17.05.2021 - Auditions for Actors - Mrs Williams

 BETTE FINAL PERFORMANCE

06.05.2021 - Auditions for Actors - Mrs Williams

CORDELIA REHEARSALS

CORDELIA FINAL PERFORMANCE

03.05.2021 - Auditions for Actors - Mrs Williams

 CORDELIA MONOLOGUE PRACTICE

This is my practice for Cordelia's monologue from the play King Lear by William Shakespeare.  I thought the monologue would last longer, so I will need to add some more on and take more breaks in order for it to be 1 minute and 30 seconds long.  I will also be learning my lines for my next rehearsal.

29.04.2021 - Auditions for Actors - Mrs Williams

 BETTE MONOLOGUE PRACTICE

This was my practice for Bette's monologue in The Marriage of Bette and Boo by Christopher Durang.  I really like playing this character as a ditsy girly girl and I think this rehearsal went very well.

28.04.2021 - Auditions for Actors - Mrs Williams

The Marriage of Bette and Boo by Christopher Durang

Bette's monologue

The Marriage of Bette and Boo Synopsis

The Marriage of Bette and Boo follows the zany, turbulent, heartbreaking marriage of Bette Brennan and Boo Hudlocke. Bette and Boo marry and set about having the large, happy family that Bette always dreamed of. The arrival of their first son, Matt, is soon overshadowed by a succession of stillborns. Bette is heartbroken. Boo starts to drink; Bette starts to nag. Amongst the chaos fighting, both must deal with their wacky families: Bette’s mother and father, who suffered a stroke and now speaks in unintelligible gibberish; Boo’s sadistic father, fond of calling his long-suffering wife “the dumbest woman in the world”; Bette’s sister, ridden with anxiety and constantly apologizing for everything; the family priest, fond of impersonating bacon. Playwright Christopher Durang’s most autobiographical work, The Marriage of Bette and Boo finds humor and compassion in unhappiness, as Matt comes to terms with the love - and pain - that families are made of. 

Scene Synopsis

In this monologue, Bette, who is on her honeymoon with Boo, tells the audience what she was like as a child, how she traumatized her sister, how she had almost had an affair with a married man, and how she met Boo on the rebound.

Character

Bette is a really enthusiastic and funny character.  In order to get the laughs out of the audience, I will really need to practice my comedic timing, as this is a huge part of the monologue.  I will also play her slightly naïvely.  

28.04.2021 - Film and TV acting - Mrs Williams

PERFORMANCE EVALUATION

We watched our final episode today and I'm really happy with how it turned out.  I'm really grateful that we really pushed during the pre-production and filming, because it looks amazing.  During the filming process, I struggled to focus on the filming process as well as the acting.  I didn't realise that I'd try to put my effort into filming and directing as well as acting.  As a media studies students, I think that I wanted to take a fair bit of control over the filming and the directing, as I had already envisioned what I wanted it to look like and forgot about the acting. 

In the first kitchen scene, I was directed to show more of the sibling relationship between Rachel and Dylan.  I wasn't originally laughing like a sister would when her brother got in trouble, so I changed the way that I was teasing him.  I think if I were to do this scene again, and something I noticed throughout the episode, was that i didn't have enough diction.  I feel like I stumbled on quite a lot of my words, however, I don't think the final episode was too bad, but it could have been more articulated.  In this same scene, I was directed to switch my emotions quickly from teasing Dylan to being upset about thinking that Ken was wanting a family meeting to be mean to Cuckoo.  I needed to show the realisation in my facial expression, which I believe I effectively portrayed.

One scene I really struggled with was the scene where Cuckoo is washing potatoes.  I struggled to portray the love that Rachel has for Cuckoo.  I was directed to look at him with more love, which I struggled to do but I eventually managed it.  I can really tell my units and objectives when looking at the final piece.

Something I picked up from the show, which influenced my acting, was in the family meeting scene.  When Cuckoo mentions making love to Rachel, my initial thought would be that she would be embarrassed, but the show makes it look as if she's blushing over Cuckoo.  I think that this dynamic of Rachel being a 'good girl' is then shifted after she has gone away for her gap year.  

