ideas for ppp brainstorm

Forest
killers
murderers
birds
songs
ancestors
fight or flight
adrenaline
only human
innocence
loss
loneliness
a greater power
enlightenment
nature
calm
spring
autumn
fall
winter
cold
inhumane
curtains
windows
light
rays
trees
apples
shine
water
life
sources
death
graves
spirits
outcomes
smell
senses
vision
numb
pain
arms
physical
god
bruises
feet
animals
blood
instinct

Chimerica Response

As Emma said before, Chimera was the word used to create a parallel between China and America. This derives from ancient greek mythology. Joe and Zhang Lin had a very ‘comedic’ relationship I feel. It could have been looked upon as being humorous as Zhang Lin would take Joe on a wild goose chase. Zhang Lin was a character who was lost within himself, and who was constantly running from the past and who he held dearest to his heart. Zhang Lin was one of the most difficult characters to embody. This can be attributed to his lack of connection in the real world. The set design for his apartment was to have newspapers scattered all over the place in jumbles and piles on the floor and desk. I think that if I could have done anything over again, it would have been to interact with the newspapers. They were they for a reason, and that reason was because he was constantly hiding in fear. He wanted to know what was going on with the pollution everyday and if he had been found. He freaks out when Joe sends him an email which has the words “Tank man” in the subject line. The character of Zhang Lin was lost within himself and it was a difficult task to find him when the character himself couldn’t find themselves either. I personally wanted the audience to leave with the idea to not take anything for granted. The vision of the play was to make everything feel grimy and uncertain. I know we did this with lighting and the set. The initial plan for the lighting was to use the contrasting colours of blue and red in order to represent America and China. The set was constructed in a way to have the audience feel that they were being spoon-fed with information and not be so distracted with the set desgn and how the actors would interact with them. The visual imagery was used in a way to place a stimulus within the audience’s minds. The sounds in the play were mostly songs and ambience sounds. If there was one thing I could change, it would be to understand the role of Zhang Lin a lot better. This really bothers me. One thing that we did right, would be the fact that we delivered each of the messages within the play clearly to the audience.

RI Outline

Outline Notes

Introduction
Talk about the research question
talk about the implications
-method acting-
talk about the zoo story


BODY

• Method acting
• what is it
• who made it
• what was it first called
• why was it special
• Constantin Stanislavski

Building A Character by Constantin Stanislavsky

          A play is not complete until GENUINE human emotions are put into the characters. Words should not be forced through the actors, however, should be mixed into the thoughts of the characters. Feelings should be incorporated into what the characters are feeling/sayingAudience should feel an alternate feeling for the character and shouldn't be focusing on what the actor is doing in order to fit that role. (Actors should suffer, as they are the characters that they are representing and not themselves) (Eg. Don't wipe the sweat from your forehead)"It is only when our feelings reach down into the subtextual stream that 'through line of action' of a play or a part comes into being. It is made manifest not only by physical movements but also by speech: it is possible to act not only with the body but also with sound, with words."

• Meisner - the differences
  
  Acting should be based on how well you know yourself, and how well you know your character. Stella Adler's imagination on acting - grasped his attention as well - went against this theory. Meisner believes in repetitive warmups as practice. Unclear motives are key in order for actors to get used to the feeling of disorientation on stage, so that they are not themselves.
• Talk about Stella Adler

Acting is 'doing' - actually believe in what you are acting upon, as it is your character who is actually doing it.

• In order to get the idea and story of what the play is trying to get across to the audience, you must study the "social situations" of the play.
• You need to have a presence on stage - whether you are born with it or you act well enough to create it.
• In order to create a more imaginative mind, actors need to look for the specific details in the things that they perceive around them.
• Adler believes in a 'script in life' and that human growth as well as the growth as an actor is cohesively tied in with each other.
• Adler believes that scripts have lives of their own, once the actor has accepted their character.
• Actor's shouldn't isolate themselves from their bodies

• Strasberg
• Lee Strasberg would try to re-crete the term 'emotion' into something of his own
• Strasberg studied Stanislavski's work and applied his energy towards trying to figure out how actors could use emotion to their advantage on stage
• Since emotion seems faded sometimes due to time, he would make you remember the surroundings of the emotion (smell, taste, sound etc...)

Talk about the 'zoo story' THROUGH THE EYES OF ALL FOUR PRACTITIONERS

What things would they do differently?

