KRISTA D. PRICE

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Day 1:  Analyzing a scene's Beats 

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​1.) Reviewed Final Scene Project Task Sheet & Rubrics (Rubric 1 & Rubric 2)​.  Remember,  you're graded on your KNOWLEDGE and UNDERSTANDING (script / character analysis) as well as THINKING CREATIVELY (how you perform your scene).  Concepts learned and practiced in class are to be applied to YOUR scene - so be sure you participate in class learning so it's easier to apply the concepts to YOUR scene.

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2.) Reviewed the W's of Script Analysis. (see last week's lessons if you missed this instruction)

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3.) Reviewed strong verbs for character intentions.  

• Students were given time to correct any verbs for their scene that were emotions (to feel...), that were passive, (to be...) or that were verbs that stay in a character's head or words only (to think, to wonder, to say, to question, etc.).  

• Remember:  Strong actable verbs are ACTIVE and must show character intention.  (What does my character want to do TO the other character with these words?)

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4.) Reviewed how to "name" a scene's beats in order to see the progression & build of the scene.  

• Guiding Questions for Determining / Naming a Scene's Beats:

  • What's really going on in this "chunk" of action? (between the characters / in the character relationship...you MUST USE THE LINES TO GUIDE YOU)

  • When does that SHIFT and something different begins?  (= beat change)

  • If you had to give a mini-chapter "title" to this chunck of action, what would it be?  ("the ___________") - be sure the title is focused on what's going on in the beat between characters - not just with one character

• Ms. Price taught these concepts live in class, but if you were ABSENT for this interaction, watch Scoring a Scene (Scene Analysis)  (7:15) and respond in your Acting PROCESS Journal in in Google Classroom to the following questions:

Journal Title:  Scoring a Scene

1.) Describe the various functions of BEATS in a scene.  (What are they?  List some descriptions given.)

2.) What types of things (3 were given) should you try to identify in the second reading of a scene?

3.) When you analyze your CHARACTER in a scene, you want to analyze his/her motivations.  Motivations, as described in this video (and also last week's lessons), are best defined as what type of words? "_________ words" (or as Ms. Price described it, "actable verbs")

4.)  Define blocking.

5.)  What should blocking DO?  (Describe what the video shared, but in your own words if you can.)

6.)  What does the video say has the greatest success rate for memorizing lines?

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5.)  Reviewed the named beats that the  class chose for the scene  To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday and observed how the named beats show the BUILD/PROGRESSION of the relationship in the scene.

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6.) Did a guided practice of naming beats in the scene Proof.

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7.) Did an independent practice of marking/naming beats in your own scenes (by marking in their scripts each time something "shifted" in the relationship/action of the scene)....This will be used  to determine their scene's overall blocking pattern/build.

• Partners were encouraged to use the following questions (and the script's LINES) to guide their choices:

  • What's REALLY going on in this "chunk" of action?  (use character's lines as guide)

  • When does that change and something NEW begins? (use character's lines as guide)

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Day 2:  Determining a scene's blocking pattern

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1.)  Discussed what's NEXT in the process of script/scene work:  BLOCKING (a scene's coordinated movement)

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2.)  Reviewed how you must show BUILD in your scene's through the scene's blocking (start with your scene's blocking pattern BEFORE you move to detailed/character blocking).

 

3.)  Learned a method for determining a scene's overall blocking pattern (through a guided rehearsal led by Ms. Price) that physicalized each "beat change" in the scene to show the progression (build) of the scene.  If absent, READ the steps below to understand what you missed...it will be referred to often in class. 

• Determine what you want to be your scene's CLIMAX (so you have a moment to build up to).

• Determine where your characters may be at the opening beat. (Make physical/blocking choices that show the audience a character RELATIONSHIP/situation before any words are spoken in the scene.)

• Determine where your characters may shift to at your first beat change.  (What has shifted in the relationship, and how can you show that shift through blocking?)

• Continue with each beat change and be sure to show build with blocking.  

  • This method will help you determine the overall blocking pattern or "skeleton" of the scene's movement...after which you can "flesh out" the rest of the scene's moments using your character verbs, etc.  

  • If your blocking remains similar/same at each beat change, you have NOT created build in your scene.  (Build is created through blocking.)

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4.) Learned how to correctly mark blocking in your script.

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Day 3:  Playing the ACTION in a scene

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1.) Reviewed yesterday's learning (climax, build, blocking pattern, marking blocking in a script, build through blocking, etc.)

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2.) Discussed opinions on the following questions:

• In what ways can EMOTION create ACTION?

• Can ACTION create EMOTION?

• Learned:

  • In acting, we try to go PAST what a character FEELS (which is ONLY in her/his head) to what they DO with that feeling. Acting is ACTION.

  • When interacting WITH OTHERS on stage, we look at the ACTION of characters' RELATIONSHIPS. (What are they trying to DO to eachother with their words?)  This shows the SUBTEXT and ACTION in the scene.

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3.) Watched a video:  Stanislavski's method of physical actions (If absent be sure to WATCH this entire video.)

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4.)  Completed (with scene partner) the following:​

1. (If not already finished...) Made choices for your scene's opening beat.  Write about your choices on the bottom of  page 6 of your scene booklet.  (What ways can you SHOW the relationship BEFORE speaking lines in the scene?)

2. Choose your scene's climax and complete page 7 in your scene booklet. 

3. Discussed/documented your scene's blocking pattern on page 7 of your scene booklet.

4. (If not already finished...) Worked with your partner to name each beat in your scene.  ("the ___________") and marked your choices vertically for each beat on your script.   (Follow the guidance/directions on page 6 of your scene booklet.)

If absent, be sure to complete each of the above items with your scene partner.​

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5.) Discussed what strong rehearsal does/doesn't LOOK like.

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6.) Had an Independent Rehearsal with scene partner.  (Be sure to determine/write down goal of your rehearsal in your scene booklet also fill out at the end of rehearsal what you accomplished.)

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Day 4:  Showing a scene's build / climax

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1.) Completed an Independent Rehearsal with scene partner.  (Be sure to write down rehearsal goal and what you accomplished in your Scene Booklet.)

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2.) Reminder:  Seniors perform MONDAY!  (We will continue Scene Studies after Seniors leave.)

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