Unit 5/6/7
Immigration
On Thursday 10th we were in K034 but Rob wasn't in today so we had a cover teacher and cover lesson. To begin with we done a warm up which was that we played a game of splat with a member of the class starting it of which was Alton so it can start us off with what was going to come up in the lesson, we were then given our task which was using what we done in unit four create a small performance based around why immigrates would try and get away from the country there from then perform it in front of the class.
So in my group it was myself Mya, Shevell and Kaliyah and we had to come up with an idea so we based our one on fleeing the country as there was a war going on. To begin with we decided to do a split scene involving me and Mya with Shevell and Kaliyah by doing this we began with myself and Mya doing our little scene which was that Mya was my mother and I was her daughter, so she was telling me that we have to leave the country straight away as there was a serious war taking place as I was the child I didn't want to go because I liked where I was living but at the end I still made the decision to flee the country with my mum. On the other side Shevell and Kaliyah done the same thing as us but at the end we came together because were all in this as a whole which was the end go our performance.
On Friday we also had a cover teacher as Rob wasn't fit enough to take on our lesson so Rebecca took charge of our lesson. First we had a lesson with Rebecca which was based around us doing our blog as it was the only time in collage or in that lesson that we had time to do other than that we can do it at home in our own time. As I mentioned before Rebecca covered our acting class lesson, based around immigration so what we done to begin with was we watched a clip set in an airport which was about a man that just arrived in the UK from his country and was racially abused for his skin colour from one of the staff working there. Then we moved on to our main task that Rebecca gave to us which was to go on our phones and find an updated story of someone being an immigrate or getting deported from this country so we can share our stories that we find to the class.
On Monday we finally had our actual drama teacher called Sheena so to begin with we were all asked to sit on the floor and discussed what immigration means to us and wrote it down on a big piece of paper that was given to us by Sheena. After Sheena told us to tell the class where wee from and how our grandparents came to this country or even how our parents came to this country, but we all had different stories to tell which was fascinating to hear.
The second part of the day we had a lesson with Rebecca about project development so we began the lesson by discussing how were going to make out model design for our performer as a group so we know the template of it and have a roof idea of how its going to look like once its made. After that we had our second acting class of the day in 222 with Sheena so in the lesson she told us that we were going to do something more physical as we were just sitting down and talking in the first lesson so to do this all we done was played some games but the first games we played was splat which was about your concentration and focus making sure your paying close attention if you get splat.
The next game we played was a clicking game somewhat you have to do is pass a click around the room while were doing that miss will be telling us to pass the click in different ways or imagine it being something else e.g. an argument or showing that your excited about something. The final game we played was an improvisation game which was if someone does an action e.g. cooking someone else will come in the circle and say "what you doing" and they will change there action to maybe "I'm singing" and continue it on until no one can think of anymore.
We moved on to our task which was to get back into the groups we were in the first lesson and create a performance based on immigration so in my group it was myself, Kaliyah, Mya, Shevell, Tianna and Jorge and we were talking to miss because we didn't really know what to base our piece on so she can give us some ideas on what to do, we then came up with our idea which was that myself, Mya and Kaliyah were going to be some mean girls on the other hand Shevell and Tianna were going to be the main characters of being the foreign speaking people that just came here from their country leaving us with Jorge and him being the police officer to deal with the situation so that we can perform this to the entire class.
On Tuesday our first lesson was acting so to begin with we done some warm ups to warm up our brains and body ready for our lesson, so the first one was we just played a game which was the clicking game once again which is a very enjoyable game to play before the lesson starts. Next we jumped straight in our lesson which was based around what we done on Monday which was our immigration performance but in our group our main character was missing Shevell so we had Tallulah instead but we had to make a few changes starting with my role so I had to play Shevell part of being judged and bullied by those group of girls.
We were then asked to perform it to the class but the first time it didn't go to plan so we had to perform it once again with me speaking a little French to confuse the audience and that was the end of the lesson. The second part of the day we had a lesson with Mandy but we were doing something completely different. So to begin with we were told to check our RHR(resting heart rate) so we can begin some physical fitness work out to do this we first done was swing from left to right then we had to do some duck swinging left to right, then lift our right leg up kick our left leg forward and run to a spot touch the floor and run back to your original space so we will continue this as many times.
