Portfolio

Do you know what "acting portfolio" is?

Do you have your resume?

Take a good look at it; what is missing?

Comedy shows? Do you have a comedy monologue to audition? You must have several of them?

The same principle: one from the classics, one modern. Shakespeare one would be nice to have, too.

Do you dance? Do you sing?

No, "no" answers!

You have to have in your portfolio, my friend.

Do you have video-resume?

You should. Get the camera and do it!

Take your journal again, write an outline -- self-intro, comedy monologue, drama, classic...

Do you have clips from your shows? Cut them in.

Do you have your headshots?

Finish with the address and contact numbers.

My friends, it's all about the discipline and profession. You do it yourself first, if you want to have an agent, publicist, body guards and etc.

No, we are not done!

Do you have a cover letter? Do you know how to write it? Do you know how to present yourself as ACTOR? Do you know how to SELL yourself?

You -- first, the personality. Your company -- your acting. Your product... Yes, yes, it is the same -- because it's BUSINESS. More than the usual interview: it's SHOW business!

Acting, Actors, Portfolio

I ask it in all my acting classes on the first day -- this is the day two. [2] Review (what you have and what you know)
1. Resume due.
2. Types of Monologues (for Portfolio): drama, comedy, period, modern. At least, six-seven. Music Theatre asks for additional material (song and dance).

What do you know about the theory of acting?

I. PLAYSCRIPT & ACTOR (how do you work with the text?)

1. Script breakdown: Objectives and Obstacles.

Action -- Dramatic motion in subjective space and time.

Dramatic Composition: exposition, climax, resolution. Rule: 1-2-3. Do you know the rules?
Definitions and function of Exposition, Climax, Resolution (the terms you MUST know, see 200X Files: the basics).
How to identify each part: conflict.

Conflict -- clash of opposite impulses, collision, fight, struggle (dict.)

Monologue; Breakdown and Floor plan (see Directing Pages).

From Dramatic Text to "Actor's Text" (Performance -- your job):
"Actor's Text" -- Actor's performance; broken down dramatic text, with ground plan, positions, acting areas, stage directions written in by the performer.

2. Self-casting: You and Your Role/Character (TypeCasting).

Character, a functional "person" appearing in a play or other work of fiction; role as portrayed by an actor or actress.

Characterization and Character's "History."
"Character" and Method Acting: I = Character.
5 Ws: What, Where, When, Why, Who?

"Improvisation and Theatre Games" -- if you make the callbacks, you should be ready for IMPROV!

II. ACTOR (be ready to answer questions)

Don't act, think. -- David Lean

Meyerhold's formula for actors:

ACTOR = ARTIST + MEDIUM

ACTOR =/= CHARACTER (Medium is!)

Alienation effect -- A stage technique developed by Bertold Brecht in the 1920s and 1930s for "estranging" the action of the play. By making characters and their action seem alien, separate from actors. Three ways of establishing A-effect: third person reference to yourself, and songs.

Biomechanics * Theatre system of performance and training developed by Meyerhold. The technique emphasized the movement on stage, the study of preparation for a certain action: emotional and physical state of the moment of action itself: and the resulting anti-climax of reaction (see Cycles).

Brecht, Bertold -- German director and playwright (1898-1956), inventor of methods and theories of non-realistic theatre (see Epic Theatre Page in Script Directory).

SUMMARY: A-effect, self-alienation is a must in actor's training. Two-Selves.

HOME: Monologue memorization. Characterization = visualization (physicalization).

next: resume -- students

Questions

On your resume write down what you do NOT have and do NOT know (for yourself). In your journal write a plan how to fix it.

Notes