Another issue I felt I was struggling with during the process was naturalism.  I find that acting in front of a camera is a lot harder than acting on a stage in front of people, as you're stopping and starting over & it loses the naturalism.  I got a lot of help throughout in ways to combat this, like units and objectives so I'm thinking about what the character wants.  For example, during the family meeting, my objective for the line, "Dad, did you know about my kiss with the French exchange?" was to prove Lorna wrong and check as I was suspicious of her.  The audience would be able to read this subtext through my facial expressions portraying doubt.

Overall, this was all a learning curve for me.  I realised during this process that film and TV acting is quite challenging, which I think could be resolved if I wasn't as focused on other things going on, like the shot types and angles.  Having said that, I'm so happy with the result and I thought it was hilarious!

26.04.2021 - Auditions for Actors - Mrs Williams

King Lear by William Shakespeare

Cordelia's monologue

King Lear Synopsis

Lear, the aging king of Britain, decides to step down from the throne and divide his kingdom evenly among his three daughters. First, however, he puts his daughters through a test, asking each to tell him how much she loves him. Goneril and Regan, Lear’s older daughters, give their father flattering answers. But Cordelia, Lear’s youngest and favorite daughter, remains silent, saying that she has no words to describe how much she loves her father. Lear flies into a rage and disowns Cordelia. The king of France, who has courted Cordelia, says that he still wants to marry her even without her land, and she accompanies him to France without her father’s blessing.

Lear quickly learns that he made a bad decision. Goneril and Regan swiftly begin to undermine the little authority that Lear still holds. Unable to believe that his beloved daughters are betraying him, Lear slowly goes insane. He flees his daughters’ houses to wander on a heath during a great thunderstorm, accompanied by his Fool and by Kent, a loyal nobleman in disguise.

Meanwhile, an elderly nobleman named Gloucester also experiences family problems. His illegitimate son, Edmund, tricks him into believing that his legitimate son, Edgar, is trying to kill him. Fleeing the manhunt that his father has set for him, Edgar disguises himself as a crazy beggar and calls himself “Poor Tom.” Like Lear, he heads out onto the heath.

When the loyal Gloucester realizes that Lear’s daughters have turned against their father, he decides to help Lear in spite of the danger. Regan and her husband, Cornwall, discover him helping Lear, accuse him of treason, blind him, and turn him out to wander the countryside. He ends up being led by his disguised son, Edgar, toward the city of Dover, where Lear has also been brought.

In Dover, a French army lands as part of an invasion led by Cordelia in an effort to save her father. Edmund apparently becomes romantically entangled with both Regan and Goneril, whose husband, Albany, is increasingly sympathetic to Lear’s cause. Goneril and Edmund conspire to kill Albany.

The despairing Gloucester tries to commit suicide, but Edgar saves him by pulling the strange trick of leading him off an imaginary cliff. Meanwhile, the English troops reach Dover, and the English, led by Edmund, defeat the Cordelia-led French. Lear and Cordelia are captured. In the climactic scene, Edgar duels with and kills Edmund; we learn of the death of Gloucester; Goneril poisons Regan out of jealousy over Edmund and then kills herself when her treachery is revealed to Albany; Edmund’s betrayal of Cordelia leads to her needless execution in prison; and Lear finally dies out of grief at Cordelia’s passing. Albany, Edgar, and the elderly Kent are left to take care of the country under a cloud of sorrow and regret.

Scene Synopsis

The play begins with two noblemen, Gloucester and Kent, discussing the fact that King Lear is about to divide his kingdom. Their conversation quickly changes, however, when Kent asks Gloucester to introduce his son. Gloucester introduces Edmund, explaining that Edmund is a bastard being raised away from home, but that he nevertheless loves his son dearly.

Lear, the ruler of Britain, enters his throne room and announces his plan to divide the kingdom among his three daughters. He intends to give up the responsibilities of government and spend his old age visiting his children. He commands his daughters to say which of them loves him the most, promising to give the greatest share to that daughter.

