THE GIRLS SCENE [ JEANIE,DIONNE&CRISSY] - CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT
In the video above you can tell this is one of the first times we were going through our scene. This video doesn't represent us well as actors that have been training in this UAL course for two years. What is different about this scene is that it is much shorter compared to how we have adjusted it now to this present day because we literally followed the script word for word. The scene looked quite boring to watch to be honest. There was no effective blocking or any authenticity within any of the girls characters, we also weren't picking up lines quick enough so the scene was not consistent. We didn't have much confidence and weren't making big enough acting choices that would further develop the scene - at the time we did improvise a small acting choice where 'Chrissy' and 'Dionne' simultaneously looked at each other in disbelief to how their friend 'Jeanie' was acting. However we lacked emotional connection between our characters, so their was no real change in the tone of our voices which means we didn't consider a change of thought process.
In this second video you can see evidence of progression within the scenes dynamics and character development. We began to explore the scene more and understand how our individual characters acted alone and as a group. In my opinion I liked how we created the idea of a closer relationship between 'Chrissy' (Felicia) and 'Dionne' (myself). It's more entertaining because the audience becomes more engaged and involved in the scene as it progresses and we begin to understand the formation of the group. Chrissy and Dionne mock Jeanie's obsession with Claude but coming to the end of the scene when Claude ignores Jeanie we see the other two girls do genuinely care about Jeanie's feelings. We still needed to pick up cues faster so the scene doesn't stop and the audience won't be taken out of the believe that the scene is real and the friendship is real. I feel like I'm still anticipating my lines which is why the scene doesn't feel authentic and flow as it should. How I plan to approach this problem is to stay engaged with who I am talking to because I already know my lines I should only be concerned about my characters motives - what are my characteristics and how do I respond. I need to absorb what is being directed to me so I can immediately respond and that should demonstrate my thought process to the audience. Also we have made strong acting choices which is more comical and different to the choices I've made in previous units, which were more serious and natural. The scene has potential we just need to exaggerate our movement much more, I think at times we look stiff and uncomfortable because unknowingly we are playing it safe because the context of the production is new to us, this type of acting is a bit more challenging to us. For example when Dionne and Crissy creep up behind Jeanie miming her, we could be more aware of our proxemics and not be so close to each other or the blocking looks a bit clumped. In addition we should look at how much we use our bodies, if we are creeping we need to emphasis the delicacy of that and implement the excitement and rush of the fear of being seen by Jeanie and for that we need to use our whole body.
The rehearsal video above is a week until our final show and I feel like I have made a lot of progress with my 'Dionne' character. I'm feeling more comfortable and taking more risks, my blocking is more effective and I am making person acting choices. One thing I would like to improve is timing when I pick up 'Crissy' I feel like it would be more effective it I paused in my struggle to carry her and then drop her once I've been caught, I think I dropped her too fast and it appeared rushed. I am very confident with this scene and still feel like it can be improved and the energy can be heightened even more. We did some problem solving in this rehearsal as we discussed where our gas masks props would be placed on stage and how would we get them because we can't come off stage.We decided that when we come on stage at the start of the show to do the protest scene we would bring on the props and place them on stage and then after the number "Dead End" and the following explosion we will pick it up and perform the song "air" and then do our scene. However this could change in the dress rehearsal.
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