting technique, a ‘psycho-physical approach’. � in which transformation, working with impulse, imagination and inner and outer gesture are central. � It offers clear and practical tools in working with imagination, feelings and atmosphere. � According to Chekhov, the work of the actor is to create an inner event which is an actual experience occurring in real time within the actor. CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. com � This inner event as it is being experienced by the actor is witnessed by the

� Chekhov believed strongly that life on the stage needed to be bold, expressive, and theatrical. Consequently they developed imaginative methods using psycho-physical techniques, exercises that use the undeniable connection between the body and psychology, movements and principles that generate various sensations and emotions. They found these techniques liberated and excited the actor to truthful expressions. � This event and the ability to create it belong to what Michael Chekhov calls the Creative Individuality of the actor, and is not directly tied to his personality. � Exploration into creative movement, atmosphere, image and character center work, imaginary bodies and psychological gesture form the core of the Chekhov technique. CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. com

What are the 5 key elements of Psychophysical acting? Michael Chekhov's technique is an imaginative approach to experiencing the truth of the moment. In On Theatre and the Art of Acting, a series of lectures given to a group of professional actors in 1955, Chekhov speaks of Five Guiding Principles. � 1. The actor must train his or her body through the use of psychological exercises. The Michael Chekhov Technique seeks a connection between making an outer physical action and sensing how this movement evokes an inner response. All physical exercises are done with the intention of awakening an inner psychological response. This requires training the body to be a fine instrument--well developed, expressive, obedient and sensitive. The body becomes a kind of sponge finely tuned to respond to psychological impulses. Thus the actor strives for a complete balance and harmony between the body and the thoughts, emotions and desires. They are not independent of one another and there is a constant play between the two, one affecting the CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. com other.

� 2. The actor must use intangible means of expression while acting and rehearsing to achieve tangible results. The primary means of expression in the Chekhov method are intangible. The tangible means for the actor--body, speech, voice --are infused with the intangible elements of feelings, imaginations and sensations. An example would be the psychological gesture, which in performance is outwardly invisible but is an inspiration all the while one is rehearsing and performing. CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. com

� 3. The actor must employ a creative spirit and the higher intellect to unify the various aspects of the performance. Michael Chekhov suggests that within each of us is a hidden laboratory in which sits a wise scientist who embodies our spirit-summarizing, amalgamating, drawing conclusions, unifying all our capacities. Chekhov equates this ability with our so-called higher self, our better self, which has a strong influence in developing our talents. All art is based on the synthesizing power of the spirit. Without this synthesis, one is left with disconnected elements and no sense of archetype or prototype could exist. CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. com

� 4. The purpose of the Chekhov method is to embody each component of the method as a means of awakening all parts of the method in order to evoke a creative state of mind. It is the actor’s desire to evoke inspiration and a creative state of mind at will. There is a oneness consisting of many component parts to the method. However, all of these parts are connected with one another. As the actor learns to use one correctly, to truly embody one point of the method, other points will awaken by themselves. � 5. The actor must penetrate each separate point of the Chekhov Technique and then determine to what degree and by what means it frees his or her talent. An actor is not seeking a method of work that becomes a burden, but a method that will free one’s talents. Chekhov encourages the actor to go over all the various points of the method and ask to what degree and by what means they free his or her talents. This is the primary purpose of the method. The actor then gives his or her attention to how each point of the work answers that question. CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. com

What is psychological gesture? � Psychological gesture is considered one of the most important ideas developed by M. Chekhov, which illustrates the principal differences separating realistic school of acting from the psychophysical one. � the main purpose of the psychological gesture is locating the substantive idea of action, articulating it and conveying it through stage expression. � Basically psychological gesture can be considered a connective link between the creative work of imagination and physical expression. � The expression of the psychological gesture, its quality and intensity requires a high concentration and the incorporation of the physical body. � a psychological gesture functions as a concentrated external form that conveys the idea of an action or meaningful backbone of the role. � the prism of psychological gesture, we can formulate a definition that Chekhov's actor, playing in the surrounding environment is trying to reach and penetrate his mental body. � the technique of psychological gesture becomes a fundamental lever that helps activate those layers of imagination and inner state, which cannot be reached with any other methodical tools. CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. com � Example : You look at a tree. Try to observe the vibration of the tree. Try to feel the tree. Try to imagine the happiness it is creating inside you and then you try to

Write a note on Grotowsky � Jerzy Grotowski (1933 -1999), producer, teacher and the Polish Theatre director. � He trained as an actor in Krakow in the early 1950 s before studying production. � international leader of the experimental theatre who became famous in the 1960 s as the director of productions staged by the Polish Laboratory Theatre of Wrocław. � Grotowski began studying at the National Theatrical Academy in Kraków in 1951 and received a degree there in 1955; he then attended for a time the State Institute of Theatre Arts in Moscow. � He joined the Laboratory Theatre in 1959, the year it was founded. Grotowski’s permanent company first appeared in western Europe in 1966. � His productions included Faustus(1963), Hamlet (1964), and The Constant Prince (1965). Grotowski’s methods and pronouncements —which can be found in his highly influential work Towards a Poor CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. com Theatre (1968)—influenced such U. S. experimental theatre