We moved on to the next part of the fitness which was we done some star jumps followed by some skipping then we done some burpees but if you couldn't do it then you would make huge circles with your arms as a different option and continue that until you think your done. When we done all of that we done our WHR (working heart rate) to see if their was a change between the two or a comparison between the two. Mandy told us to get in a square shape ready for our next task which was that she created a rhyme for us and we had to rehearse it bit by bit then put it all together with our fitness routine that we came up with as a class by playing with it and adding our own twist to it which was such a fun experience.
On Thursday we were in K034 with Sheena and to begin with we done some warm up exercises then we sat down with Sheena so she can discuss with us what we were going to do in this lesson. So she asked for two volunteers to come up and take part in the next activity which was based around what we done the lesson before being Persuasiveness against someone else so to begin with Alton and Ahmed, with Alton being the manager in a local shop and Ahmed was someone trying to get a job and the aim was to try and persuade Alton to give him the job my threatening him but he failed and did not receive is prize which was his job.
Another two volunteers were chosen Mya and Tallulah and they done a similar thing to the first group but there one was in a hair salon, so what they have to do is that Tallulah was also a manager giving jobs to people and on the other hand Mya was the one coming to get the job so all she had to do is persuade Tallulah that she is great for the job by using what she has been through in her life and use that as an excuse to get her job which worked because she received her job.
So we continued to do the persuasive activity with the final on which was Nketchi and Irene and their one was for Nketchi to use charm on Irene to get her job to do this she complimented her by saying that her eyebrows look very beautiful and what does she use to do them, how she does them and so on. She then told her she likes her outfit and if she carries on the way she's going then she will definitely get the job as she ended up doing eventually.
On the same day we started to started to talk about Konstantina Stanislavsky who was a theatre practitioner born in 1862 in Russia. We were then asked these questions and told to answer them:
What do you want to do today? I want to go home and sleep.
What do you want to do in this weekend? I want to spend time with my family.
What do you want to do this year? I want t start driving.
What do you want to do in your life? I want to become a teacher and live in France for 5 years.
On Friday we were in 222 and Sheena told us that we were going to do something a little different but new to some people and an old thing for the rest which was we were going to do monologues which is dong a performance on your own. To begin with we all found a space so that we can concentrate on writing our monologues about immigration then read it out to the rest so my one went a little like this:
I had to leave, couldn't stay here anymore 1 child and living in DRC( democratic republic of Congo) I hated it here and when is this war going to end I've had enough.
Something needs to change cause I can't live like this anymore, the abuse, the torture and the embarrassment needs to stop. Waking up to the same hurtful and difficult day what do I do? And where do I go from here.
Family is very close to my heart so how do I do it, should I leave them here, should I bring them with me or should I just die here please give me a response.
Trembling, frightened and worried of what to do next, then I make up my mind and decide to go to London on my own and yes I left my family behind it was for the best.
Moving to London was the right choice, then why do I feel some kin of regret at the bottom of my heart. But life was hard in Congo living with a dad who has 6 wife's and yeah I said 6 wife's who were a pain in the back
Finally I've arrived but where do I go from here!!!
On Monday we were in K034 for our first lesson of the day which was acting and in that lesson we started with some upbeat warm which also involved us listening to some encouraging music as well.
We be by doing some star jumps then moved on to running around the class room to get our heart rates up so we can begin our main tasks, before that we balanced on our right leg then our left leg once we done that we rolled our left and right then round in circle to release any tight cramps. After we moved on to talking about a theatre practitioner named Stanislavsky by talking about his object exercises which were:
- WHO AM I ?
- WERE AM I ?
- WHERE IS IT ?
- WHAT DO I WANT ?
- WHY DO I WANT ?
- HOW WILL I GET IT ?
- WHAT MUST I OVERCOME ?
We had to use these a guide line to make a mime performance also using these 4 starting points to create a mime performance individually which were:
Cooking your favourite at home.
Cooking for annoying kids (babysitter).
Cooking for a partner or lover that has cheated on you.
