Tuesday, September 29, 2009
- Term 4 Learning Log 2 [Actual Performance] -
Due to the last minute changes before the play itself, most of the actors were unsure of what to do, most were confused, and many questions were asked.
We brought down our props to the music room, where the recording is held. A few adjustments had to be made: we had to inform the teacher that we would be filming from the side instead of the front. The positions were written on the whiteboard and everyone settled down quickly.
Everyone was nervous. This was, of course, easy to understand why. The tension in the music room was so high that smiles were soon gone from our faces. The first to start was the Duke, and I, as Shylock, stepped in slowly.
Our lines started out okay. However, when it came to Portia’s turn, she started to get a little anxious when she seemed to have forgotten her lines. I remembered that Mr Chua said about having to cover for our team members if they happened to forget their lines. After I realised that my line was right after Portia’s, I debated with myself if I should cut in if she stopped for too long. However, our Portia was able to finish the entire speech on mercy, which I found was a great accomplishment, though it was not really that perfect. But her lines were the most difficult to remember, and she also had the most number of lines too, so most of the actors understood her difficulty with the lines.
At one point, the guards seemed to be confused a little. A few of us reminded them about what they had to do, and they quickly went to grab Antonio and tied him up. It was at around this point where I went out of the camera. I forgot that the range of the camera was not wide enough, and I was practically out of the shoot.
The director signalled to me to come in, which I didn’t really notice as he was in my blind spot. It was until he ran to the other side, did I see his signal and moved back into the camera range. I started to get a little nervous at one point, as I was unsure about one of my lines. However, Gratiano helped to confirm my lines by whispering to me, so I went past that part without much problem.
The real problem came near the end. Right after I kneeled down in front of the Duke and said my lines, Portia was supposed to continue and ask Antonio if he would give Shylock mercy. However, Portia skipped that entire part, which caused me to be confused. It took me a while to catch up with what she said, and upon realising that it was my line, I said it out with a questioning look, but tried to hold the questioning tone back.
Then it was Portia’s line again, before it was mine. But I was still lost, so I forgot that I was suppose to say my line. I could hear the other actors calling my name softly, but I was still unsure. However, the Duke kind of saved me by being confused as well, thinking that Portia was signalling to him when she was actually signalling to me… I think…
Anyway, I remembered and said my line after the Duke finished his. I stood up from my place, and I had to walk out of the scene. I walked toward the wrong direction, but Nerissa and Portia corrected me by whispering, and when Gratiano started his line, I walked back in the right direction.
I was utterly disappointed. As soon as I felt that I was out of the camera range, I covered my face with my hands and walked all the way to the whiteboard. The only thing I was worried about was that the camera might have followed me. But when I turned around, it didn’t seem so, so I was a bit relieved.
After hearing that being out of the camera range was not my fault and will not be counted in the score, I felt as if I was saved, as I didn’t cause the entire group to get lesser marks than they should. Most of the team members deserved more marks, and I was in no place to take that away from them.
I can’t really say I enjoyed the entire thing. I was nervous, having to be one of the main roles. After Portia skipped the last part, I committed a lot of mistakes, and I prayed that the long silence I made would create an air of sympathy instead of awkwardness.
After everything, everyone knew that they were in no place to blame anyone of the actors. Instead, most of the actors blamed that director for changing the plan in the last minute.
{809 words}
We brought down our props to the music room, where the recording is held. A few adjustments had to be made: we had to inform the teacher that we would be filming from the side instead of the front. The positions were written on the whiteboard and everyone settled down quickly.
Everyone was nervous. This was, of course, easy to understand why. The tension in the music room was so high that smiles were soon gone from our faces. The first to start was the Duke, and I, as Shylock, stepped in slowly.
Our lines started out okay. However, when it came to Portia’s turn, she started to get a little anxious when she seemed to have forgotten her lines. I remembered that Mr Chua said about having to cover for our team members if they happened to forget their lines. After I realised that my line was right after Portia’s, I debated with myself if I should cut in if she stopped for too long. However, our Portia was able to finish the entire speech on mercy, which I found was a great accomplishment, though it was not really that perfect. But her lines were the most difficult to remember, and she also had the most number of lines too, so most of the actors understood her difficulty with the lines.
At one point, the guards seemed to be confused a little. A few of us reminded them about what they had to do, and they quickly went to grab Antonio and tied him up. It was at around this point where I went out of the camera. I forgot that the range of the camera was not wide enough, and I was practically out of the shoot.
The director signalled to me to come in, which I didn’t really notice as he was in my blind spot. It was until he ran to the other side, did I see his signal and moved back into the camera range. I started to get a little nervous at one point, as I was unsure about one of my lines. However, Gratiano helped to confirm my lines by whispering to me, so I went past that part without much problem.
The real problem came near the end. Right after I kneeled down in front of the Duke and said my lines, Portia was supposed to continue and ask Antonio if he would give Shylock mercy. However, Portia skipped that entire part, which caused me to be confused. It took me a while to catch up with what she said, and upon realising that it was my line, I said it out with a questioning look, but tried to hold the questioning tone back.
Then it was Portia’s line again, before it was mine. But I was still lost, so I forgot that I was suppose to say my line. I could hear the other actors calling my name softly, but I was still unsure. However, the Duke kind of saved me by being confused as well, thinking that Portia was signalling to him when she was actually signalling to me… I think…
Anyway, I remembered and said my line after the Duke finished his. I stood up from my place, and I had to walk out of the scene. I walked toward the wrong direction, but Nerissa and Portia corrected me by whispering, and when Gratiano started his line, I walked back in the right direction.
I was utterly disappointed. As soon as I felt that I was out of the camera range, I covered my face with my hands and walked all the way to the whiteboard. The only thing I was worried about was that the camera might have followed me. But when I turned around, it didn’t seem so, so I was a bit relieved.
After hearing that being out of the camera range was not my fault and will not be counted in the score, I felt as if I was saved, as I didn’t cause the entire group to get lesser marks than they should. Most of the team members deserved more marks, and I was in no place to take that away from them.
I can’t really say I enjoyed the entire thing. I was nervous, having to be one of the main roles. After Portia skipped the last part, I committed a lot of mistakes, and I prayed that the long silence I made would create an air of sympathy instead of awkwardness.
After everything, everyone knew that they were in no place to blame anyone of the actors. Instead, most of the actors blamed that director for changing the plan in the last minute.
{809 words}
-{ these words were written at 3:55 AM }--{ the soft replies came from 0 strangers }-