Lear’s scheming older daughters, Goneril and Regan, respond to his test with flattery, telling him in wildly overblown terms that they love him more than anything else. But Cordelia, Lear’s youngest (and favorite) daughter, refuses to speak. When pressed, she says that she cannot “heave her heart into her mouth,” that she loves him exactly as much as a daughter should love her father, and that her sisters wouldn’t have husbands if they loved their father as much as they say (1.1.90–91). In response, Lear flies into a rage, disowns Cordelia, and divides her share of the kingdom between her two sisters.

The earl of Kent, a nobleman who has served Lear faithfully for many years, is the only courtier who disagrees with the king’s actions. Kent tells Lear he is insane to reward the flattery of his older daughters and disown Cordelia, who loves him more than her sisters do. Lear turns his anger on Kent, banishing him from the kingdom and telling him that he must be gone within six days.

The king of France and duke of Burgundy are at Lear’s court, awaiting his decision as to which of them will marry Cordelia. Lear calls them in and tells them that Cordelia no longer has any title or land. Burgundy withdraws his offer of marriage, but France is impressed by Cordelia’s honesty and decides to make her his queen. Lear sends her away without his blessing.

Goneril and Regan scheme together in secrecy. Although they recognize that they now have complete power over the kingdom, they agree that they must act to reduce their father’s remaining authority.

Character

King Lear is set in the 17th Century. Women wouldn’t speak their opinion in this era as they could get punished for it, which is what happens in this play. Cordelia stands up for herself in front of her father which leaves her disowned. I will play this with confidence but with fear.

12.04.2021 - Auditions for Actors - Mrs Williams

 Today I'm going to go through my poems and figure out which 2 I want to keep for my self-tapes.  I need 2 contrasting monologues, one contemporary and one classic.  

CLASSIC

In my original 5 options, I only had one classical monologue.  This was Ophelia's monologue in Hamlet by William Shakespeare.  After discussing this with my teacher, I discovered that it is better to do monologue that isn't as common.  I've done some more research and found a monologue that is more suitable.

Cordelia's monologue from King Lear by Shakespeare

Unhappy that I am, I cannot heave
My heart into my mouth. I love your Majesty
According to my bond; no more nor less.
Good my lord,
You have begot me, bred me, lov’d me; I
Return those duties back as are right fit,
Obey you, love you, and most honour you.
Why have my sisters husbands, if they say
They love you all? Haply, when I shall wed,
That lord whose hand must take my plight shall carry
Half my love with him, half my care and duty.
Sure I shall never marry like my sisters,
To love my father all.

CONTEMPORARY

My other 4 monologues were contemporary; Amy's monologue from And Turning, Stay by Kellie Powell, Mildred's monologue from The Hairy Ape by Eugene O'Neill, Sylv's monologue from East by Steven Berkoff and Bette's monologue from The Marriage of Bette and Boo by Christopher Durang.  It's quite a tough choice to decide which monologue I want to use.  Here are the reasons I didn't pick specific monologues:

And Turning, Stay by Kellie Powell

This was my second choice for the contemporary monologues.  The play is about a girl named Amy in high school, who has a tryst with her best friend, Mark, only to find out he doesn't want to be in a relationship with her.  This monologue occurs after Mark gets beaten up due to the way he treated Amy.  This character would fit me very well as I am a female in high school.  However, this is also the reason I decided to not chose this monologue.  I feel as if I could challenge myself more than portraying someone who is around my age and in high school.  

The Hairy Ape by Eugene O'Neill

The main theme of this play is wealth and poverty.  In this monologue, Mildred is sitting on a cruise ship, talking about how she has had her wealth passed down through generations and not having to work hard for anything.  The main thing that steered me away from this monologue was my disliking of it.  I will need to enjoy a play and monologue to be able to give it justice when I perform it.  I don't really like this monologue and I think that enjoying it is very important.

East by Steven Berkoff

This was originally going to be my final monologue.  The reason as to why I decided otherwise is because I have already worked on this monologue and play before.  I think that I wouldn't be pushing myself enough if I re-did it.  I also want to explore what else I can do, as there's loads of material out there and I want to test and challenge myself.

Bette's monologue from The Marriage of Bette and Boo by Christopher Durang

This is the monologue I decided to go for.  It ticked every box.  I found it really entertaining and funny, which is a massive factor, and I'm challenging myself. 

