Sunday 23 April 2017

Rea Nurturing the outstanding Actor

Nurturing the outstanding actor



Rea (2014) conducted a social experiment in which he created a theoretical framework that defines qualities of 'the outstanding actor' based on three perspectives:
  • Student Actors
  • World Class experts
  • His own conclusions from experiential research (Rea 2014)
In total he asked 350 actors/actresses 'What qualities and skills make an outstanding Actor?'
Below is a  list of skills and qualities of which came up regularly by participants.

Danger
Unpredictability
 risk-taking
 daring
 bold
choices
 courage
ability to surprise
Presence
Magnetism
focus
 compelling
 limitless
projection of energy
 confidence
Warmth
Incandescent generosity
a twinkle in the eye
joy
openness
Effortless spontaneity
 freedom
 relaxation
 openness
playfulness.
 

This influenced me to carry out a similar social experiment. I asked performers from my communities of practice, peers and anonymous performers on a social media platform (125 in total)
'What skills and qualities make a Musical Theatre performer outstanding. Surprising upon analysing results and comparing both lists many skills and qualities mentioned were similar to those of Rea's results.

Charismatic
Energetic
Passionate
Spatial Awareness
Commitment
Focus Dedication
Musicality
Knowledge
Characterisation
Courageous
Daring
Brave
Versatility
Reliability
Flexibility
Thick Skinned
Stage Presence
Star Quality
Connection with audience and cast members on stage
Listening
Reading
Ability to reflect
Hunger
Being comfortable with being uncomfortable
Collaboration
Intriguing
Good energy
Awareness of self
Awareness of character






 
 


Estill Voice technique

Estill technique is becoming one of the most widely used singing techniques in Musical Theatre and is now being developed in relation to how EVST ccan benefit actors.


Estill Voice technique is a contemporary technique created by Jo Estill (1998). The study explores how to control and manipulate multiple anatomical structures that house the voice to create different qualities and artistic styles for effective communication between the singer and performer.

Jo Estill states the benefits of EVST are:

  • Replaces mystery of how to use the voice with knowledge
  • Reduces performance anxiety and increase relaxation
  • Promotes confidence
  • Empowers students to make choices
  • Provides vocal variety
  • Leave nothing to chance
  • Leads to balance of Vocal Health and aesthetic freedom
The components of the voice studied in relation to singing and speaking were:
  • Larynx
  • True vocal folds onset/offset
  • True vocal folds body cover
  • False vocal folds
  • Thyroid cartilage
  • Cricoid cartilage
  • Epiglottis Sphincter 
  • Velum
  • Tongue
  • Jaw
  • Lips 
  • Head, neck, Torso
These Components are used in a variety of ways to create the following voice qualities. In relation to my inquiry these qualities are used to convey character through song.

  • Speech - This quality most commonly occurs in Musical Theatre productions and is very close in vocal range to actual speech
  • Falsetto- Used to convey sweetness, a sense of innocence and purity
  • Sob- Convey emotional sadness, pity
  • Twang- Contemporary Musical Theatre character voice style
  • Opera
  • Belt-Often used to convey a sense of power, anger, despair, and positive strong emotionals (can be compared to shouting)

Saturday 22 April 2017

Variables seperating acting through song and acting through speech

Why is acting through song so different?
Journal of Singing
Vol 64, No2, pp 167-173 Nov/Dec 2007

Millie Taylor states how there are more variables in acting through song in a musical then acting through speech. Through her article she differentiates between the two.

  • Actors in dramatic plays and on screen are alone on stage they don't have music to support there character.
  • Actors possess the autonomy in straight acting to vary delivery of the text as they see fit.
  • Taylor (2007) discusses how a script can be read in numerous different ways depending on emphasis, intonation, integrity, spacing, timbre, mood and tempo.
Variables between acting through speech and acting through song

Tempo- Actors have freedom to speak at whatever pace they deem necessary.
             Singers are confined to following the tempo of the song.

Rhythm-Actors tend to seek a more naturalistic expression of text. 
              Singers are locked into designated rhythms.

