Working with Actors 1
| Code | Completion | Credits | Range | Language Instruction | Semester |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 311WAC1 | ZK | 3 | 2T | English | winter |
Subject guarantor
Name of lecturer(s)
Learning outcomes of the course unit
By the end of the course students will:
-become aware of the principles underlying the art of acting
-use acting principles in scene analysis and portrayal of character in a situation
-understand various tools for working with actors
-become aware of actors' recourses and various training techniques
-gain confidence working with actors using effective tools
Mode of study
Seminar
Prerequisites and co-requisites
-
Course contents
Working with Actors aims to give the students an awareness of the principles underlying the art of acting and practice using them. The students will learn these basic principles through exercises practicing certain principles in isolation and in scene work which combines the principles of acting into the creation of a character in a dramatic situation. The first semester involves the students in the class as primarily actors, engaging fully in exercises for narrative acting, such as the pursuit of a goal, contact of another, employment of a variety of tactics toward achieving a dramatic objective through another. The directing students are paired with actors (either professional actors or acting students) in exercises and scene work.
The work in class is done with a view toward Working with Actors 2, the second semester course which is designed to give the students practice directing actors or acting students in exercises and scenes, similar to the way scenes were worked in the first semester.
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Preliminary Outline:
Session 1 (Oct. 3): Basic Principles of Acting: Goal, Obstacle, Tactics, Expectations. The Other.
Exercises for contacting the Other.
Homework: Read chapters 1-7 in A Practical Handbook for the Actor by Melissa Bruder
Session 2 (Oct. 10): Beginning to Act. Contentless Scenes. Playing the Situation.
Homework: Read the chapter “Good Acting Choices” by Robert Cohen, from Acting One.
Session 3 (Oct. 17): Contentless scenes extended. Applying Improvisation Technique to scenework.
Homework: Create scenario for improvisation for backstory.
Session 4 (Oct. 24): Scene Analysis: breaking a scene into acting beats. Exercise from The Dining Room
Homework: Assigned scene to be broken down into beats: Scene to be announced.
Homework: Read Weston’s chapter on Scene analysis for directors, create scenario
Session 5 (Oct. 31): Preparing to act; scenes distributed; breaking a scene into beats with scene partner.
Homework: Read Weston’s chapter on Result Direction; Memorize scene for next class
Session 6 (Nov.7): Scenework. Apply improvisation technique to memorized scenes
Homework: Create scenario for improvised backstory; character analysis
Session 7 (Nov. 14): Directing the character rather than the actor. Mark Travis Technique
Homework: Read Mark Travis’ chapter on Rehearsal
Session 8 (Nov. 21): Scenework. New scenes assigned. In-class scene breakdown. Travis technique applied. Improvisation technique applied. Meisner technique introduced.
Homework: Read Meisner “The Knock on the Door” chapter from Meisner On Acting
Session 9 (Nov. 28): Scene work continued. Travis technique applied, Improvisation technique applied.
Meisner technique applied.
Session 10 (Dec. 5): Directing intimate scenes; trust exercises; scene from Fort Bliss
Homework: Selected chapter from Acting for the Camera by Tony Barr
Session 11 (Dec. 12): Review. “Francis Ford Coppola on Rehearsing”
Session 12 (Dec. 19): In-class exam on acting principles, scene breakdown into beats, rehearsal techniques
Recommended or required reading
COHEN, Robert. Acting one. Fifth edition. Boston: McGraw Hill, [2008] ©2008. 250 s. ISBN 978-0-07-328854-3.
WESTON, Judith. Directing actors : creating memorable performances for film and tv. Hollywood: Michael Wiese Production, 1996. 314 s. ISBN 978-0-941188-24-1.
DEKOVEN, Lenore.Changing direction : a practical approach to directing actors in film and theatre. Amsterdam; Boston: Focal Press, c2006. XVII, 193 s.
BRUDER, Melissa. A practical handbook for the actor. New York: Vintage Books, 1986. xiv, 94 s. ISBN 978-0-394-74412-4.
TRAVIS, Mark W. Directing feature films : the creative collaboration between directors, writers, and actors. 2. ed. Studio City, CA: Michael Wiese Production, 2002. 402 s. ISBN 0-941188-43-4.
Assessment methods and criteria
The minimum attendance for passing the class is 70%. Students will be evaluated on their activity and in-class colloquial exam on acting principles, scene breakdown and rehearsal techniques.
The grade will be calculated as follows:
Attendance - 30%
Activity and participation - 30%
Colloquial exam - 40%
Note
No notes.
Schedule for winter semester 2020/2021:
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06:00–08:0008:00–10:0010:00–12:0012:00–14:0014:00–16:0016:00–18:0018:00–20:0020:00–22:0022:00–24:00
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| Date | Day | Time | Tutor | Location | Notes | No. of paralel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu | 18:10–19:45 | Mary Carmel ANGIOLILLO | Room No. 2 Lažanský palác |
on-campus | parallel1 |
Schedule for summer semester 2020/2021:
The schedule has not yet been prepared
The subject is a part of the following study plans
- Cinema and Digital Media - Directing_1920 (required subject with the possibility of repeat registration)
- Cinema and Digital Media - Directing 2020 (required subject with the possibility of repeat registration)