05.04.2021 - Auditions for Actors - Mrs Williams

For this unit, we have to pick 2 contrasting monologues and perform them to act as an audition (in the form of a self-tape) to a drama school.  Currently, I am looking at 5 different monologues:

Amy's monologue from And Turning, Stay by Kellie Powell

Don't you dare walk away from me! And don't tell me you're sorry! And don't tell me to forget it, and don't you dare tell me to "let it go." God knows, I'd like to. I wish I could, but I can't! I can't forget that we had something, and you're running away. You're running away! Don't you see, Mark? You're running from what I've searched for all my life! Why, because you're scared? Well, I'm scared too, but you and I - we have something worth fighting for. We could make it work, I'm not saying it would be easy, but I care about you. And I know deep down, under this (Spitting out the word.) bravado, you care about me. And that's what it's all about, Mark, don't you get it? It's the human experience. You can pretend all you want, but you're only lying to yourself. You're denying the simple and wonderful fact that you are emotional, and vulnerable, and alive. Can you honestly stand there and tell me that I mean nothing to you? That everything that happened that night was a lie? That you feel nothing? (AMY is crying or close to it. The following is a painful statement that she makes not to attack or threaten Mark but rather, to allow herself closure with the situation.) I feel sorry for you, Mark. I'll move on. I'll find someone else. I'll be all right, because I will know that I tried. That I did everything I could. But someday you will look back, and you will realize what you threw away. And you will regret it always.

Mildred's monologue from The Hairy Ape by Eugene O'Neill

Please do not mock at my attempts to discover how the other half lives. Give me credit for some sort of groping sincerity in that at least. I would like to help them. I would like to be some use in the world. Is it my fault I don't know how? I would like to be sincere, to touch life somewhere.

(With weary bitterness.)

But I'm afraid I have neither the vitality nor integrity. All that was burnt out in our stock before I was born. Grandfather's blast furnaces, flaming to the sky, melting steel, making millions- then father keeping those home fires burning, making more millions- and little me at the tail-end of it all. I'm a waste product in the Bessemer process- like the millions. Or rather, I inherit the acquired trait of the by-product, wealth, but none of the energy, none of the strength of the steel that made it. I am sired by gold and darned by it, as they say at the race track- damned in more ways than one.

Sylv's monologue from East by Steven Berkoff

I for once would like to be a fella, unwholesome both in deed and word and lounge around one leg cocked up and car keys tinkling on my pinky. Give a kick * at talent strolling and impale them with an impertinent and fixed stare … hand in Levi-Strauss and teeth grinding, and that super unworrisome flesh that toys between your thighs, that we must genuflect and kneel to, that we are beaten across the skull with. Wish I could cruise around and pull those tarts and slags whose hearts would break as he swiftly chews us up and spits us out again … the almighty boot! Nay, not fair that those pricks get all the fun – with their big raucous voices and one dozen weekly fucks … cave mouths, shout, burp and Guinness soaked … If I dare do that … ‘What an old scrubber-slag-head’ utter their fast and vicious lips … so I’d like to be a fella. Strolling down the front with the lads and making minute and limited wars with knife-worn splatter and invective splurge. And not have the emblem of his scummy lust to Persil out with hectic scrub … just my johnny tool to keep from harm and out of mischief … my snarling beasty to water and feed from time to time to rotten time … to dip my wick into any old dark and hot with no conscience or love groan … doth he possess the plague in gangrened bliss to donate to me and not give a shit. I am snarled beneath his bristly glass-edged jaw, beneath a moving sack of leer and hard and be a waste-bin for his excessives and embellishments.

Ophelia's monologue from Hamlet by William Shakespeare

O, what a noble mind is here o’erthrown!
The courtier’s, soldier’s, scholar’s, eye, tongue, sword,
Th’ expectancy and rose of the fair state,
The glass of fashion and the mould of form,
Th’ observ’d of all observers, quite, quite down!
And I, of ladies most deject and wretched,
That suck’d the honey of his music vows,
Now see that noble and most sovereign reason
Like sweet bells jangled out of tune and harsh,
That unmatch’d form and feature of blown youth
Blasted with ecstasy. O, woe is me
T’ have seen what I have seen, see what I see.