CONCLUSION

INCORPORATE THE PLAY INTO THIS AS WELL

Works Cited

2.) Natela, Natela. "Stanislavsky Method Acting :: The Method :: Stanislavski System :: Acting Technique :: Sydney Australia." Stanislavsky Method Acting :: The Method :: Stanislavski System :: Acting Technique :: Sydney Australia. Natela Acting World, 2013. Web. 15 Jan. 2014.
3.) Ellis, Jessica, and Bronwyn Harris. "What Is the Meisner Method Of Acting?" WiseGeek. Conjecture, 25 Dec. 2013. Web. 15 Jan. 2014.
4.) Acting School Stop. "The Stella AdlerActing Technique." The Stella Adler Acting Technique. Acting School-Stop, n.d. Web. 15 Jan. 2014.
5.) Stella Adler Acting School. "Core Beliefs | Stella Adler Studio of Acting." Stella Adler Studio of Acting. Stella Adler Studio, n.d. Web. 15 Jan. 2014.
6.) Squire, Christopher. "Theatre from My Head: Method Acting." Theatre from My Head: Method Acting. Blogspot, 31 July 2009. Web. 15 Jan. 2014.
7.) University of Chicago. "Stanislavski's Method." UofC Performance. Wordpress.com, n.d. Web. 15 Jan. 2014.
8.) Niekerk, Stephanie Van. "The Method Actors." : Method Fetishes. Blogspot, 15 Oct. 2013. Web. 15 Jan. 2014.
9.) Method Acting Strasberg. "History." The Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute. Methodactingstrasberg, 2014. Web. 13 Jan. 2014.
10.) Carr, Bret. "★Acting: What Are the Key Differences between the Acting Techniques Of  Lee Strasberg, Sanford Meisner, and Stanislavski?" Quora. Bretcarr.com, 5 July 2011. Web. 15 Jan. 2014.
11.) BGTA. " Acting Methods." Beginners Guide To Acting.com. Beginner's Guide To Rap, 2013. Web. 15 Jan. 2014.
12.) Strasberg Film. "Lee Strasberg on Acting (Clip 1)." YouTube. YouTube, 03 Dec. 2009. Web. 15 Jan. 2014.
13.) Steller Adler. "Stella Adler Awake and Dream." YouTube. YouTube, 18 Mar. 2013. Web. 15 Jan. 2014.
14.) Meisner. "Episode 5: Method vs. Meisner." YouTube. YouTube, 14 July 2012. Web. 15 Jan. 2014.
15.) Stanislavsky, Konstantin. Building a Character. New York: Routledge/Theater Arts, 1989. Print.

6.)

3.)

Pitch Notes

Director's Pitch:

• Relevant to the audience
• Give community a more serious understanding of the themes within the play
• modern issues that are addressed
• Relationship between America and China
• Governmental themes
• Are china and America really that different?
• Performance concepts:
• crammed
• urban
• isolation in the masses
• transparency and corruption
• obscurity in plain view
• Isolation in Joe and Zhang Lin
• obsession
• Immersed
• Fast-paced
• Convey urban and modern feel on the Set
• media
• confronted with the issues by putting the audience in the middle of the world
• newspapers on the ground
• No funds towards costumes/set pieces
• goes towards the set
• Time - strained. <- we will shorten the script.

Set Pitch:

• Merging visual arts and theatre
• Immerse the audience into the world
• Questioning the 'given'
• In-your-face play
• action-driven
• relationship between tok and bias in the news
• Griminess

Light Pitch:

• Lighting can help audience distinguish between the two different cultures
• Colour might smear or blend - experiment needed
• Lights separated

UPDATED RI NOTES

Building A Character by Constantin Stanislavsky
page 123

1. A play is not complete until GENUINE human emotions are put into the characters.
2. Words should not be forced through the actors, however, should be mixed into the thoughts of the characters.
3. Feelings should be incorporated into what the characters are feeling/saying
4. Audience should feel an alternate feeling for the character and shouldn't be focusing on what the actor is doing in order to fit that role. (Actors should suffer, as they are the characters that they are representing and not themselves) (Eg. Don't wipe the sweat from your forehead)
5. "It is only when our feelings reach down into the subtextual stream that 'through line of action' of a play or a part comes into being. It is made manifest not only by physical movements but also by speech: it is possible to act not only with the body but also with sound, with words."

Stanislavsky's Method

http://www.acting-world.com/method.html

1. “The main difference between the art of the actor and all other arts is that every other artist may create whenever he is in the mood of inspiration. But the artist of the stage must be the master of his own inspiration and must know how to call it forth when it is announced on the posters of the theatre. This is the chief secret of our art.” - Stanislavsky 

What is the Meisner Method of Acting? - Website

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-meisner-method-of-acting.htm

1. Acting should be based on how well you know yourself, and how well you know your character.
2. Stella Adler's imagination on acting - grasped his attention as well - went against this theory
3. Meisner believes in repetitive warmups as practice
4. Unclear motives are key in order for actors to get used to the feeling of disorientation on stage, so that they are not themselves.

Stella Adler - Imagination In Acting
http://www.acting-school-stop.com/stella-adler.html

1. Acting is 'doing' - actually believe in what you are acting upon, as it is your character who is actually doing it.
2. In order to get the idea and story of what the play is trying to get across to the audience, you must study the "social situations" of the play.
3. You need to have a presence on stage - whether you are born with it or you act well enough to create it.
4. In order to create a more imaginative mind, actors need to look for the specific details in the things that they perceive around them.