Cooking with Gordon Ramsey
In the second acting class lesson we continued with what we done in our first class which were the mime techniques, in using the 4 scenario's given to us in the first lesson by imagined we are actually in our kitchen and make it seem realistic to the audience so they know what is actually going on in that exact performance but we had to perform in small groups by showing it over and over again to see weather you improved or done it the same both times.
Sheena told us we had to move on to something else which was that she asked us all to think of a time when something dramatic happened to you when you were around 9 or 10 and we had to write down the answer so my one's were:
What-I broke my leg
Where-In my primary in Chingford
Who-Myself
When-When I was in year 4 around summer times
Why-because I was being silly and playing with the year below
Weather-Sunny
Feelings-I was in pain and couldn't feel my leg
Outfit-School uniform
On Tuesday we continued with what we done yesterday but before that we done a few warm ups, the first was that we had to breath in for 4 and breath out for 6 as we carried on with the activity Sheena would change the number we breath out on. When we done that part we done the exact same thing which was we still breathed in for 4 and breathed out for 6 but when we breathed out for six we will say "hello how are you" as much as you can until you get out of breath. We done that warm up then we done a tongue twister which was "red lorry yellow lorry" and gong around the circle we all had to say the tongue twister.
After we moved on to our main task which was that we all had our own dramatic story to tell so in pairs we were asked to perform each others story like me I was paired with Kamila and her story was about how her birthday cake melted and my story was how I broke my ankle and we both had to switch stories and perform it in front of the class.
On the same day we had a lesson with Mandy which was a little different so we began by being given a story and we had to recreate it like in my group it was myself Shevell, Mya and Kaliyah we were given a Cinderella story so we done our one by me being Cinderella, Mya being the fairy godmother with Kaliyah and Shevell being the evil step sisters and we had to perform tour story to the rest of the class. We moved on to something more fun which was to create our own story which I liked as we can all put our brains together by using our imagination as a collective and our story was about:
Then we had to perform it to the entire class as we were going to receive feedback.
On the same week we were still focusing on immigration but the research part as we were all told what we were going to do with it, which is that the is someone in our class named Shabir and Sheena decided that we were going to turn his story into a performance that we are all going to perform to an audience. So what we done was we were all split into groups so we can do our research but in my group it was myself Mya and Kaliyah and we had to research the daily life of a child in Afghanistan then we had to feedback to miss.
Then we were in the next week and it was Monday, on that day we had acting class in K034 with Sheena and what we done was we had a discussion on what everyone found out and gathered on Friday but we were all given completely different things to research as we were put in groups so it can make our task easier to complete.
On the same day we had a lesson with Rebecca and it was the day we were going to plan our model for our performer but in 2D version, which meant we had to as a group draw how we would want our model to look like. This is our first plan we done for our model design.
And this is what we produced as our 2D model, which is how our 3D model will look like.
On Tuesday we were in 222 with Sheena and we were doing some recap in what we have done so far in case someone forgot what we've done from the beginning of Sheena's arrival which was:
Then we were discussing what we all found out on Friday so in one of the groups it was Alton, Joey and Ahmed and they had to talk about the Taliban and they found out:
Then in my group it was myself Mya and Kaliyah we had to find out about the culture in Afghanistan we found out:
We then moved on to talking about acting skills in Stanislavsky by making notes about it on a board which says:
So we were still talking about Stanislavsky but about one of his skills called the magic if:
We were then given a simple meaning of objective which says:
Then we moved on to our main exercise which was we were all put into groups and we had to create a short performance based around Shabbir's story so in my group it was myself Mya, Shevell and Kaliyah and we were told that we had to imagine that we were all in a container in a ship but e all came from all around Africa and we were being shipped to France, we didn't really know each other so we introduced ourselves by saying our name age and what part of Africa we come from but unfortunately we didn't get to perform our but another group got to.
We then had a lesson with Mandy so we began with in groups writing down on a paper what skills we have as actors and actress. Then we moved on to our main task which we actually done last week which was we all created our own stories about today we had to perform it in 1 minute then in 10 second and that was the end of our lesson.
On the same week we were in 222 and we were discussing what we were going to do for our end of unit performance and the reason is because our performance was meant to be based around Shabir but as he doesn't attend the acting lessons Sheena decided that we were still going to based around Immigration but we were going to do a script performance.
