Directing taster

In my IB class this week we looked at ways to approach directing. The class was quite new to communicating a vision, so I combined the work with ways to pictorially present their work. The focus was on how to accurately communicate an idea, so that your actors can create your vision on stage. At various times I have made link to the core syllabus, the assessment tasks and the IB Learner Profile:

The Directing Workshop

The task focused initially on INTERPRETATION

1. Read the opening lines spoken by the narrator in ‘Blood Brothers’ by Willy Russell (as a group)
2. Decide on one phrase, one image, one colour and one smell, that sums up your reaction to the text (Draw and write)
3. Decide on the number of people you can see presenting this (write down, plus a reason)

The second phase is on STAGING

1. What is the stage space? (Draw this)
2. How will the characters move in the space? (Plan blocking)
3. How will levels, speed, movement be used? (Position the set)

The third phase focused on IMPACT

1. What impact do you want to achieve? How? Why?
2. What is the objective of the scene/the actors?

The fourth phase focused on TIM leading to TIP

1. How will the ideas work on stage (TIM and experimentation)
2. How do you prepare your actors (TIM drawing on current skills)

The fifth phase was on PERFORMANCE

1. The students each present their vision, their intended impact and their first words they wrote down
2. The audience members watched and gave pertinent feedback regarding impact on them and the effectiveness of the work

The Directing Journal

As this stage it is important to stop and guide students to take notes in their journal. Journal entries at this point included:

Journal entry 1 – related to the PPP – What stage spaces were used? How did the layout work in practice. Draw what was done, but then draw what you feel would be effective for another performance. What are your gut reactions and ideas?

Journal entry 2 – related to the PPP – What impact did each performance have on you? Why? How was this achieved? These notes will be useful in the PPP later.

Journal entry 3 – related to the IB Learner Profile – Risk takers, communicators, thinkers and inquirers. The students reflect on how they have challenged themselves, taken risks, communicated with others and upon the skills (TIM and TIW) they have applied during the process.

Journal entry 4 – related to TIW and practitioners – what style and theory did you draw on to inspire your work as a director or performer. Why?

Journal entry 5 – related to the TPPP – How did you work with others? What did you learn from them? How was theory applied in practice?