Monday23rd March 2015

Monday 23^rd March 2015

During this lesson we discussed further on the use of multimedia used in theatre. We talked about this for a while and this was useful because it made us more aware on how and why you can use multimedia in theatre. I learnt that it can show different views of the scene for example if there was a screen showing the birds eyed view as well as behind view and left and right side views. After this discussion, we all took part in a small activity in groups of 3-4. My group was included Jamie, Amaia and myself. The task we were set was to make a mini performance of 7 lines from the script and incorporate our phones as our device of multimedia in the performance. We decided to use our torches on our phones to include multimedia. Our short performance went really well. Using the torches made the piece look effective and eerie. Because we were given this task of using our phones as a way of multimedia gave us the chance to experience using multimedia in theatre and was a way of helping us think of ideas on how to use multimedia. It opened our minds and we really had to think outside the box.

After our break we separated in half and one group stayed in 413 and talked to Mr Crowthe and the other half went with Miss Baalam to another room. We talked about use of multimedia. Firstly with Mr Crowthe he showed us how to use live feed in a theatre production. I learnt new ways to incorporate this into theatre. For example I thought it was really interesting when Tim stood in front of the screen whilst Jamie was at the back of the room and when she walked closer toward the camera it would look as if she was walking behind up to Tim. Talking to Mr Crowthe about the use of live feed helped us to understand how to use live feed and how it can be effective. For example, it gives the audience to ways to look at the performance they could look at it being filmed or they could look on the screen.

In the room with Miss Baalam, we talked about the use of sound. We were told about the use of Garage Band and how that was helpful to us. It was useful to use because instead of having a video clip with acting and sound we were informed that we could make a voice recording and have it played over the top of our live performance and this to me was very interesting and I think it will look & sound great! Also Miss Ballam showed us how to use Garage band so it was useful for us because we were shown how we can use it and how we can use it in a show. We were given the app so we could experiment at home and also it made me remember that we didn’t just have to use voice recorders on our phones we could use special apps to make the sound more clear and louder.

Later on in the lesson, we were put into groups. My group included Roseby, Jake and Benji. There were 4-5 groups. We were each given a slip that had a scene from Antigone on it. My group had the scene where Creon was told by the Guard that someone had buried Polynieses. We were told that we had to think of ideas how we could use multimedia in the scene we had. My group came up with many ideas such as: we could video record some things and make it look as if it was a CCTV camera in the show and this would be shown on a t.v around school. Another idea we had was to use a clip that we filmed previous to the show and show it as if we were acting outside and then run onto stage through an entrance to make it look as if we were somewhere before but we were actually hiding behind stage. This was useful for our learning because it gave us the opportunity to think of how we can use multimedia in Antigone- the show we will be performing. Therefore this was a good exercise because we then we were able to brainstorm our ideas on how to use technology in the show.

Thursday16th March 2015

Monday 16^th March 2015

QUESTION:  “Within a Theatre production, how does the use of multimedia help in its communication to an audience? What does it add to the piece?"

Multimedia helps to communicate better with the audience in the theatre because it can show them what happens outside of the stage which would be effective and it involves the audience in the piece. Multimedia is used to make theatre more interesting and exciting to watch. If there was for example a voice over to portray someone’s thoughts, it would look great because the person on stage isn’t actually speaking and this will excite the audience. Multimedia adds effect by using the media. It is a different way to approach acting.The National Theatre uses a lot of Multimedia in their performances. Here is a video I watched on projection in travelling light.

http://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/video/video-projection-in-travelling-light

Additional work:

Find a review of a multimedia theatre production and see what Theatre critics have to say.  

I saw on a website (shown below) some views on multimedia used in theatre. I read that some people believe multimedia is a way of being lazy- for example when the actors were changing scenes a black-and-white clip would be shown to cover it up. Also it said “Film footage offered a cheap way of getting crowds on stage”. This shows us that not everybody like theatre that includes multimedia. http://www.theguardian.com/stage/theatreblog/2008/dec/15/theatre-multimedia-rupertgoold-katiemitchell

How we will perform our show:
We were told that we are going to perform our play as a Promenade piece, which means that the performance won't be located in one theatre. Instead, we will perform different scenes around the school. 

Monday16th March 2015

Monday 16^th March 2015- Multimedia lesson

This lesson we looked at the use of multimedia used in theatre. We worked as a whole theatre company with a class of 55. We had many group discussions and talked to each other about ideas and thoughts we had. We also looked at three videos that were about multimedia being used in performances at the Nation Theatre. This was a good opportunity to become more comfortable working with the other class as before when we have worked on previous performances we work as two separate classes.

We discussed multimedia what we could use in our performance. We came up with ideas such as phones, the internet, voice audio, video recorder, camera, art, computers, projectors and a few other ideas. We included this exercise today to help us become aware of multimedia we could incorporate in our performance and get to understand how they would be used effectively in a play especially our show Antigone. As a class we discussed different ways the multimedia could be used in our show Antigone we are going to perform. We had ideas such as; voice overs, previous video recordings that could appear outside of school for example running. We could show on a projector a video of somebody running which would show something they done previously. This would be a good idea for use of multimedia and I have seen it used in plays I have watched before and it has always been performed great. We talked this topic through as a group so we all could get an understanding of what ‘using multimedia in a play’ actually meant and to make sure that everyone was at the same level of understanding. Also this was a good discussion because we got to learn and explore different ways in which we could use multimedia in the play Antigone.

In between our group discussions we got to do some small practical work such as Grandmas footsteps and focus exercises. These little activities were very important for us as actors because it is an important way for us to all connect as a company and be disciplined well so that we can work together as mature adults. These activities for our class were extremely useful and helpful for us all as actors. When we done the exercise where we had to look at something far out of the window, then at something not so far away, and then at look at our hands, it was a good way to understand the environment full of young actors you are in. This exercise was used to get us focussed and relaxed. During this activity the silence was amazing and the class worked excellent together to make it so successful.

Later on in the lesson, we got into groups of 4 and discussed further on how to use multimedia in a performance, especially Antigone. The people in my group were: Jake, Gloria and Cameron. After we discussed our ideas we were allowed half an hour to go and explore the building for places we could use multimedia for our show Antigone. We came up with many places that were quiet such as: near Mrs Nelson’s classroom, near the History and sociology rooms, near some of the science rooms, perhaps in a dance room or a theatre. Also another place we discovered that would be good to record in is the Musical Theatre department, it was relatively quiet and there was no one around apart from some of the students singing in the background. Some outdoor spaces seemed quiet as well for example outside the small canteen.

At the end of the lesson we watched three videos about the National Theatre using multimedia in some of their performances, such as a performance called ‘Waves’. learnt a lot of new things from them videos such as how using multimedia can bring a whole different atmosphere to the piece and make it become so much more realistic for the audience as well as for the actors. Also the video told me that using multimedia is a chance to include more creativity into the piece and it gives the audience a chance to capture life not just on the stage for the characters but outside of the theatre. We watched these videos to understand more on the use of multimedia in shows and why it is effective.

This lesson we very productive and it helped me understand a lot more on multimedia used in theatre then I knew before. I now have some ideas planted in my head to share with the class for next lesson in what we can use for our Greek play, Antigone.