Scene 16

Today Me, Dan and Chelsea, who play salty and hobby, blocked scene 16. We thought the scene seems really fast paced and energetic.

I came up with the idea of hobby hitting me with a piece of paper, rather than her actually hitting me. I think this would work better because it looks more effective and kids often throw paper, also its less painful for me.Also when I take her pen I throw it high in the air rather than just at the side, this worked best as it got the biggest laugh from the audience. Before I take her glasses Me and Chelsea stand up and stare at each other, this works well because it gives the scene a little pause, but it doesn't take so long that the scene loses its pace and energy. At the end when we are try to get  Mr Nixon's attention, we stand up and shout, this works well as Gail and Hobby have been arguing and it's as if we are seeing who can get Mr Nixon's attention first.

23rd and 25th April

On the 23rd we rehearsed scenes from Act 1, and showed them back to the class. I helped people work out there blocking and timing as some people weren't moving when they should and it would mess up the timing of the scene.Most of the first scenes set the scene of the play and introduce the characters. Its it important it know why your character is on stage and doing what they are doing. In the first scene its important to have lots of energy so get the audiences attention. Scene 6 shows the audience how out of control the classrooms are, this is the first classroom scene that the audience sees. So its important that the classroom is out of control.
I think the first scene could use some more energy. Scene 6 needs to be more crazier. I also thought that when Gail and Salty are taking about Benny Good it would almost be like a little argument.

We talked about how your character moves. This helped me because I had to think about how my character would move her hands and what part of her body she walking from. 

I think Gail wouldn't sit on a chair properly she would slouch on it, she would sit with her legs crossed because she is quit feminine. During scene where the classroom is crazy and all the kids are doing whatever they what she would sit with her legs up on Hobby or Salty's chair. I think this will work well because it will show the audience that the class is not doing what they are suppose to without distracting from the action.

John Godber

John Godber is the writer of Teechers, he also wrote plays such as Bouncers and Shakers. All of these play's have title that explain exactly what the play is about. However Teechers is spelt wrong. Teechers is a play that is written by the pupils of Whitewall, these pupils are poorly educated, therefore it is ironic that Teechers is spelt wrong.

John Godber was raised in a working class family, however he broke away from the and went into drama. He became the Head of Drama at a local secondary school. This is where he got his inspiration for a Teechers.

John Godber is also inspired by Brect, he makes theatre that you can relate to. Teechers have minimal set, this is a very Brechtian style. Also the school doesn't have a lot of money so the pupils wouldn't be given a lot of money for a set. Teechers only has 3 cast members in the play, however we have adapted it so everyone only plays on character. But in the original the cast have to change character on stage, they shows there character change by changing there gestures, facial expression and how they hold there bodies. This is another Brectian technique.

16th and 18th April

On Tuesday we had to work out which character we wanted to audition for. I picked Gail Saunders. I was thinking I could play Gail as your typical airhead, After I read the script some of the things she says are quit random and stupid. This would fit into the story well because the Whitewall teachers struggle to teach the pupils.

For my audition Lauren, Lucy and I performed the opening scene from Teecher. I think the audition went well, I had lots of energy and enthusiasm. However if I were to do the audition again, I would do it off script as I think it weakened my audition.

In small groups we discussed teachers from our school. We discussed their personalities, gestures, the way they spoke, posture, ways of moving and there appearance. We then used this to take part in a workshop audition where we improvised a scene as teacher's in a staff room, we used the notes we made on teacher's from our school as stimuli. This helped me to get into role as an older character and understand the differences between how young people and old people move.


On Thursday we found out who we had been cast as. I found that I had been cast as Gail Saunders.

We then did a full script read though. My first impression of the script was that there was a lot of humour in it. Also that we could put a lot of physical humour in it. Then in our casts we discussed the 10 most important moments in the play, and used them as stimuli to create still images. This helped me to get into character as I was able to play about with different postures and body language. Also it helped me to under the most important points in the play and how Gail would react to them.

We then did an off-text improvisation of the school disco scene. This helped me think about how Gail would act with the teachers and the pupils. Also it helped me to get into character, because I was able to think about how she would walk, her posture, any gestures she might have and also her vocal mannerism. I was able to play about with them more because I wasn't warring about my lines and trying to follow along to story line as it was improvisation.

We also discussed what we wanted the audience to get from the play. I think they should be thinking about there time at school. Did they get the most out of it, could they have tried harder. We also what them to see how influential one man can be to a whole school. He changed Gail, Salty and Hobbys life's. And maybe when the audience leaves they could be thinking about people who was influential in there life's, or if they were influential in other peoples life's. 

Evaluation

Overall I think I worked well on set, I had good communication with the director and the other crew. I also think I had good chemistry with the other actors on set. I was able to manage my time, so I was able to learn my scripts in time for the scene's we were filming.

However on the 2nd day of filming I had an audition so I had to miss a day, which resulted in me being replaced with another actor. Also The Player ended up getting drop from being filmed.

Shooting the films

During filming for Chasing Demons, I arrived on time. I had already learnt my lines for the scene that we were shooting. During filming I think that there was good communication between me and the crew, I took direction from the crew well. However the camera man didn't tell me what shoots he was doing, weather he was doing a medium shot or close up. This effected my acting because I couldn't change it for each shot.

During filming I made sure that I didn't over blink, as this would have weakened my performance, and Punks are usually seen as strong characters.As I had practised my continuity in rehearsal, I knew what points I had to hit. Because I had experimented with vocal and physical characteristics, when it came to shooting I knew what to do. I used my body to show my relationship with the other characters, my body was facing forward away from both actors. Also when I spoke I didn't really look at them.

Rehearsals

During rehearsals I was very professional and self disciplined, I always arrived on time and came prepared with all the equipment needed for the lesson. I feel like took direction well from both the directors and the other actors in the movie.

While rehearsing I thought about how I could change my acting style for the camera. I thought about all the little movements I'm gunna make and then I practised them. On stage you need to make big movements to get the point across so I had to tone down my acting skills to make them suitable for the camera. I also have to think of how I was gunna move my eyes and face. I had to think like my character, because the audience can see your eyes, and your eyes show how your brain is working. And if i'm thinking of my next line the audience would see that thought my eyes. The camera easily picks up on small facial movement, so when I'm showing emotion on my face. I need to remember to only make small movement.

When we blocked though the scenes, I made sure to make all my movements hit certain marks. This makes means that when the camera cuts to different angles, my continuity is right.

When I got my script I highlighted all my lines and stage directions. I thought about how my character would be feeling at the different points of the movie, and how that would effect how I say the lines.

I used Magic If, to help me get into role. I thought about how I would feel in the situation. I had to think why I am the way I am. Violet is a punk, I had to think why I made that choice to become so different to everyone else. Daisy Drew has been hurt my an ex, I had to think how that would effect how she behaves and acts. This makes my character's more believable because I think it is important to think and feel like your character.

It took my 2 weeks to learn all my lines from both scripts.

In Chasing Demons we don't know each other, so at the start it is quit awkward, I think we could create the awkward tension by not looking at each other. However as the play goes on we sort off become friends.
In The Player, all of the girl are really close and are best friends. However I have never met Josh before.

I think I worked well independently. I learnt my lines and researched my characters.