ACTING FOR T.V. AND FILM
with Roy Hanney

Many of our students these days are looking to work in the film and T.V. media, involving the complexities of the relevant techniques. Here was an ideal opportunity for those of us who have not had the experience ourselves to learn something about the different acting techniques needed.

In the University TV Studio, Roy Hanney, who has taught Media Production at Chichester University since 2003, gave us detailed information about camera skills and explained the building, through script and storyboard with the added importance of sound images, to create the depth of the scenes. This introduced a different concept; although some information was easy to follow it required the addition of some diagrams - and more practical aids would have helped.

The 15 minutes or so of Michael Caine’s DVD Master Class for actors in this field was not only entertaining but demonstrated clearly the techniques to be acquired. It showed the need for subtlety and strong awareness of ‘eye-lines’ with reaction as the key.

As a novice I was intrigued by the process of creating film and longed for the opportunity to experiment with script and camera. Would I be able to keep to the ‘mark’? Could I sustain the strong ‘eye-line’ ? Would I maintain the all-important reaction even ‘off camera’? Unfortunately, through a ‘technical hitch’, there was no camera available and the workshop element was denied us. So I shall probably never know! However we were offered a taste of the workings of film and T.V. to pass on to our students.
Judy Buchanan, Horsted Keynes, West Sussex

VOCAL HUSBANDRY: Putting the goodness back into your speech garden
with Annie Morrison

Annie Morrison is a visiting lecturer on several BA and MA courses including the MA Voice Studies course at Central School. She runs workshops on articulation and effective strategies for dysfunctional voice and speech issues. She is a voice consultant for the RSC, The National Theatre and Actors of Dionysus. I must admit the title of this session mystified me. What were we to expect? I certainly could not imagine the two hours of practical advice, exercises and enjoyment that Annie gave us.

We began with simple exercises: stretching until we groaned, breathing in and out whilst keeping our eyes on our finger tips, doing “doggy wiggles”, and imagining we were “flour sifters”, allowing the flour to fall on our heads and sift through our bodies.

Then came the fun exercises!  We became bunny rabbits!  We sniffed away, with our mouths open, baring our teeth and gazing around looking for predators and then pricking up our ears to hear them coming. After a short spell of this many of us said we felt more awake and alert.

We then discussed the importance of the tongue in speech, and how we can recognise someone who is tongue-tied by the heart shape of the tongue when protruding. In some cases an operation is needed but this is often followed by a lazy tongue which can be helped with exercises.

We did various facial massages  with our fingers to help our sinuses, with many of us feeling an immediate effect.

Finally, Annie explained to us her own invention of “heavenly water” - cleaning our teeth with our tongues and circling the inside of our cheeks with the tongue twenty times which results in introducing a large amount of saliva in the mouth.  Anne then instructed us to swallow a small amount of saliva, followed by a second and then the remainder. This action had a lubricating effect and helped to inhibit the constant desire to clear one’s throat.

This report can only briefly describe the vast amount of advice and knowledge on breathing and speech techniques that Annie conveyed to us, whilst guiding our participation in the various exercises. In spite of intense concentration during this session, I know that many of us felt more alive and energised at the end. We were all very grateful to Annie and felt that we would have liked to spend a term with her instead of only two hours – her humour was infectious.
Yvonne Brooker, Epsom Downs, Surrey

AUDITIONING
with Sarah Hughes

Sarah Hughes ran the auditioning workshop at this year’s Conference. Sarah was Alan Ayckbourn’s casting director for seventeen years until his retirement in April 2009. During this time she cast world premieres of his plays at the Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough, in the West End, at the National Theatre and on Broadway. She continues to work for Alan. She is currently working for the Entertainment Department of the BBC, where series include Jonathan Creek, Strange, The Crouches and Love Soup to name a few. Other freelance work includes teaching, lecturing and working on plays produced by West Yorkshire Playhouse and the Theatre Royal, Northampton.