Melody- Actors can vary pitch according to emotional state of character/type of character.
              Whether as singers pitches are pre set and to sing off pitch would be deemed incorrect.

Pauses- Actors have the freedom to pauses for however long.
             Singers pauses are known musically as 'rests'. They appear between words and phrases and are musically counted.

Notes- Can be made longer, perhaps this is a positive as it gives the performer more time to convey emotion.



On relfection of Taylor (2007) article. I have established many variables which suggested Musical Theatre has many more variables perhaps requiring discipline in a different way then Dramatic acting on stage and screen. I will look for emerging themes regarding these differences through my inquiry.

Action Planning

Action planning has been a huge part of my inquiry process during Module 3. This detailed approach to planning has helped me:
  • Reach Deadlines
  • Complete tasks
  • Clarify at which stage I am at 
  • Clarify what needs to be done in order to reach the next stage
  • Clarify my thoughts when working parallel on activities
  • Create contingency plans
  • Reward myself
Below is an image I used from Kent University to get started on my action plan
Action Planning Chart
https://www.kent.ac.uk/careers/sk/skillsactionplanning.htm

  
Below is a sample of the first action plan I created within my journal




Michael Chekov's (inside out) approach to creating and developing characters

Throughout this article, the author examines how Michael Chekov, influenced by Rudolph Steiners's exploration of a pscyhophysical approach to acting. It is discussed how the imagination of actors can be utilised in creating and developing characters through the direct effect imagining has to the physiology of the body. Chekov explored the relationship between actors sense of self and the creation and development of character using aspects of Buddhist insights and Chekov's approach to the psychophysical creatino of character. As well as Buddhist insights the author also uses research from nueroscience to support Chekovs theories.

T Barbers 1984 conducted an experiment to explore how imagining effects the blood supply in the body.
'If...Thought, images and feelings can produce variations in blood supply, it is likely that the blood flow to other parts of the body is continually affected by what people are thinking, imagining and excperiencing, by being deeply absobred in imagining a physiological change, some individuals can evoke the same thoughts and feelings that are present when an actual physiological change occurs, hense stimulating the cells to produce the desired physiological change (Ardena et al 200; 377)
This supports Chekovs theory of acting from within in order to createv physiological changes of the character.
It is highlighted throughout the literature that Chekovs training, performances and theories are largely based around imagining and this scientific connectino between body and mind,

'It is a known fact that the human body and pscholgyo influence eachother and are in constant interplay,, the actor must strive for the asttainment ofn complete harmony between the two'
Chekov 2002:1

Chekov's recorded set of masterclasses are also briefly discussed.
'All our physical exercises will be considered and done as psychophysical exercises... Eveything like the development of our imagination or using of the pscyological aspects, all such means make physical exercises to pschyphysical
Chekov 196 tape 1

Chekov believes that in order for the actor to free the mind of habitual emotions and actions, the actor must be fully aware of their bodies and capabilities and use imagination to visualise the charaxcter in order to remove oneself.

The author proceeds to discuss the potential results of this awareness from his personal experiences and the results of Chekov's experiements within his teaching practices.From research gathered the author states 'By developing this awareness and understanding and understanding of ones own physicaslity, actors can begin to explore the way in which physicality can be developed and altered with the help of imaginatino.

This analogy supports Chekovs imaginary body ecxercises dicusdsded within his audio visual tapes.
The excercises are basic. Actors are required to imagine alterign a specific body pasrt and utilise the embodied image and sensationds felt to create a new physicality for the actor. For example 'Longer Arms' Chekov states by imagining actually possessing longer arms the actors physiology will change making the arms asppear longern due to altered physicalitly. Thje acot ris then required addn other elemtents sucvh as speech andf movement whilst remembering the feeling of obtainibng longer arms. This relates to T Barbers 1984 experiement in which he proved imagination has the power to change physiology.

Chekov also used images to help visualise a character in his imagination. In one particular instance Chekov sketched a character in his imagination. The sketched image bares strking resembelance to how Chekov looked whilst playing the character on stage.

As a performer I use this approach regularly when creating character, however lacked the knowledge of theory and practitioner behind this approach.

