Applying theatre acting techniques to the demands of modern media. Practical work in class with emphasis on the vocal and physical demands of dramatic material designed for television and cinema.
Athena Title
Acting for the Camera
Pre or Corequisite
THEA 3500 and permission of department
Semester Course Offered
Offered every year.
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Student learning Outcomes
To allow students freedom to creatively explore their vocal creation, placement, range, and strength
To further develop student's knowledge of the role which relaxation, breath, articulation, and vocal production play in the development of character, intensity, mood, and style of a performance piece
Through exercises done in and out of class, students shall experience the discipline required to keep the voice strong and pliable as required for performance
Students shall be able to identify and correct specific breath and vocal habits which may be impeding their own growth as a performer and acknowledge the steps which must be taken to improve them
Through the use of scene work and monologues, the students shall become aware of the importance that relaxation, breath, resonance, and articulation have in bringing deeper strength and personal meaning to their performance
Students will be introduced to basic phonetics and the role it plays in researching and learning a stage dialect and will become proficient in the use of three standard stage dialects
Topical Outline
The class time will be divided into two parts. The first half will involve relaxation, breath, and vocal exercises. These exercises will be built upon with each subsequent class session so that upon leaving the course, the student has established a full vocal warmup to be used outside of class. The second part will involve monologue and scene work concentrating on specific vocal goals that have been agreed upon through private meetings between teacher and student. The student shall prepare and perform two monologues and three scenes (final scene requires a dialect.)
There will also be outside reading from the following texts:
Rodenburg, Patsy. The Right to Speak, Routledge, 1992
Rodenburg, Patsy, The Need for Words, Routledge, 1993
Blumenfeld, Robert. Accents: A manual for actors, Limelight, 2000
A. An overview of the vocal process and the mechanics of voice production
1. The Job of the Diaphragm, Vocal Cords, Larynx, and Lungs
B. Freeing the body for breath and vocal expression
1. The Vocal Workout
a. Relaxation Exercises
b. Posture Exercises
c. Breath Exercises
d. Vocal Resonance Exercises
e. Vocal Range Exercises
f. Volume Exercises
g. Vocal Placement Exercises
h. Articulation and Enunciation Exercises
C. Creating sounds for communication
1. Vowels, Creation, and Placement
2. Consonants, Creation, and Placement
3. Phonetics
a. Sounds
b. Symbols
D. Elements of stage dialects
1. Review of Phonetics
2. Researching a Dialect
3. Substituting the Appropriate Phonetic Sounds
4. Marking the Scripts
5. Introduction and Practical Use of Standard Stage Dialect
a. Standard American
b. Southern American
c. British and Cockney Dialects
d. Irish Dialects
E. Monologue (2) and scene (2) work
1. Analysis of Text from a Vocal Perspective
2. Physical Approach to Text
3. Voice/Body/Text Connection
a. Text Analysis through Sound
4. Presentation and Critique of Monologue
5. Final Scene Requires a Dialect
F. Methodology
1. Performance of Two Monologues and Two Scenes with Partner
2. Private Meetings with Professor to Discuss Specific Vocal Habits and Issues
3. Participation in Developmental Exercises
4. In Class and Written Critiques
5. Research and Preparation for Presentations