Bette's monologue from The Marriage of Bette and Boo by Christopher Durang

Hurry up, Boo. I want to use the shower. (Speaks to the audience, who seems to be her great friend:) First I was a tomboy. I used to climb trees and beat up my brother Tom. Then I used to try to break my sister Joanie’s voice box because she liked to sing. She always scratched me though, so instead I tried to play Emily’s cello. Except I don’t have a lot of musical talent, but I’m very popular. And I know more about the cello than people who don’t know anything. I don’t like the cello, it’s too much work and besides, keeping my legs open that way made me feel funny. I asked Emily if it made her feel funny and she didn’t know what I meant:; and then when I told her she cried for two whole hours and then went to confession twice, just in case the priest didn’t understand her the first time. Dopey Emily. She means well. (Calls offstage:) Booey! I’m pregnant! (To audience:) Actually I couldn’t be because I’m a virgin. A married man tried to have an affair with me, but he was married and so it would have been pointless. I didn’t know he was married until two months ago. Then I met Booey, sort of on the rebound. He seems fine though. (Calls out:) Booey! (To audience:) I went to confession about the cello practicing, but I don’t think the priest heard me. He didn’t say anything. He didn’t even give me a penance. I wonder if nobody was in there. But as long as your conscience is all right, then so is your soul. (Calls, giddy, happy:) Booey, come on!

26.03.2021 - Film and TV acting - Mrs Williams

 VOTING

Today was the last day of filming.  We had to film the voting scene and the scene directly after where Ken and Rachel have a conversation as they will be wearing the same outfit and the mise-en-scene and set will be the same.  Louis, James, Hugo, Amelie and I were in this scene so Tristan did the filming and directing.  It went smoothly as the scene was quite short.  

KEN AND RACHEL CONVERSATION

James, Hugo and I were acting in this scene and Tristan was filming and directing.  We had some struggles as in the original scene Cuckoo walks to the back of the sofa to hug Ken and Rachel, but we didn't have the space for that.  Instead, Hugo hid behind the sofa and popped up when he was needed.

24.03.2021 - Film and TV acting - Mrs Williams

 KITCHEN - FINDING CAMERA

Today we filmed the scene set in the kitchen in the morning.  Louis, James, Amelie and I were acting in this scene so Tristan filmed and directed.  Tristan got a large range of different shot types and angles to work with.  This scene went pretty smoothly to film.  We brought props for the mise-en-scene, like jam and bread and a notepad and pen.  

22.03.2021 - Film and TV acting - Mrs Williams

 BEDROOM

I was ill in the morning, but managed to get in before we started filming.  In the original show, Cuckoo is sitting on the kitchen countertop naked, but we decided to film it in the bedroom.  This is for efficiency and also to make sure Hugo is comfortable.  Hugo, Amelie and James are in this scene, so Louis, Tristan and I directed and filmed it.  We also added in the scene which was originally filmed on the sofa.  This is also due to efficiency and we thought that it wouldn't affect anything.  

18.03.2021 - Film and TV acting - Mrs Williams

 FAMILY MEETING

Today we filmed the family meeting scene.  We set up the flats and the shot and got into costumes.  Louis, James, Hugo, Amelie and I were acting in this scene so Tristan directed and filmed.  This scene was a little bit tough to figure out as the table is round and it breaks the 180 degree rule.  Tristan watched the scene multiple times to see which shot types he could use.  

POTATO WASHING

Cuckoo and Rachel are wearing the same thing in this short scene as the family meeting so we decided to film it on the same day.  In the original show, this scene is set by Cuckoo's potato tuk-tuk that he was painting.  As we didn't have access to this kind of prop, we decided to film it in the kitchen with potatoes in the sink.  We also had to change some of the script and lines because Cuckoo mentions the tuk-tuk.  This wasn't too difficult and it turned out well.