Stella Adler - Core Beliefs

http://www.stellaadler.com/about/core-beliefs/

1. Adler believes in a 'script in life' and that human growth as well as the growth as an actor is cohesively tied in with each other.
2. Adler believes that scripts have lives of their own, once the actor has accepted their character.
3. Actor's shouldn't isolate themselves from their bodies

Movies and Method Acting - Actors

http://headtheatre.blogspot.kr/2009/07/method-acting.html

1. Lee Strasberg would try to re-crete the term 'emotion' into something of his own
2. Strasberg studied Stanislavski's work and applied his energy towards trying to figure out how actors could use emotion to their advantage on stage
3. Since emotion seems faded sometimes due to time, he would make you remember the surroundings of the emotion (smell, taste, sound etc...)
4. "I have to say that its probably its proven ability to shake up the movie industry and that classic and legendary performances in the past 50 years have 90% been performed by Method actors. "

http://uttaps.wordpress.com/actor-prepares/stanislavskis-method/

• "magic if"
• assuming mentality of character
• the actors are able to personify themselves as an alter person
• Stanislavski would want his actors to 'live' their parts

http://methodacblog.blogspot.kr/2013/10/method-fetishes.html

• People can possibly see method acting as a bad thing rather than good
• possibility that the actors will focus on themselves rather than on the scene itself
• the actors could possibly focus on themselves rather than the good of the play/scene

http://www.methodactingstrasberg.com/history

• In 1931, Lee Strasberg, along with Harold Clurman and Cheryl Crawford, gathered together 28 actors to create what would become the single most influential theatre in the history of the United States: The Group Theatre. Members of the Group Theatre included such notable actors as Stella Adler, her brother Luther Adler, Ruth Nelson, Morris Carnovsky, Robert (Bobby) Lewis and John Garfield; as well as, the future film and theatre director, Elia Kazan and the soon to be noted acting teacher, Sanford (Sandy) Meisner (in fact, Sandy Meisner often joked that he was Lee Strasberg’s oldest professional student). The Group Theatre was based on what was once called a “true” theatre or a “real” theatre or as the Russians say “a theatre family”:

http://www.quora.com/Acting/What-are-the-key-differences-between-the-acting-techniques-of-Lee-Strasberg-Sanford-Meisner-and-Stanislavski

• Strassberg teaches you to use emotional memory and vague intentions that result in actors who get lost in their head. It's out of date. 
• Stanislavski, which was the early work Strassberg and Meisner were based on, proposes the "As If"
• Meisner, the current and fun model of Stanislavski's "Method" uses excercises to build your ability to "Act truthfully under imaginary circumstances.

http://www.beginnersguidetoacting.com/acting-methods.html

• although you use your acting technique to prepare for acting roles, you have to understand what your performing in.
• Lee strasburg would encouraging actors to use their own personal memories to remember past experiences in their own life to summon emotions for a character during a scene.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNBRFSUXR-A

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YznPOPaIjIw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Mh15erOkQE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNBRFSUXR-A

Mr. Black's Writing Workshop Notes

• Soil fixture
• Focused beam of light
• Fernel Fixture
• Softer beam of light
• used for stage/colour washes
• used for blending with other lights/colours
• can cover large areas
• LED Lights
• Shutters allow you shape the beam
• eg: squares
• Gobo - can design the lights
• glass gobos are detailed - 400 dollars a piece (estimated)
• steel gobos are about 20 dollars as they aren't so detailed
• breakup gobos are able to put texture on the stage
• You can make a gobo out of aluminium by-plates
• Iris - circular shutter
• used with a handle/lever
• you can pull down a pool of light
• Gel
• change the colour of the beam coming out
• Lenses have many different degrees
• the smaller the degree, the bigger the colour is going to be which is exiting the fixture
• smaller the fixture, the brighter
• due to intensity and power
• over distance, brightness decreases
• 19 degrees - max brightness at stage-level
• positioning of glass has an effect on the fixture and the beam's dispersion
• Fernel
• stepped fixtrues
• barn-door
• is able to close off the light while letting the light still remain soft
• The deeper the saturation of a gel for a fernel, the more fernels you are going to need in order to get the brightness for that wash of light
• eg: purple wash - you'll need more fixtures in order to see it bright compared to a yellow wash
• Distribution
• direction of which the light enters the stage
• Intensity
• how bright the lights are able to be
• Movement
• timing between queues
• Colour
• colour of the lights
• If you can see the actor, you can 'hear' the actor

Functions

• Visibility of the set
• Selective focus
• Modelling
• Mood

You lose any sense of depth if lighting goes wrong

- eg - brightness of characters up front and a dimmed down background

• Make sure all the elements used actually have an effect on the message of the play