Working with Actors 2

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Subject guarantor

Jan POTMĚŠIL

Name of lecturer(s)

Jan POTMĚŠIL

Learning outcomes of the course unit

The aim of the instruction is to combine theory basics and practical exercises to achieve maximal awareness of the potential manners of directing actors.

Mode of study

Lectures, concept presentations, presentation of personal experience, discussion, recorded material analysis, discussion, assessment

Prerequisites and co-requisites

Účast na semináři, aktivní při zkoušení etud a příprava 2-3 stránkové etudy, dle konkrétního zadání.

Course contents

The course combines theory and practical exercises in order to achieve a maximum understanding of possible methods of working with actors.The aim of the instruction is to combine theory basics and practical exercises to achieve maximal awareness of the potential manners of directing actors. A modul or block instruction course made up of three parts:

• Theory
• Practical
• Discussion

Theory section:

In the theory section the instructor explains the topic of the module, gives th theory presentation and instructs student-directors in how to use particular technology.

The lecturer, also, presents examples from their own experience or samples from film or theatre.

Practical section:

A single page text about a simple dramatic situation. Students assign roles and one is the director, one the observer and the others act. Under the guidance of the instructor, students rehearse the dramatic situation. The so-called observer has the task that from a distance they follow the whole process and note the director's errors.

After an hour of practice the instructor calls upon the observer to present the analysis.

Afterwards the instructor calls upon the „actors“ to reflect upon what from their instructions from the director was clear, what as possible to „act“ and what wasn't.

Finally the instructor also analyzes the guidance of the actors and suggests other possibilities to the director.

Then another student takes on the role of the director and attempts to direct the same situation and not repeat the errors of his predecessor. The whole process is repreated and the instructor recaps whether there has been any adjustment, if ther ewas an improvement of the approach of the director to the actors.

After this all students have the task to analyse on paper the rehearsed dramatic situation with an emphasis upon whether their analysis would bridge the problems or acting weaknesses which appeared during the rehearsal. After the an analysis of a few storyboards, the best will be shot with a DV camera.

After recording the „actors“ reflect upon the student-director and the problems experienced before the camera.

Discussion section:

The students have the task to read an approved book or a part of it at the end of which there will be a discussion about what in that book spoke to them. Most often it is an article or autobiography of a well-known director and the discussion will be over those parts which involve working with actors.

Block instruction by: Winter semester: J. Novotný, LS A. Nellis

Module in the Winter semester: A LS. Min. 1 day.

Module external instructors: N. Burger, S. Gedeon, B. Sláma, L. Smoček, B. Polívka, D. Bláhová, J. Dulava, I. Passer, R. Lukavský, J. Dušek and others.

Required - participation in 4 modules minimum.

The course combines theory and practical exercises in order to achieve a maximum understanding of possible methods of working with actors.

Recommended or required reading

Selected and determined by instructor.

Assessment methods and criteria

80% účast z celkového počtu hodin, aktivní při zkoušení etud a příprava 2-3 stránkové etudy, dle konkrétního zadání.

Note

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Schedule for winter semester 2018/2019:

The schedule has not yet been prepared

Schedule for summer semester 2018/2019:

• Week view
• List

The subject is a part of the following study plans

• Film Directing_Bachelor-1718 (required subject)