From the Reading: Notes on Directing through 10/26

Why should the director know as much as possible about as many things as possible?

How is the actor’s responsibility to assimilate into any culture or situation, depending on the role, similar to the director’s responsibility to know as much as possible about as many things as possible?

Step 1: Interpret the script.
How should the director read the script?
3 times
Once as an audience member
Paying attention to what each scene is about and how the action is revealed through dialog and movements
With a pencil in hand-blocking, important passages, ideas, ANNOATIONS

What combination of seeing and hearing does a director need to focus on?

Composition: Just like ART class or PHOTOGRAPHY
-The visual picture of the stage should be pleasing to the audience
-Balance

Picturization: what is it?
-What are some basic patterns of movement that directors can use?

Psychology
-Explain the magnet metaphor
-How does that relate to the set design?
-How does the set design relate to the psychology of the actors

Gaining Epmphasis
-Why is it easier for a television or screen director to direct the audience’s attention to something than a stage director?
-Movement-How can moving help or hinder a play?
-Height-how can a director alter the height of an actor (without just choosing tall/short actors)
-Body position-what positions are most powerful?
-Stage location-What locations on the stage are best to get the audience’s attention?
-Sound-speakers, silence, cue
-Light-why does this help?
-Line of sight
*Why do people tend to start top left, look across and then down from the left again?
*How does knowing this help the director?
*How can the director get the audience’s attention to one actor without having every other actor staring at the target-actor?

Contrast-difference stands out

Rehearsals-what is important? What must be considered?
-Prompt book? You’re going to need one-each of you!
-What should be in it?
-How are you going to create yours?