To do this Sheena chose people to play the characters so we went around the room and read the script and changed the characters each time.
On Monday we were in K034 with Sheena and we were continuing to go through the script by all of us going in a circle and reading out the script then we were talking about the jungle which is a place were immigrates go to feel like themselves again.
In our second lesson we were with Rebecca starting to make our model design for our performer in our assigned groups. To begin with we were given a box and we had to fill in the inside with black paper and cut it in the shape we wee told to by Rebecca.
In our final acting class we were assigned our groups in which we were going to perform in which was myself Kaliyah, Alton, Carla, Mya and Renée and in these groups we all had to read the script in the characters we were given which is:
Elie-Miriam
Alton-Jemal
Kaliyah-Asha
Mya-Fatima
Renee-Agent
Carla-Ahmed
On Tuesday we were in 22 with Sheena and we first started with a game of splat which meant we had to use our concentration in case you get splat and your out. Then we played another game which was that going around the room and each of us had to say 1-20 with out someone saying a number together then we would have to start again.
Sheena told us then to sit in a circle so that she can give us our scripts then she gave us some sheets that we had to fill in which would be based around our character so we had to try and use what we know so far about our character to create a character profile.
In our final lesson we had Mandy and to begin with we done our usual warm up at the start of the lesson then in groups we had to discuss stereotypes that we hear in acting then we had to feedback as a class but to do this Mandy told us if you know one you put one hand up and if you don't you put to hands up.
On Thursday we had a more relaxing lesson as we were all told to lie down on the floor by also listening to some calm and soothing music to release stress and any other tense felling. So we began by just closing our eyes and imagining something happy or exciting that has happened to us in our life, to follow on from that we done a few stretches which was to move our head from left to right then forward and back. To continue with that Sheena told us to slowly get up but we had to end up on our knees then get up.
In that same lesson we moved on to our main task which was that Sheena told us as we all got given our characters and we had to get into role and use what we know so far about our character and think of a time when something dramatic happened to you, but the way we had to do it was in a hot seat by someone sitting down on the hot sit and the rest of the class asking them questions based on what they know of the persons character.
Then I was chosen to sit in the hot seat becoming my character Miriam and being asked questions I had to answer them in my character.
So we returned from our half term break and we jumped straight into what we started before the break which was our immigration performance, to do this we had to get back into our groups we were assigned before the break and in my group there was:
Myself-Miriam
Kaliyah-Asha
Alton-Jemal
Mya-Fatima
Tallulah-Ahmed
But before we had Renee who played the agent, Sheena decided to change the groups around and created to groups and we had a certain amount of pages to remember in are group we had pages 1-15.
The first thing we done was in our groups we went through the lines from start to finish with some assistance from Sheena in our characters using accents as were all from different places. As we have to do a accent it isn't really in my comfort zone but as it is part of our performance but its a challenge so it has to be done.
On Thursday we had a double lesson one in the morning and one later during the day. In our first lesson we continued with our play called the container by getting into our groups and just going through the script in our roles. Then as we were reading the script Sheena told us that we were going to do scene one and scene three as the group that are meant to do it don't turn up everyday.
In our second lesson we had a movement class with Sheena but it was again a little out of my comfort zone as we were doing dancing and I don't like dancing as I feel a little awkward but i tried. Then we watched some clips on the curious dog incident as they use a lot of facial expression and body language in their performances. Also we watched another video on what we were going to do next lesson about two people creating a performance using body language which was interesting to watch other people do that then know were going to do the same as well.
In Friday's lesson we were in 222 with Sheena and we were continuing to go through the script but instead of reading it in our groups, we had to read it independently and annotating our scripts which involved us putting each part in sections e.g. I named the first section "fear of police" from when Fatima says "what happened have we stopped? to when the narrator "The door opened.
The sudden light dazzling. They all melt back in their hiding. After this a new section will take place. Also on Friday as a class we went through all the lines and put a word next to it or in another way the way you think your character would sound using a psychological activity or you could come up with it on your own.
We arrived at the beginning of a new week and we had our first lesson of the day acting, class in K034 with Sheena. In this lesson Sheena reminds us that if we don't finish annotating our script we must complete it or we ask for assistance and in some case that you don't know where or how to begin annotating. Then once we finished, as a group we read the script while trying to do an accent.
