Help for Task 3 - Writing about your ideas for a Showcase

Unit 1 Task 3 –  Writing about your ideas for a Showcase

You have been asked to produce a Showcase for a public audience, on the theme “Everybody Has a Story.” 

Over the term, we have been exploring lots of different ideas for performances on this theme.  In this document, you need to explain your range of ideas – as a producer – for a showcase.  These do not have to be the ideas you will actually use in the final exam showcase – this is your chance to explain your own imaginative ideas and really show your understanding of what makes a great performance!   This is “blue sky thinking” – what would you do if given the chance? Where would you perform? Who to? What would you show them?

 The majority of this document should be presenting your ideas and suggestions, but you also need to present information about two venues which could be suitable for the performance.

Your document can include pictures and diagrams, but the actual written content must be AT LEAST 1500 words.

SETTING IT OUT…

PARAGRAPH 1 ( 400 words)

·         What is the theme of the Showcase?

·         What do you need to consider as a producer?  (this should be a general comment – explain how a producer needs to think about the style of the production, target audience, possible venues, health and safety etc.)

Think about the sort of performances you have created this term, as well as ideas you’ve talked about and productions you may have seen.

·         What sort of showcase would you like to create (eg.  a dark piece which tells several linked stories; a promenade performance inspired by your venue (site specific); a collection of historical stories using a mixture of music and acting ; one single performance which allows everyone to have their “moment” to tell their own story etc)

·         Who will your showcase be aimed at (your target audience) and what sort of experience do you want them to have?

·         Which skill do you particularly want to demonstrate (acting / music / dj-ing) ?  What other skills will you include (singing / movement / lighting design etc)

IMPORTANT NOTE! You need to explain how you will show your MAIN skill (for most people, this is acting) and one other skill in your ideas.  This second skill doesn’t necessarily need to be something you actually have – for example, you may say you’d like to include contemporary dance to tell one of your stories; or use clowning skills such as juggling and uni-cycling to move the audience along during a promenade performance, but it doesn’t actually matter whether you can really dance, juggle, or uni-cycle!!

PARAGRAPH 3 (450 words)

·         What is your first idea for a showcase on the theme? 

Describe what your general idea is and then move into detail – where will it be, what sort of staging will you use, what will happen within the performance, what skills will you show?

PARAGRAPH 4 (450 words)

·         Explain another idea or ideas for your showcase (try to aim for 2)

PARAGRAPH 5 (500 words)

What idea is your favourite idea?  Why?  What will YOU actually do in this performance?  i.e.

·         What roles will you play and why have you chosen them?

·         What skills will your group show?

·         What sort of effect do you think this will have on an audience?

·         What technical or staging effects would you use to enhance your showcase?

PARAGRAPH 6

What venues have you considered for your showcase? Why did you chose to explore these?

VENUE 1 (250 words)

·         What is your first venue ?

·         What sort of space is it?

·         How large is it (you need real dimensions/sizes)

·         How much will it cost to hire?

·         What facilities does it offer – lighting rig, sound equipment, seating, adaptability etc. Or would you need to hire equipment in and if so, what sort of budget will you need?

·         Why would this venue suit your showcase idea?

VENUE 2 (250 words):  Answer all the above questions for Venue 2!

PARAGRAPH 7 (150 words)

What are the health and safety implications for your venues? 

Think about:  

·         The size of the audience – if it’s a promenade performance, will they fit into each space, is the whole venue accessible or are their stairs/steep climbs, will chairs need to be set out, are their sufficient fire exits, etc.

·         Risk Assessments -  will you have cables trailing across the floor – what will you do about these?  Is your electrical equipment safe, are their risks of fire or glass being broken, do costumes and scenery need to be fire resistant?

·         Working at heights – will any of your performance take place at a height (or will the audience be higher up?) – you need to put a handrail around anything which is higher than 4ft.

Photos from Lord of the Flies (unit 1)

Getting the best grade!

GETTING THE BEST GRADE!

The grading criteria for task 3 (writing your evaluation) states:  “Expression will be clear and fluent. There will be few errors in grammar, punctuation and spelling. Excellent use of terminology.”

In your evaluation, try to explain your thoughts using sentences such as:

I believe that I ……..

I was able to develop …….

In rehearsals, we ………

I decided to ……..

I was able to use ………….

In the performance, I showed that ……

We used ………  to ………..

This helped me to …………….

The feedback I received, told me that …….

Remember to use theatrical vocabulary :

Projection (volume without shouting!)

Blocking (positions on the stage)

Masking (standing in front of someone on stage – or them standing in front of you)

Sub-text (what is really being said?)

