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?