� He developed the concept of "poor theatre“, The actor's research is based on body work that aims to rid themselves of automatic reactions in order to get to the character's essence within themselves. � From 1970, Grotowski abandoned production to concentrate on researching and showing his art throughout the world. In 1986 in Pontedera, Italy, he created a experimental centre which still bears his name to this day. � In 1982 Grotowski immigrated to the United States, where he taught for several years before moving to Pontedera, Italy. There in 1985, a year after the closing of the Laboratory Theatre in Poland, he opened a new theatrical centre. CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. com

What is ‘Poor theatre’? � Grotowski coined the term ‘poor theatre’, defining a performance style that rid itself of the excesses of theatre, such as lavish costumes and detailed sets (hence ‘poor’). Poor Theatre pieces centre on the skill of the actor and are often performed with only a handful of props. � As a director, Grotowski preferred to perform works in nontraditional spaces such as buildings and rooms, instead of mainstream theatre houses with traditional stages. Typically, the audience was placed on many sides of the action or in and amongst the action, itself. � Acting in the style of Poor Theatre places emphasis on the physical skill of the performer and uses props for transformation into other objects, sometimes of great significance. CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. com

� the concept of Poor Theatre strips away all of theatre’s excesses � Poor Theatre is non-commercial theatre; the antithesis of modern -day blockbusters � Grotowski’s ‘poor theatre’ phase was between 1959 and 1970 � 1975 marked the end of all public performances connected to Grotowski � Grotowski’s collected writings on theatre are published in ‘Towards a Poor Theatre’ (1968) CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. com

Movement & Gesture of Poor Theatre � physical movement was a key component of Poor Theatre performances � Space & Actor-Audience Relationship � traditional theatre spaces were ignored by Grotowski in preference for rooms and buildings � he saw little need for a traditional stage dedicated to acting or a purpose-built theatre for performances � Grotowski’s work involved an intense exploration of the relationship between participant and spectator � his aim was to eliminate the division between actor and audience, creating a communion between the two � actors typically performed with the spectators on many sides � particpants also performed in and around the spectators strategically placed amongst them in the space CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. com

Stagecraft of Poor Theatre � Grotowski’s acting area was typically bare, with few props and no set � object transformation was a key aspect of Poor Theatre � after transformation, objects were often symbolic and/or of great significance � lighting typically flooded the acting area with no use of spotlights or focus areas � if used at all, ‘costumes’ would be anonymous, not identifying character (as with realism) CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. com

Acting & Characterisation of Poor Theatre � the actor and his/her skills was at the core of all Poor Theatre performances � on occasions, performances used no ‘real’ props, but employed actors as props instead � actor training was intense over long periods of time � actors with egos had no place in Grotowski’s theatre � aim was for acting to be authentic, akin to Stanislavski’s system (but more physical) � Grotowski used a variation of Stanislavski’s emotion memory technique with his own actors. CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. com

Write short note on Bertolt Brecht � Bertolt Brecht was a German playwright, director, and poet in the Weimar Republic, where he achieved notoriety through his work in theater, producing plays that often had a Marxist perspective. � Brecht was born in Augsburg, Bavaria in 1898 to a Protestant mother and a Catholic father. His mother was devout and taught Brecht about the Bible, a lasting influence on his work. � In high school, World War I broke out. While Brecht was initially in favor of the war, he soon criticized it, which led to his near expulsion from school. � Brecht wrote his first full-length play, Baal, in 1918, followed by Drums in the Night in February 1919. � Brecht very much wanted to create a new dramatic form, using a more didactic rhetoric and songs which would interrupt the action, writing music himself as well as collaborating with CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. composers like Kurt Weill.

� Brecht wrote The Little Mahagonny and The Three penny Opera, two of his best known projects. � Brecht left Germany during Nazi Germany in order to avoid persecution, settling eventually in Denmark. � Later, during the Cold War, Brecht's career suffered as he was blacklisted in America and questioned by the House Un. American Activities Committee. Though he was never a member of the Communist party, he was an avid student of Marxism. � The result of Brecht's research was a technique known as "verfremdungseffekt" or the "alienation effect". It was designed to encourage the audience to retain their critical detachment. CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. com

What is alienation effect? � Alienation effect, also called a-effect or distancing effect, German Verfremdungseffekt or V-effekt, idea central to the dramatic theory of the German dramatist-director Bertolt Brecht. � It involves the use of techniques designed to distance the audience from emotional involvement in the play through jolting reminders of the artificiality of theatrical performance. � Examples of such techniques include explanatory captions or illustrations projected on a screen; actors stepping out of character to lecture, summarize, or sing songs; and stage designs that do not represent any locality but that, by exposing the lights and ropes, keep the spectators aware of being in a theatre. � The audience’s degree of identification with characters and events is presumably thus controlled, and it can more clearly perceive the “real” world reflected in the drama. CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. com

Acting Notes: CRAFT FILM SCHOOL � Brecht regarded his method as a way of helping spectators understand the complex nexuses of historical development and societal relationships. By creating stage effects that were strange or unusual, Brecht intended to assign the audience an active role in the production by forcing them to ask questions about the artificial environment and how each individual element related to real-life events. � In doing so, it was hoped that viewers would distance themselves emotionally from problems that demanded intellectual solutions. � The alienation effect attempts to combat emotional manipulation in theater, replacing it with an entertaining or surprising jolt. For instance, rather than investing in or “becoming” their characters, they might emotionally step away and demonstrate them with cool, witty, and skillful self-critique. � Brecht saw that these audiences were manipulated by theater technology — beautiful, realistic sets, cleverly naturalistic CRAFT FILM schhol. . www. craftfilmschool. com lighting, the imaginary fourth wall, and most importantly,