Then we had another acting class which was our final lesson, in that lesson we had to continue to label our lines using the psychological activities in using this sheet it would mean were not just reading the script but were reading it using emotion or in a way that makes you feel like your in the character were playing's' shoes, as some of my group members were struggling Miss asked me to help them as I was ahead of the work which I was willing to lend a helping hand.
It was Tuesday an we were in 222 with Sheena but there was a delay in starting the lesson as most of the class were turning up 15-30 minutes late so Sheena just started the lesson without them. In the lesson we watched a video about fixed and growth mindset so we can find out which one would be us or if we say both fixed or growth, then Sheena asked each one of us to say which one we are.
Then we moved on to our main task which was to complete annotating our scripts using the sheet we were handed the by Sheena e.g. "I don't know the name. The north of Italy. Very north." This is one of my lines and next to it I wrote confused because when I'm saying it I might have one eye closed because I don't exactly know if I'm correct.
We were in 222 with Sheena and as usual there were a lot of people coming in late, but when they did arrive Sheena got fed up and told us there we're going to go through the entire script from start to finish in our groups as my group is group 1 we went first then Joey's group were group 2 then the last group were group 3 which were Tulliuh's group.On Monday we had acting class but we were meant
to have two lessons and the last lesson was cancelled so we only had one acting lesson. What we done was in our groups we just went through the script but instead of just going round and reading our lines we read I over and over again so we can remember what we have to say and whose is speaking , that's what we done the entire lesson.
On Tuesday we were in 222 with Sheena and at first we were in our groups just going through the script so we can try and learn our lines, then Sheena told the first and second group to come together so we can learn our lines off script with Sheena having our script and us saying our lines or trying to remember who is saying what and what is being said. Then Sheena told us that we done well but we just have to memorise the rest of our lines.
Thursday we had two lessons and in the first lesson we were in K034 and we got into our groups and we just read the script over and over again to make sure everyone knows their lines well with no mistakes. So the lesson wasn't going well as Sheena actually didn't take over the lesson as she was with the level three's but she had no substitute teacher to cover our lesson which i wasn't happy with but had to put up with it. In the second lesson we were in the same room but we then had a cover teacher and all we done was go from the first scene to the last scene in order making sure we know where and what were doing at that time.
On Friday we were in 222 and as Sheena was focusing on the 3rd year level 1's performance we had Monique instead, so what we done first was in our groups in order we went through the play using actions and accents if needed and this was the first time round top to bottom. Then the second time Monique was positioning us in the way we feel and she feels will be best for each character with us giving our suggestions, in the way we enter, the way we talk to each other by emphasising the way we say and do things.
On Monday we were in K034 with Monique and Rebecca again as Sheena was still working with the 3rd year level 1's and as our performing day was getting closer, we were still in our separate groups going through our part before we can actually go through the performance as a whole top to bottom with no stopping and no mistakes.
On Tuesday we were first in 222 then Monique came and told us that room K034 would be better for us to perform in, so we all made our way there to begin our first lesson of the day. When we arrived in K034 we were told that Monique and Rebecca would take over our lesson but taking turns as Monique also has her own lesson, so in are lesson Rebecca told us to gather round so she can check if everyone in the three groups are here but not everyone was in the lesson, so we had to go through the whole performance but people that we playing a certain character would have to fill in if that person isn't in the lesson.
While we were rehearsing Tabatha and Monique were helping us in the way we move and talk on the day which is helpful instead of just standing there and staying in the same spot.
On Thursday we were in K034 with Monique and Tabatha, all we were doing was as there were a lot of people missing we had to step in for them and help the other groups so we can go through the whole performance. So we went from the beginning to the end of the performance with Monique giving us feedback or making changes as our performance is coming up very quick.
On Friday we were in 222 with Sheena and we just found out that she added another group, group 4 which is very last minute but as we were told to by Sheena anything can happen if we put our mind to it, so we just went with the flow so we can produce a magnificent performance in our audiences eyes.