17.03.2021 - Film and TV acting - Mrs Williams

GARAGE LAST SCENE

We only had one hour to film the last scene which is set in the garage.  We were able to access the garage so it was very useful.  It's only a short scene but we had some complications along the way.  In the original scene Ken and Cuckoo hug, but we wanted to alter it due to coronavirus.  People kept coming in and out of the garage, which delayed the filming for a bit.  Hugo and James were in the scene and Tristan and Louis directed and filmed.  

08.03.2021 - Film and TV acting - Mrs Williams

PARTY

Today we managed to get a lot of filming done.  We spent almost all day filming, as we filmed the party scenes which take up about half of the episode.  We needed the Year 12's to be some of the characters in the show and only had them available for a limited amount of time, so we needed to be efficient.  All of the characters are required in these scenes, so we had many different directors and videographers throughout the day.  The hardest scene to film was the one where Ken and Steve have a fight.  This was because we were all in it and needed to direct every person in shot, which included all of the extras.  I took the lead for a majority of the day because I wanted to get the filming done quickly, whilst also making it effective.  

PREPARING FOR PARTY

We also filmed the scene before the party, as our characters would be setting the place up, so the mise-en-scene and costumes would be the same.  Although we were all tired after filming the party scenes, we thought it would be best to push through with this scene, as it would mean that we wouldn't have to do it on another day.  Louis, James, Amelie and I were acting in this scene so Tristan and Silvana directed and filmed it. 

KEN'S STUDY

Due to the same reason as before, we decided to film Ken's study which involved James and Olivia (playing Zoe), as they'd be in the same outfit.  Louis filmed and directed with help from Tristan.  

TERRACE

Yet again, Olivia, Alessandro, Louis and Tristan would be in the same outfits from the party so we decided to film this scene on the same day too.  In the original show, this is set in the garage, but we decided to film it on the terrace as it was accessible unlike the garage.  Louis, Tristan, Olivia and Alessandro were in this scene and James directed and filmed it.  

04.03.2021 - Film and TV acting - Mrs Williams

 STEVE AND CONNIE'S HOUSE

After school, Tristan, Silvana, James and I went to Silvana's house to film the scene in Connie and Steve's house.  Although we wanted someone to direct and someone to film the scene, we decided to just have one person in order to keep numbers low due to the coronavirus.  As I live quite close to Silvana's house, I went to film and direct the scene.  Earlier in the day, I watched the scene & wrote on the script which shot types and angles I'd need.  We also rehearsed the scene and I directed the actors.  Having the shot types written down helped me a lot in organising the shoot.  I think the actors had good energy and the scene turned out really well. 

01.03.2021 - Film and TV acting - Mrs Williams

KEN'S WORK

Today was our first day of filming.  We decided to film in our teacher's office to replicate Ken's place of work.  We moved things around to make the mise-en-scene create verisimilitude and tried to not make it look like a school.  The actors in this scene were Louis and James.  Louis played Dylan and James played Ken.  Tristan and I directed and filmed this scene.  Tristan filmed and directed the first half of the scene and I filmed and directed the second half.  Although when filming and directing, one person has complete creative control, we've discovered that it's tough to do both the filming and directing.  In future scenes, we will have a videographer and a director.  We made sure to have different angles, so that we have scope to play around with how it looks.  This was a short and simple scene to film so it was a good one to start with.  I think it turned out to be pretty good but we spent too much time on it and will need to be more efficient in the future.  

22.02.2021 - Film and TV acting - Mrs Williams

 GETTING ORGANISED

This week, we got everything organised for our filming, which starts next week.  In order to get everything together, these are things we completed:

• Rehearsal schedule
• Filming schedule
• Rehearsals
• Props list & who will bring in what
• Costumes for each character
• Assigned videographer and director for each scene

This was the schedule:

15.02.2021 - Film and TV acting - Mrs Williams

SERIES RESEARCH

Cuckoo is a British sitcom which first aired in 2012.  It is set in Lichfield, Staffordshire (North of Birmingham).  The Thompson family consist of Ken (Greg Davies), Lorna (Helen Baxendale), Rachel (Tamla Kari) and Dylan (Tyger Drew-Honey).  Rachel was a very smart, well-behaving child and decides to go to Thailand on her gap year.  She comes back with a husband, Cuckoo (Andy Samberg).  Cuckoo is an American hippie with different values to the Thompson family, yet he moves in with them.  Ken isn't happy with Cuckoo invading his household, but Cuckoo is oblivious and naïve to it.  