Sarah structured the workshop around what she would expect to see during an audition whether for a part in a performance or for entrance to Drama colleges. The selection is important as the pieces must be suitable. The selection must be a viable piece of script and can be a contemporary piece and the delivery should be convincing and natural. To make it natural and believable Sarah looks at the focus, the energy, storytelling, the shape and the commitment. It helps to keep changing the delivery when rehearsing to prevent the piece becoming stale. Sarah suggested that audition pieces should be viewed as a “calling card” for inclusion with the CV and photograph. During the audition use limited movement, props and costume. What she concentrates on is the voicing and interpretation of the selected pieces. Namely do I believe you? Do I find it interesting? What am I getting from it?

Finally to all would be actors, if that’s what you want to be, you should be working every day. If you are not acting, you should be rehearsing, attending workshops or updating audition pieces.
Joyce W Mitchell, Glasgow, Scotland

STSD SUSSEX CONFERENCE DINNER 2009
(Reception and pre-dinner drinks sponsored by London College of Music and Drama)

"Good Evening Ladies and Gentlemen, 'tis a fine night to sup in this wondrous hall."

What a warm and cordial welcome we were given on our arrival at the Mediaeval Vicars’ Hall, which is part of the immaculately refurbished Cloisters Complex of Chichester Cathedral! STSD Student Members Arzhia Habibi and Matthew Needham, wearing Elizabethan Costumes and holding aloft an STSD banner of welcome, graciously greeted every guest to this stunning, ancient, grade 1 listed building, which was to provide the venue for our Conference Dinner on Saturday evening.

"Gentle sir, thy face doth illuminate the heavens", declared Arzhia and I knew I’d arrived at the right place. The ladies were greeted with a chivalrous "Good evening fair maid, ist thou here for tonight's wondrous banquet?" Unswervingly maintaining their Shakespearean characters and allowing us a few seemingly anachronistic photographs, they then indicated with sweeping gesture the ancient doorway to the Vicars’ Hall.

"Prithee young sire, let us escort you to your seat". I was still heading in the right direction!

Youth Member Katherine Dole, cutting a beautiful picture, dressed in Elizabethan costume (thanks to the magnificent craftsmanship of her mother Susan Dole who made all the Elizabethan Costumes) and her character befitting the Stratford-upon-Avon stage, escorted me by the hand up the stairs and into the restaurant for my pre-dinner drink.

With its historic ambiance, mediaeval architecture and idyllic location, being overlooked by the imposing steeple of the Cathedral, the Vicars’ Hall proved an inspired choice by the Conference Committee.

Whilst sipping a pre-dinner drink of red or white wine in our gorgeous dresses and tailored suits (as well as a fine-looking Gregan Davis in his arresting Scottish kilt – Red Ross tartan), conversation flowed, before we were eventually called to be seated for dinner. Each table bore the title of a Shakespeare play. Grace was said by David Henty before a delicious starter of Avocado Mousse, or Medley of Wild Mushrooms for vegetarians - our first course. This was followed by a very tender and tasty Breast of Duck, or Red Pepper Tarte Tatin for vegetarians. The sweet was an exquisite Espresso Panna Cotta and this excellent meal was completed with coffee and mints.

After dinner, the Loyal Toast was proposed by the Hon. Vice-Chairman of STSD Kaye Topping Smith. A Toast to The Society of Teachers of Speech and Drama was then proposed by the Chichester Conference Chairman Sheila Nye and the Reply given by the International Hon. Chairman of STSD Felicity Amor.

Our after-dinner speaker was John Radford, writer, broadcaster and wine consultant with more than 40 years’ experience in the food and, particularly, the wine industry. He spoke passionately on the subject “Broadcasting as a Performing Art”.
   
The evening passed all too quickly, before we found ourselves walking past the strikingly illuminated Cathedral to our coach, which conveyed us back to the University. The conversation en route recalled an excellent and truly memorable evening.
David Henty, Hastings, Sussex

Click the next page below to read a report and thank-you from the studuents who were ararded John Holgate Bursaries.

Click here to learn more about the STSD Summer Conference in 2010.

CLICK HERE TO READ REPORTS ON THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY FEBRUARY 2010