20 November 2014

IN RECENT
NEWS...

My Strengths
Committing
During Innes monologue
workshop day this week, we did
some Commedia Del 'Arte and I
thought that I really committed
to every exercise and the
characters. Also during the
director workshop this week as
Patsy I committed fully to
becoming her.
Working With Actors

I have felt thought the

newspaper project process that
I haven't connected with my
group of actors and this week I
felt that I did, when I spoke to
Jamie separately because he
was having problems. Also I
feel as a company I'm gaining
more respect, but not from
Erol!

Taking Risks
This week I had my fake audition,
but I treated it like a real audition
and I wanted to go in with the
monologue I felt more confident
on but also I wanted to hear
feedback on this monologue I'm
excited about to see if it works. I
felt I took a risk going with the
monologue that I haven't worked.

17/11/14

Newspaper Project:
We were working with Carleigh and Gavin this morning and I
just wanted to see what they wanted to do with our piece
because I wasn't sure where they were coming from. Gavin
gave them a note on the first enuthsanisa lift which I was with
and against, I just wanted them to say it naturally and just tell
the audience with no emphasis or expression just say the lines,
simply however he said it felt force. They continued to cut the
piece and. Excuse the actors energy was low, even though when
I was in there this morning they were all high energised it just
sunk. Gavin cut most of the piece for the good and I agree
with the cuts but I feel the actors felt disheartened and it
could have worked if they brought it. I feel annoyed for them
because the only feel possession of the piece they have now is
the game show and slow motion.
We have now more of a structure and I like that we are going
to be cut in and out through the pieces so our in not just a
solid story and more episodic. I wanted to use the imagery of
the TV because I still don't feel like we know it is a TV
channel. After we rehearsed and made the cuts with Gav and
Carleigh we went to the black room and feeling their defeat I
wanted them to still be happy and proud of the piece. I got a
Ewan McGregor advert up and got them to listen to it then we
did a brief exercise where one actor chose something they
were passion about and had to get everyone on their side. The
other half of the actors went to the other side of the room and
if they felt convinced they would talk towards them, I felt
Morgan wasn't getting the exercise and I'm not sure his
getting or is being involved with the piece. After doing this
exercise a few times we went into convince them something
you hate and then two people with right or won't in
euthanasia, Denise did really well during this exercise.
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20 November 2014

My Weaknesses

Absence
During this week I started to
loose determination and I
hadn't been in, I need to
find a way to inspire myself
and bring my energy up
and attitude.

Communicating
This week Erol made
comments during rehearsals
with the first years and
even though I rose above it,
I should have spoken to
him about professionalism
however I think that I'm
still his level and I don't
want to be treated like it
but I don't want to make it
an issue. We need to start
communicating more but
the way Erol is towards me
is just not needed and nasty.

More driven
I feel my drive has started
to fade and I like this drive
to want to do good, but
honestly I don't know what
I'm doing because there is
so much on at the moment.
I need to concentrate on
one thing at a time and
make it as good as I can.

I then got them to give all their focus on one another as they
said their line and they would have to say if it was convincing
or not and give them notes to improve until we all agreed it
and then all the actors took on each other notes and
identified for themselves what sounds good and not.
We then worked the slow motion and physical after lunch and
we did an exercise to get them energised where they walked
the space and let the music aect them and put on a character
we then went into a workshop of feeling the music and then
started the slow motion. From there we just gave them
direction during the slow motion to try, they all agreed they
liked the music and thought it helped and then we left them
to create a new scene in slow motion the second go after a few
notes to improve the first one was a lot better and had a lot of
dierent characters inside it, it works a lot better and they all
have a role inside it; slow motion looks great when they are
committed and tense. We have looked at a transition into the
physical but there needs to be a break. Excuse having the
dance straight after I don't think is working and the break out
of it isn't working, the dance also feels undertake energised
but I don't know whether that's because I know the steps
coming next.
All together a bad start but picked up well, I feel like there is
less to focus on now and there is a lot more we can do,
Carleigh said to take a risk and I feel I have with just letting
the actors have the freedom to create, I want it to be their
piece, not mine I. Just helping them in the right direction.