Outline to Series 1, Episode 2; Family Meeting

Ken is annoyed at Cuckoo being naked in the house, so he tells Cuckoo to wear clothes, with the exception of when he is in the bathroom or in his and Rachel's bedroom.

At Rachel's coming home party, Ken's best friend Steve is horrified to see photos of his 16-year-old daughter, Zoe, on Ken's digital camera. Ken explains that Dylan - who is attracted to her - took them.

08.02.2021 - Film and TV acting - Mrs Williams

SCRIPT READ-THROUGH

As the episode we wanted to create didn't have a script, I had to watch the episode and write it out.  This took a very long time.  When we were in the lesson today, we did a read-through (without the year 12's initially & then another one with them).  It was quite static and didn't have much flow, which is expected for the first time.  As time goes on, I expect us to get smoother and get better comedic timing as the rehearsals progress.  It was a lot of fun, though, and we are all very happy with the show and episode we have chosen.

01.02.2021 - Film and TV acting - Mrs Williams

We had a meeting today to discuss our pre-production roles.  These are things we have to get done before we start filming in order to be prepared for filming.  The tasks we need to get done are:

• Production manager
• Storyboard
• Costume, props, set, hair and makeup
• Script writing

James was assigned as the production manager which means that he is going to be in charge of the pre-production and will organise and plan meetings, rehearsals and will lead discussions and sessions.

Amelie and Tristan are both creating the storyboard.  Storyboarding is a long task to do, so they've split it in half.  Amelie will do the first half of the episode and Tristan will do the last half of the episode.

Hugo and Silvana are taking care of the costume, props, set, hair and makeup.  They will organise which set and props we will need for each scene.  They will also let us know which hair, costume and makeup we should have.

I am going to be writing the script.  The episode we chose doesn't have a script available online, so I will be writing it so we can rehearse and learn the lines.  

28.01.2021 - Film and TV acting - Mrs Williams

RACHEL

CHARACTER PROFILE:

Name: Rachel

Age: Roughly 19

Job:  No job, lives at home with the parents

Role within family: Wife to Cuckoo, daughter to Ken and Lorna, sister to Dylan

In the show, Rachel is played by Tamla Kari in series 1 and Esther Smith from series 2 onwards.  I will be focusing my research on Tamla Kari as she played Rachel in the episode that we will be recreating.  Tamla is roughly 1m70, has brown hair, blue/green eyes and pale skin.  I fit that description pretty well besides my hair being lighter and I don't have bangs.  She has a bit more of a northern accent than myself, which I'm not the best at doing so I will practice it.

CIRCUMSTANCES:

Today we created a document with implied and given circumstances.  This helps us figure out more about our character.  Here are the results for my character, Rachel.

She’s gone away for a gap year & is married –
"I can’t wait to see people’s faces!  I go away for my gap year and I come back married. "

- Rachel

She kissed a French exchange -
"Dad, did you know about my kiss with the French exchange? "
- Rachel

Rachel has a bad taste in men -
"I always imagined Rachel would marry someone educated, someone with ambition.  I’d respect his opinions and, most importantly, and I think this is the key here, never ever see his wang or nuts. "
- Ken

She makes fun of Dylan - 
"Ha-ha, Dylan! "
- Rachel

"Ah, dude, have you still not made a move on Zoe Chance?  Mum, you know the only reason he started lifeguarding was so he could perve on Zoe in her swimming costume. "
- Rachel

"Desperation Pour Homme?"
- Rachel

She thinks of other people -
"No!  We could live on the street and be just as happy.  We only stay here so you and Mum don’t worry. "
- Rachel

She thinks Cuckoo is sweet -
"If Dad starts complaining, just… be strong, don’t let him exploit your sweet nature, okay? "
- Rachel

She’s in love with Cuckoo -
"How did I ever get you? "
- Rachel

"Okay.  Yeah.  I got married, er… to the most inspirational person I have ever met.  His name is Cuckoo. "
- Rachel

