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ACTING

ACTING. Steve Wood DRA 111 TCCC. Dionysus. Tragedy developed from religious festivals honoring Dionysus, the god of wine and the grape vine. These festivals celebrated Dionysus as the sacrificial bleeding god who is slaughtered and then is magically reborn. Cycle of Life.

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ACTING

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  1. ACTING Steve Wood DRA 111 TCCC

  2. Dionysus Tragedy developed from religious festivals honoring Dionysus, the god of wine and the grape vine. These festivals celebrated Dionysus as the sacrificial bleeding god who is slaughtered and then is magically reborn.

  3. Cycle of Life • These festivals were a celebration of the cycle of life-death-rebirth. Just as the grape vine is cut back to insure next year’s harvest, these festivals came to celebrate sacrifice and rebirth. • Dionysus was also associated with goats, some believing that the term “dithyramb,” the hymn honoring Dionysus, originally meant “goat-song.”

  4. Thespis In 534 BC, Thespis stepped out of the chorus (the nucleus from which tragedy developed) and began to act out the story being told. Thus, narrative (telling a story) became drama (enacting a story) for the first time.

  5. Thespis The term for this first actor was “protagonist.” The name of this first actor, Thespis, of course, is where we get the term “thespian.” According to some legends, Thespis became a ghost upon his death and continues to haunt dramatic productions, imparting lessons of humility to actors and directors.

  6. Denis Diderot and the Paradox of the Actor • Denis Diderot, best known for his Encyclopedia, defined the paradox of the actor. He said that, in order for an actor to seem natural, he must act artificial.

  7. A Definition of Acting • Actors select physical and emotional responses in the search for selected behavior pertinent to a character’s needs within the given circumstances of the play.

  8. Three Bases of Acting • Physical imitation • Emotional recall • Textual understanding

  9. Stage acting relies on an exaggeration of voice, reaction and gesture in order to be seen by the audience. Stage acting is done in continuity, and thus the stage actor maintains a certain flow, which helps with concentration. Film acting is a more subtle art, often relying on physical responses that cannot be seen on stage. Films are almost never shot in sequence, and the time it takes to set up shots insures a lengthy wait between scenes. Film actors have to maintain focus despite this. Stage vs. Film Acting

  10. Stage acting does not allow for retakes. As they say, the show must go on. Stage acting is in front of an audience, which allows the actor to feed off the energy of the audience, assuming that the performance is well-received. Film acting affords actors the opportunity to shoot a scene more than once. Film acting does not have the energy of an audience to affect the performance. Often the crew, while present, do not pay attention to the actors much because they are paying attention to their own job. Stage vs. Film Acting

  11. Stage acting often allows actors a greater range of movement, which is ironic given the limitation of the stage itself. Film acting depends on actors hitting a particular mark and being able to deliver lines in the midst of camera, microphones and crew (all the while pretending they don’t exist). Stage vs. Film Acting

  12. Mimetic vs. Anti-mimetic Acting • While acting strives to create truth, not all actors create performances that seem realistic. Mimetic acting is when actors strive to create characters who are like “real” people.

  13. Mimetic vs. Anti-mimetic Acting • Anti-mimetic acting is when actors create performances that don’t remind us of the people around us. • This is a choice of acting style; it is not a matter of being a good actor.

  14. External technique is the traditional approach to acting. It involves working from the outside – in. As an actor once said, “I build the house first, then live in it.” Internal technique is generally a twentieth century approach to acting. Internal technique involves working from the inside – out. The actor attempts to become the character. External vs. Internal Technique

  15. Stanislavski’s Method • Konstantin Stanislavski (1863-1938) is generally credited with inventing the internal technique. • His “Method Acting” is one of the most popular approaches to internal technique.

  16. Method Acting • Method actors first attempt to enter the world of the play or film by learning as much as possible about that world. • They then study the text (the script). • They practice emotional recall. • They use the “magic if.” NOT: If I were Kane, what would I do? BUT: If I(being Kane) were in a situation like this, how would I respond?

  17. Robert De Niro Taxi Driver Raging Bull Copland The Untouchables  Cape Fear 

  18. Misc. Acting Terms • Casting Call: A call for actors for a particular film • Audition: A tryout for actors • Screen Test: An on film audition • SAG: Screen Actors Guild, the union for film actors • AEA: Actors Equity Association, the union for professional live theater actors • Instrument: The body and voice of the actor

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