18/11/14
Newspaper Project:

20 November 2014

We went over the final section that we did yesterday and got Carleigh's
thought on it, she said more dynamic in the slow motion and more
tension; I get what she means there's not much at stake and the first is
so dramatic but no build up. I think it looks really aective in slow
motion however I think some dynamic will make it look great. We
tried dierent ideas as Carleigh said its now time to put our stamp on
it as directors as well, but I want them to own the piece and I am still
discovering my stamp so I'm not sure what I'd do to make it mine. We
then continued to the call this line advert which we have changed the
music to the Austin powers theme song which they liked and I do
think it goes more, we tried it several ways to have a bit of play and fun
with it. We watched a few clips of helpline adverts to get the gist of
how natural it is and to heighten it and mock them. It's a lot better and
more alive, I told them this is coming straight up after the big opening
so they need to match the energy of the whole company in their little
company and continue that energy to drive the show; sometimes they
brought it and some they didn't.

We were running out of time and with how long it takes them to move
to another place without talking, plus Erol snide comments in front of
the actors which I may add was completely unprofessional we
continued. We looked at the game show and I got some theme tune
music from 'finders keepers' to go nicely with it we looked at 8/10 cats
clips of entrances and I said to Morgan
you mess around so much that you have
an opportunity to play with the
audience and you don't take it. I said
come out to the audience say women
with the big jugs or something that's
comical but not oensive, which I don't
know if Morgan knows the line yet.
There needs to be more bodies and
voice to vamp up and amp up the
volume and responses inside the show, it feels passive at the moment
and there needs to be something else that brings the scene to life.
Finally we looked at the serious advert and this piano music I found
suited the setting and ended nicely and most of the actors sounded
sincere about what they were saying which suggested to me they learnt
something from the workshop yesterday. I'm really proud of the piece
and think it is a completely dierent piece but a better one. I want to
put my stamp on it but also give the actors possession on it, however I
want to work sections like the fight and stage combat as well at doing a
rewind section in slow motion and then fast again; but I want to work
on that with Carleigh.

Company Strengths

Support
It's safe to say that during the
auditions this week we were all
nervous but we supported one
another and we were helping one
another through it and I think that
is something that has improved.

Company Site
It's better that we are also
now communicating
through the blog site and
we are getting our feelings
out and getting thoughts in
black and white so we can
move on but document
what is going on.

Excitement
This week we had a visitor
this week called Alan and
he told us about a method
acting experience we will be
taking part in. We all seem
really up for it and
interested in this subject
and I think it will be a great
shared experience we all
take part in.

20 November 2014

Company Weaknesses

Absence
Charley and Sam have been
o a lot recently and I'll
admit so have I but this is a
weakness that the company
suer from. We need to be
passionate about the same
thing to want to be in all
the time not only on days
where we are doing what we
want.

Research
An atmosphere was out in the
room during the directors
workshop most of the actors
didn't research or know anything
about their director. It came to
the point at the end where
Carleigh said some of you have
failed this part of the unit, it
wasn't individual either we were
in groups to help so I don't
understand why some of the
company didn't bother.

Preparation
I feel that generally as a
company we are not good at
preparation, this week the
monologue session or the
directors workshop and I feel
this is something we need to
improve on.

Directors Workshop:
Tonight Carleigh I'm going to be Patsy Rosenburg, if felt like stars in
their eyes, I went the full wack with wig and makeup trying to really
embody Patsy. I did start to panic because I knew a lot about her
techniques and what she does but not specific examples of shows that
she has put out. We started o with embodying the character form
feet upwards and then we went around and said hello to everyone. I
felt for me it was a little slow to start o with because I felt like I had
a clear image but it kept fading in and out so it was hard to keep it
consistent. We then did this timeline of theatre in history, I wanted to
play the truth of Patsy but was hard as she has a lot more knowledge
than me so naturally she would have answers and back them up with a
fact but I don't have this, although I felt I learnt something.
Next we went round in our groups as Carleigh asked us what we do
and a little bit about ourselves, I wanted to get all I knew out on the
floor I said about breathe and voice from what Amber told me and
the notes were really helpful the. I explained first circle. When Amber
said she is passionate she gets up and walks around and in her
YouTube video of the second circle I imitated a little bit of that so I
could really feel her. When the other Patsy's of the group spoke I
added onto what they said because I felt it needed to be explained
more, as I sent them the notes Amber gave me as well we all had
similar information. Some ways Harriet said things confused the other
actors and I know what she meant but she didn't word it right and
then it was hard to recover when the other actors in the space were
not being as forgiving.
This really annoyed me and ruined the experience for me, I felt I
fluttered in and out of having fun because not all of the actors were in
it and some were corsping and clearly hadn't done the research which
brought an atmosphere into the room. When I heard outside the
space, 'this is bullshit' or 'I don't want to do it' I think don't if your
going to ruin it for the rest of us! I felt I made connections to other
directors in the room as well like Sam and Erols director with voice
and same with Lewis and Connors. I could get some of the
connections but I felt we all started asking each other questions and
there came a point where I felt it was the actors trying to get one over
on us instead of the directors being interested. I thought Daniella was
great, I'm a big fan and I think that she tried her hardest and I really
felt like I was looking at a dierent person and she persisted with the
accent as well which was overall outstanding commitment.
I enjoyed this task and felt I learnt a lot more than just researching