Tone/pace/pitch of voice

Using the text – looking for clues about your character in the script

Staging (setting & rehearsing the scenes)

Theatre-in-the-round / arena staging

Characterisation

Focus & Control

Accents or dialect

Diction (how clearly your words are pronounced)

Physicalisation – using movement to create a character

Embody – really becoming a character

Role – the part you play

Atmosphere

Audience reactions

Rehearsal

Believable

Physical Theatre / Movement

Positive Influences - TASK TO COMPLETE

 

Positive Influences – Who Inspires You?

Your task is to think of an actor whose work you really admire.  This could be a film or TV actor, but ideally they will also have performed significantly on the stage (like Robert De Niro, Hugh Jackman, Kevin Spacey, David Tennant, James Corden, Matt Smith) or in more classical filmed work (such as Russell Crowe, Patrick Stewart, Sir Ian McKellan).  If at all possible, pick someone you have seen perform on the stage.  You can use a lesser known actor who you have seen perform, as long as you can comment enough on his/her skills and abilities.

Your research should be in 2 parts:

PART 1:     What SKILLS you admire in this actor. eg: 

     Their ability to play a wide range of characters
Their use of eye contact and facial expression
Their use of accents
Their use of action / movement and gesture
Their understanding of a character and their ability to really become someone else (to be believable!) 

PART 2:     How can you use the skills this actor has in your own acting role  in Lord of  

the Flies?  

You should write at a page of notes for each part.  You may want to organise your ideas under headings or in a table.   Make sure this work is uploaded to your blog !

Writing your Evaluations

It’s now time to write your evaluation of all of your work leading up to the Lord of the Flies – and of the performance itself (the exam board calls this the “final skills session”)  Your evaluation is worth 10% of the final grade so it’s really important that it is as good, and as detailed, as possible.   Remember that your evaluation should be a completely honest account of your work over the past 2 terms, but should also identify clearly how you’ve improved your acting skills and shown this in Lord of the Flies.

AN OVERVIEW  (150 words)

·           Did you enjoy working on this task?  How pleased are you overall with the final skills session – the performance of Lord of the Flies? (focus on you and how you used your skills!)

DEVELOPING YOUR SKILLS (600 words)

·           Part 1 (150 words) What skills did you choose to focus on within your acting? Why did you  
          choose these?

·           Part 2 (450 words) How well do you think you developed these skills throughout the skills 
          sessions and rehearsals?  

FOCUS ON THE SKILLS YOU IDENTIFIED TO IMPROVE IN YOUR SKILLS AUDIT & ACTION PLAN  -  Really try to explain how you worked on improving each skill and how well you thought you managed to use this in the performance.

For Example:

•  Improving your characterisation – researching the play (watching clips from both films), writing in role, improvising off-script, using Stanislavky’s technique of emotional memory (waking up on the island and looking around)
• Using facial expression & eye contact – developing the confidence to hold eye contact
• Using physical theatre techniques (remember the work you also did with Mr Langley!) – creating the deaths of Piggy, Simon and Eric
• Developing collboration as a group – slow motion, the final scene, the “ghosts”
• Improving vocal skills - projection and the use of your voice (eg accent, pace, tone)
• The use of space (blocking) – how difficult was this in an arena style staging? What did you do to overcome difficulties with blocking each scene?
• Physical movement as a character – especially arms!!

POSITIVE INFLUENCES (300 words)

Go back to your research into an actor you admire – how has this actor’s work influenced your own performance? (copy part 2 of this work into your evaluation, but explain how you used the skills in your final performance)

WHAT DID YOU FIND DIFFICULT?  (100 words)

·         What skill did you find most difficult to develop?  Why do you think that is?  What targets could you set yourself for next year?

FEEDBACK FROM YOUR AUDIENCE (150 words)

·         What feedback did you get from the audience and your teacher after the performance? 

CONCLUSION (200 words)

·         What was, in your opinion, the best part of the performance? 

·         What have you learnt as an actor throughout this Unit?

·         Did you achieve the targets you’d set yourself?

Keep the blogs going! :)

Well done to everyone who has made a start to their blogs. Please keep these up - you can include anything you like on your blog ie:

Comments on the work we have done in class during rehearsals for Lord of the Flies

Your opinions on aspects of your work - eg using physical theatre for Piggy's death, creating a soundscape,
the use of music

Writing in role for your character

A Character profile - it's important that you make decisions about what your character was like before the island

Your views on how yours skills as an actor are improving during this project (especially your use of voice, projection, physical moevement, facial expressions, staying in character etc)

Remember that you can include photos, pictures, video clips, music and writing in your blog!

Video of the opening - The Soundscape