Monday, July 23, 2012

Make A Decision

The Lakewood Drama Team has been created to produce dramatic presentations that reach the lost, edify believers and effectively communicate the full Gospel of JESUS CHRIST with artistic excellence and spiritual integrity. Each week the team meets to hone their acting skills through participation in a few warm-up exercises, a "lesson", and a more concentrated exercise. The warm-up exercises were "mirror drill" and "park bench". Jesse moved on to discuss the 6 stages of production and ended the session focused on making choices in a scene.


Mirror Drill is an activity that requires concentration and cooperation. Two people face each other, and one takes the lead in making slow movements. The other person tries to copy that person's actions as if he were a mirror. This means paying attention to and anticipating the other person's actions while trying to move in perfect sync with the partner. It also means that the person leading the mirror must choose motions that can be mirrored. For example, jumping is almost impossible to mirror, because it's unexpected. The leader should keep the movements wide and slow. After a few minutes, the two people should switch roles. This activity helps actors learn to be in tune with each other. They must carefully anticipate the other person's actions. They also must see how their actions can be picked up and repeated by others. The exercise also develops focus and concentration. Jesse Adams remarked that he enjoys watching the "natural choices" that each participant makes.

In Park Bench one person decides the character for both participants. The other participant has to react to this while trying to determine their character.  The person on the bench has no character until the second participant enters. The second participant has decided who he or she is, and who the person sitting on the park bench is. For example, the person entering could decide, "The person on the bench is a famous singer, and I am a great fan of their work." In this situation, the actor would recognize the person on the bench, react to seeing their favorite singer in person, ask for an autograph, and tell the author about which songs she likes best. The actor on the bench, meanwhile, has to adapt to the situation, developing their character bit by bit. The improvisation ends when one actor exits, hopefully after everyone figures out who they are. The "park" was visited by Michael Jordan, Beyonce, and a host of other celebrities.

After these activities, in the spirit of the upcoming movie project, The Call, Jesse discussed the 6 stages of Production

1. Development

All you have is an idea and you need resources.

2. Preproduction

Preparations are made for the shoot, in which cast and film crew are hired, locations are selected, and sets are built. The Development stage, in which the ideas for the film are created, rights to books/plays are bought, etc., and the screenplay is written, occurs before Pre-production.

3. Production

The raw elements for the finished film are recorded. This is the easiest part.

4. Post-production

The film is edited; production sound (dialogue) is concurrently (but separately) edited, music tracks (and songs) are composed, performed and recorded, if a film is sought to have a score; sound effects are designed and recorded; and any other computer-graphic 'visual' effects are digitally added, all sound elements are mixed into "stems" then the stems are mixed then married to picture and the film is fully completed ("locked").

5. Distribution

Delivery of the product. Know why it's being made. Create a marketable product.

6. Exhibition

Consumption of the product.

We ended the session with an activity based on making choices. Oftentimes actors receive a script and forget about all the elements that impact why we say the things that we say the way that we say them. For example, if your line is "everyone wants to be me" and you don't decide the "5 Ws" then your character will have very little depth. Are you jealous? Are you drunk? Are you at home? Are you at work? These types of questions can help you build a character. This especially helps if you are an extra; it can help you stand out!

Well this has been your backstage pass! Be sure to check out the Lakewood Player's Facebook page to get connected!

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