20 November 2014

and it was more fun but only if everyone was in it and on the same page sometimes I feel like I'm not
the one liked because I want to do the work whilst others actors try to distract and some are taken in
by it like Harriet but I am just straight which makes me seem moody which some people take the piss
at but I just want to do well and be inside what I am doing and learn from my experiences. Would
have been a nicer shared experience if everyone was in it and had at least done some research towards
their chosen director. I felt I embodied patsy and at one point I didn't feel like me anymore I felt she
knew what she was saying next with her passion leading it and i took a step back and just listened. I
felt I stayed in character for the most part of the time, there were a few times when others weren't
focused as well which out me o however I felt that I persistence and showed a great commitment to
my performance and character.

19/11/14
Mental Illness Talk:
Gavin friend, Alan I think came in in the morning and spoke about the mental illness method acting
we are going to take part in. We spoke about mental illness for a long time and then we had some
questions and spoke about what is going to be asked of us and I'm really looking forward to it. This
subject is something I'm very interested in and I'm looking forward to diving in and exploring more
about this subject and then getting into character and being in that throughout the whole session.

Innes Workshop:
We started o with some Commedia Del 'Arte work which I was really excited about, it was only
leading with dierent parts of the body so I tried to embody characters and I felt I took a risk with
levels and well as constantly exploring, playing and changing it up. I liked leading with the knees
because it really builds a certain character for me and I felt this was the easiest to explore with, the
elbows were the hardest to experiment with and the most challenging. We then started to make
picture snap shots of certain images and characters like firemen or rabbits. I really enjoy these
exercises that bring us together as a company more and it's a great opportunity to laugh and smile. We
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20 November 2014

then did a sound scape exercise where we were all sitting on the floor with eyes shut creating noises
that we related to what Innes said. It was a nice task to work as a company and also challenged
yourself individually vocally.
I found that some noises
were easier to create and
work with to create this
image as a company and I
could picture the place in
my head which made it
more vivid for me. There
were noises I found that I
tried to make that I couldn't
and weren't truthful to the
object, like opening a plastic
bag at the super market. I
really enjoyed exploring
voice because this is
something I haven't done in a while and I liked building these images as a company.

Audition:
I don't know why I was so nervous but I was really worried and I wanted to bring everything I have
learnt in that year and bring that to the floor so that it showed in an audition situation. I went in and
it was so odd knowing two of the people on the panel of three and explaining me to them as well as
what I've been doing. I really didn't want to come o arrogant as that's a note I got last year from my
company, in this situation. I went in and when they asked about me I went blank and couldn't think
what to say, I didn't know whether they wanted to know about my training or what are my hobbies
because it wasn't specific and I didn't want to ask questions.
I went onto my monologue which I felt I limited myself, I felt I should have stretched the boundaries
with my physicality, I felt too stationary, which I felt I went into a first circle mode because half the
panel were writing notes and I felt that out me o. I shouldn't have focused on them and took more of
a risk with the monologue. When I got re-directed I wanted to be creative and run in from the door
of the room however Innes demanded I go from the corner so this stumped my creativity and I felt
like I had done something wrong, when there is no right or wrong. I felt that I took on the note,
didn't think about it and just went with my interpretation of it and I felt it went well. I don't know
the line between answering the question and rambling which I need to understand for audition
technique. I felt I answered the questions with my opinion, I tried not to erm and um so much like
patsy and just pause but I didn't remain eye contact when thinking but when I was talking to them i
included all of them. I felt like an actor when answering the questions but I still feel I was trying to
say the right things to make it sound like I know what I was talking about, when I should because it's
my opinion. I felt the panel were quite cold and were in first circle and as a person I bounce o
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20 November 2014

people's energy so I found it hard when they were smiling and joking with me as well. The panel were
worst case scenario.

Action Plan:
- be present on the floor
Talk to each other more
- Find something that's inspires
me
- Fill out your research
- Prepare more, be aware