She’s sexually attracted to Cuckoo -
"And what about when I’m making love to Rachel?"
- Cuckoo

"What about when I’m making love to Rachel in the shower? "
- Cuckoo

She tries to be fair -

"Okay, well, here’s an idea.  Why don’t we vote?"
- Rachel

"Dad, if Cuckoo isn’t gonna be naked in the house, I really think you should put your books in the garage."
- Rachel

She’s quite outspoken/headstrong -
"No!  No!  No, Dad!  You’re not getting away with this.  You’re always going on about how the strong shouldn’t impose on the weak, and here you are in your own house lording it over everyone.  You’re like a dictator.  In fact, you’re like Hitler. "
- Rachel

She’s quite naïve into thinking that Ken was fair -
"But it was so meaningful, how you let us have that vote.  Letting us decide as a family in a fair way, just showed you respected me, you know. "
- Rachel

She loves her dad -
"I love you, Dad. "
- Rachel

She doesn’t trust her mum not to tell -

"Mum, you promise you haven’t told any of the guests about Cuckoo? "

- Rachel

27.01.2021 - Film and TV acting - Mrs Williams

In this lesson, we discussed which TV show we would use for this unit.  We all decided that a sitcom would be our type of show of choice as it's light hearted and fun.  We watched an example from a couple years ago where they did Brooklyn 99.  This is definitely very funny and it was in our options.  We were discussing between:

• Brooklyn 99
• Parks and Recreation
• Friends
• The Office (US)
• Modern Family

We all liked Brooklyn 99 and Modern Family, but we didn't have enough people to play the characters.  We wanted the main characters to be in our year and we wanted to use the year below for extras.  The Office (US) was our initial idea which we all thought was very funny, however, we have 3 girls and 4 boys and there isn't enough characters for the genders.  Although Friends would be a good option, none of us were that excited about it.  

We eventually decided to go with Cuckoo.  We looked at some episodes which we all found very funny.  The amount of characters work as well which is important.  The other less major characters will be played by the year below.  The episode we found didn't have a script so we will have to write it out.  

The characters we will have are:

• Cuckoo: Hugo
• Rachel: Emma
• Lorna: Amelie
• Ken: James
• Dylan: Louis
• Connie: Silvana
• Steve: Tristan

Our extras are:

• Zoe: Olivia
• Charlie: Alessandro
• Kelly: Maddy
• Kelly's Husband: James
• Toby: Alan
• Toby's Girlfriend: Ella

25.01.2021 - Film and TV acting - Mrs Williams

FILM TERMS

Shot Types

Establishing shot: Establishes the setting and scene

Extreme long shot: Shows the whole subject with space above and/or below

Long shot: Shows the whole subject with head at the top of the frame and feet at the bottom

Medium long shot: Shows subject from knees to head

Medium shot: Shows subject from waist to head

Medium close-up: Shows subject from chest to head

Close-up: Shows subject's head

Extreme close-up: Shows a detail of the subject like the eyes

Over-the-shoulder shot: Shot over the shoulder to show another subject

Point-of-view shot: Shot to look like it's from a character's eyes

Camera Angles

Medium angle: Straight on

High angle: From above, makes subject look small/scared

Low angle: From below, makes subject look intimidating/big

Bird's eye view: From directly above

Worm's eye view: From the ground

Focus

Deep focus: Subjects in foreground and background are in focus

Shallow focus: Subjects in foreground are in focus but background is out of focus

Sharp focus: Good clarity and definition

Soft focus: Edge of subject looks softer to give romantic feel

Movements

Tracking: Following the subject

Panning: Camera moving horizontally from a fixed position

Tilting: Camera moving vertically from a fixed position

Zooming: Camera getting closer or further away from a subject

Handheld: Not on a tripod, gives the sense of action

14.01.2021 - Film and TV acting - Mrs Williams

 The first task we had to do for the Film and TV acting unit was to practice on camera and with angles and editing and make an advert.  

Silvana and I were in a group together and decided to create an ice cream advert.

Here's our final product:

To get to this point, we made a storyboard and script.