As Sheena just created group 4 she decided to focus more on then as they're a brand new group which are Kaliyah as Asha, Alton as Jemal, Renai as the agent and Anastasia as Ahmed as she has just returned from a long holiday we had to make some last minute changes so we can fit her in with the right character just for her. Also in that lesson group 3 needed a lot of work as the majority of then still haven't learned their lines so that makes it twice as hard for Sheena to come up with what were going to be doing, so she helped them so there piece can be as polished as group 1 and 2.
On Monday we were in K034 with Sheena and as we were getting closer to our performance we decided to set out our scene in the way we think we would want it to be, as the production students were coming in so we can tell them how we would want our lighting to be and look like also how we would set the stage so they know what and how they have to do to create that look for us.
On that same day we had a lesson with Rebecca so this lesson gave us a chance to sit in our groups and discuss the music, costume, props, lighting and staging would look like on the day so we know exactly what we want so everything doesn't fall apart on the day because we don't want a disaster performance cause who would want that.
In our second lesson as group one already have there piece sorted out from top to bottom with everyone in that group got there lines ready, so Sheena decided to start from group 2 and onward as they need the most work and still haven't got there lines out the way which means they have more work to do so Sheena gave then all a help in hand for the whole lesson and people in group 1 had to give feedback and give their input if any changes need to be done.
On Tuesday we were in 222 so Still group 2 and o wards haven't learnt their lines so she Sheena made them go through their piece from top to bottom with no mistakes but if they do make a mistake they would have to all do it over and over again until its good enough but they all still need to polish and fix certain areas so they stayed behind to work on that with Sheena.
On Thursday we done some vocal warm up exercise skills to improve the way we project our voice towards the audience. To do that Sheena told us to all stand at the back of the class and told us to imagine we had a candle in our hand, the first time we had to say one of our lines to the candle without blowing it out, the second time we had to say our line again but to the chair and the last time we had to say our line to Sheena and 2 of the level 3 students. Sheena then told us the way we would have to talk would be the third time as everyone would be able to hear you which is the right way.
Evaluation unit 5 (immigration):
At the start of unit 5 I knew I had to step up my game and get out my comfort zone because we were going to get a little personal, which I didn't really want to as I just wanted to stick to what I know and can do best. So as we were preparing for the big day I had to tell myself that this has to become personal as if I put myself in a position that I don't really want to be in then maybe it'll make my part of the performance more realistic as it's something that I've already experienced and I'm just returning there just for the performance. In my opinion and as people in my group have said I've 100% improved on my confidence as I'm not afraid to put myself out there without stepping back and saying no I can't do it, instead I step forward and give it my best shot even if I make a silly mistake. As we were getting closer and closer to the big day I started to realise that I was becoming less nervous as I'm getting used to performing in front of a huge crowd without getting stage fright, and I'm starting to see it and so is my class mates so I am really proud of myself and can't wait for what the future holds. Finally we got to the performance day and I thought we as a group would be ready in time, meaning we've learnt our lines got our costume sorted and we know where were standing on the stage actually I was wrong as group 3 were still going out the class just to go work on their lines which should of already been done, with the rest of us inside going through the performance top to bottom polishing or correcting any bits which is what we should of been doing as a class not stepping out the class to still go through your lines because that shows you weren't doing your part to help the group as you were just thinking about your own wants and needs. After we were told by Sheena that she's going to take us to the theatre so that we know what we are going to actually do as none of us had a clue and because we had plenty of time to go through it but actually plenty of time wasn't enough as group three still didn't have everything sorted which was embarrassing as the performance is today so they had to think fast and quick so we as a collective can produce something for people to say wow level 2's did that. After all that it was time to put all our work on the table and show the level 3's Rob, Charlie and the rest of the audience what we've been working on these part 4/5 weeks, lights, camera and action we begun with Kaliyah, Mya, Alton and Anastasia starting of on the stage with me behind the curtain which portrayed me being outside the container and waiting for my signal to come on which was after Mya saying "you rude man why have we stopped" and that was my cue to come on. When I came on the stage I was a little nervous but as I continued performing I saw a change in the way I spoke and so I just delivered everything and I was so pleased with myself and the feedback given to me by Rob as he told us that we've improved gradually which I was so ecstatic to hear and couldn't wait to see what the future in acting holds for me.
Comments
Post a Comment