     

Thursday 13 April 2017

Ken Rea - Nurturing the outstanding Actor

                                                              Nurturing the outstanding Actor

In this article Ken Rea explores factors that may have implications on an actors success using his own empirical research and vast experience as senior acting tutor at Guildford School of Acting.

Gender

Studies show that there are fewer female roles on stage and screen in terms of acting with a higher proportion of women in the business.
52% Women
48% Men
This means competition is greater for women than for men leaving a greater majority of female actors unemployed.
In comparison to the Musical Theatre industry the ratio of women to men in the business is also greater, however shows with large ensembles and Female heavy casts provide more opportunities. An example of these shows would be, Legally Blonde, Made in Dagenham,Little women.

Age/Networking

Acting careers in general tend to be longer than Musical Theatre, dance and song careers. Rea also mentions how casting directors for stage and screen are looking for young, good-looking Actors.
He states
'agents visiting drama school showcases are keen to snap up the most immediately employable'. (Rea, 2014) Through his research he discovered Actors who gain a high profile job before the age of 25 are more likely to get continuous work as one job provides a spring board for a long lasting career, simply because of its potential to lead to other work. This relates to networking which is relevant for all aspects of the arts industry. As a Musical Theatre performer with a community of practice largely involved in Musical Theatre, it will be essential for me to expand my networks into the acting medium by attending classes, events, emailing directors, joining actor social media pages etc.

Class

Up to the 1960's actors tended to come from upper class backgrounds. Changes in funding during 1960's helped 'usher a new breed of less affluent actors' (Rea 2014) Examples would be Peter O'Toole and Richard Harris. These actor brought new energy and raw talent to the stage and were casted regularly on stage and screen. In 2012 funding was again reduced dramatically whilst fees have inflated meaning less affluent hopefuls have fewer options in terms of training and therefore miss out on building contacts and networking.
Upper class Actors are also able to more easily afford periods of no work.


Belonging to an acting dynasty

Ericson (2007) , in his theoretical framework suggests there is a link between genetics and talent.
'It is likely that in many cases parents transmit to their children a substantial amount of knowledge and motivation in skilled activities in a domain. He also emphasises how these relationships create more contacts and therefore lead to more opportunities.



Sunday 19 March 2017

Skype with Victoria Vickers

On Friday, I had a very insightful conversation with Module 3 student Victoria Vickers. It was great to discuss Module 3 and compare the stages we are at in terms of our inquires and the development of our research based around acting. I found it re-assuring to hear that other students are facing similar issues regarding altering inquiry questions and sourcing literature.

After discussing general ideas and findings we focused our attention on literature. We briefly explained to one another were we are at with our literature reviews and voiced our concerns. The main obstacle was 'time'. We came to the conclusion that sourcing relevant lit has taken more time than anticipated. The contrast in terms of the amount of literature needed and the depth of the review is a considerable leap compared with the literature aspect of Module 2. On reflection we considered how a bigger emphasis on Literature in Module 2 could potentially help us be more prepared for Module 3. As time was our main concern we spoke about strategies we could adopt to save time. Both me and Victoria had wrote separate reviews on all our sources gathered so far with the intention of combining them for the final review. In order to speed up the process I have decided to bullet point key aspects relating to my inquiry from new sources I gather. We also conversed about critique based literature and how it can be sourced through researching the acting craft. By gaining knowledge of each others inquiries we were able to recommend sources beneficial to each others inquiries of which we had came across on summon. We agreed to email these suggestions to one another.

Interestingly both our research questions have slightly changed since module 2 due to emerging ideas through conversations with industry professionals and literature. We reflected on how this could potentially cause problems in terms of our ethical consent forms. this is a subject I plan to discuss with my tutor to ensure the validity of my inquiry.

We spoke briefly about the professional artifact and exchanged our potential ideas however  neither of us are at the stage of developing this further.

Victoria informed me of her visit to campus to watch the Oral Presentations. She described the atmosphere as calm and explained to me the short presentation of which the previous Module 3 students gave. I found this aspect of our skype very re-assuring as I was not sure what to expect in terms of the Oral Presentation. Victoria spoke of how all students were extremely passionate about their inquiry's.