Assignment 4a

As I am still formulating my Inquiry I have posed four question( more to come later).
Be it artist, dancer, actor, we all face physical and mental challenges in the pursuit of our craft. Although my questions are directed to actors, I feel they easily can apply to anyone going through the creative process.

1. Nerves: do you get them during the creative process/ performance? Are they help or hindrance?
2. When asked, some actors say they fear "being found out." What does this mean to you?
3. What does it mean to you to " to be in the moment." ?
4. What does it mean to you to be a "professional" actor?

The right to write.

I have just sold my first script. It is a short film made by a dept of the BBC  that will go into production end of June (fingers crossed).
Of course my involvement in the project is over. I was brought on board as the writer and have fulfilled my duties...or so I thought.
The director was very happy with the final draft. She passed it amongst friends, and the criticism started to flow in. I say flow but it was more of a trickle, as no one had big problems with the story, only minor ones.
My first reaction to these comments was one of a defensive position. I felt these were opinions of people that had yet to write a cohesive script of their own.
However on reflection, I saw these as the views of a "test audience" and recognised the value of such.
The director has now shown the script to a few people in the profession, and I await that feedback.
All this feedback will no doubt result in a re-write.
I realise this is all part of the process, however, for a writer it is slightly frustrating. It feels like story by committee. As a writer, you create a story: beginning, middle, end. You create pace. You navigate through a journey with your characters. So, it is alarming when someone else grabs the steering wheel.
I remember the actor Pierce Brosnan, in an interview, told this story.
He had just finished a film, where he played a North American Indian. The film's closing reel depicted the indian's death.
The film was screened before a test audience and the feedback was thus: The audience liked the film, but did not like the ending.
Why? They were asked.
The reply : Because he can't die... he's James Bond.

I feel for the writer on that one.

Best of times. Worst of times.

Had a great audition for a commercial. The premise was that I was to be a man who had just knocked down a motorcyclist. I had to react accordingly.
By the end of the audition, the casting director said she had a lump in her throat.
I took this to mean I had a shot (though this is no guarantee).
My agent emailed me to confirm I had the part.
On the day of filming the commercial was shot from the motorcyclists perspective. This meant no one else would be seen. However the director had a change of heart. And so I found myself centre stage. I was directed through my scene and we filmed about six variation.
It was great to be on set with a crew of 30+ watching on as my scene was shot. Extras were used in the background and the public were kept at the ends of the street. The responsibility to deliver was both frightening and exhilarating.
I went home, feeling I had achieved something.
However a week later, my agent got a letter saying I had done a great job, but didn't make the final edit.
I feel disappointed and frustrated.
I have gone over it in my mind. But the bottom line is, if I let it get to me then Im in the wrong profession.
Take a breath. Stay calm. Move on.

3c Information Gathering.

In any profession, information is a valuable commodity and necessary to the survival of a business.

As an Actor/Writer, I am gathering new information all the time.

The Internet

The internet is my main source of information for a few reasons : It's fast access, a wealth of information at your finger tips, and from a writing point of view much of my research is done in isolation.
For Acting, the internet connects me to websites such as Spotlight and Casting Call Pro. These sites directly supply me with the opportunity to audition or find out about the latest productions.
Also as a historical database,
It aids me in character research.
You tube has a series of actor interviews "In the Actors Studio" which seek to understand the individual performers and their craft.

Books and Magazines

These are another source of information. Books such as "Contacts" and the weekly newspaper "The Stage", give you correspondence info for Agents and Casting Directors.
"The Stage" does this albeit in a smaller capacity. However it does keep you abreast of new productions, new directors on the scene, forthcoming workshops, and news of government legislation that directly affects the arts.

Personal Interaction.

I remember our Principal at Drama School saying " start getting use to pubs and coffee shops, because that is where most business is conducted."

Meetings in person are always the best source of information. You can discuss in real-time. And just as importantly you can see the person, see their body language .Just by getting a visual sense of someone, is a form of information gathering.
Production meetings are at there most fruitful when done face to face. It makes the meeting more relaxed, ,more conversational.

Writing.

Be it a notebook, a computer-come- word processor, or at a push my phone: All are used to store information.
For writing I always  carry a pocket notebook. I use my phone as a notepad and, if Im away from a computer I use it to write this blog. Even If I continue work on another platform later, I use what is available at the time.
I also keep a folder full of handouts from classes and workshops. These are can then reference, as need be.

I think my system of gathering information is affective.  I believe I pretty much have the same system as my peers/collegues. Indeed it was on another actors recommendation that I set up a Twitter account.
I have recently discovered that another actor keeps in contact with the theatres she has toured, as these often have their own companies.
I would like to be more organised in my approach to information gathering. My physical paper trail needs to be more efficient. I also think there are still elements of internet research that I am wary of. Begin selective in what information is relevant to my needs, and verifying said informations authenticity, are areas Id like to improve.

3b continued.

As actors are we not "playing detective" searching for the meaning, that resides within the text? We discuss, we explore. But  the meaning is out there just waiting for us to identify with it?
I'd like to think so. However, as we discuss the text, I am surely drawing on my own experience of reality, imagining, and reforming my understanding of that reality. I then present this to the group, who go through a process of accepting, discounting or embelishing on it.The work is internalised. As an actor I search within to find meaning for the external world. Is this not Constructivism ?

Connectivism

Connectivism, from what I can make out is state of learning, where the foundations of knowledge are constantly evolving. This knowledge is not just drawn from the individuals in a network, but also from external data ie The Internet. The rate at which the knowledge is acquired, is speedy. The desire to have the latest knowledge, high.
This definitely ties in with my professional network.
There are always new opinions on acting, that need to be acknowledge. Opinions can turn into trends. Trends can turn into established practice (for a period of time, anyway).
These acting theories are discussed in the network. It is an even playing field. Any one view can affect the shaping of the knowledge, influence the learning.

All three theories draw on experience to facilitate learning. Constructivism and Objectivism seek internal and external truth. Definitive meaning.
Whilst Connectivism recognises that knowledge as a foundation is constantly reshaping. Meaning is constantly redefined.

So, where do I stand with these theories in my networking practice. Somewhere between all three, if truth be told.
I believe knowledge resides inside the individual. It is shaped by our experiences and interaction with the world around us.
I also believe that the average knowledge we need to function within our chosen profession is vast and ever updating. I cannot contain it all, so I defer some of that responsibility to the Internet and to my friends. Both are recpeticals of knowledge that can be accessed at a later time.
Lastly I like to believe that certain working practices are exercises in investigation, and that learning can be achieved by just asking the right questions.

That's not what I wrote.

Recently wrote the script for The London 48hr Sci Fi Film Challenge. Basically you are given a title, a line of dialogue, and a prop. You then have to produce a finished film in 48 hours.
The director was using Stage combat trained actors, so she said I had to include a chase and a fight (two things I'm loathed to put in a short film, because they take up precious storytelling time. While a chase or fight is taking place effectively the story stops. It only starts again with the outcome of said chase or fight.
Unfortunately a timed film challenge is a series of compromises. Due to time, actors were not able to learn all the lines, so some important ones were cut. Then some vital shots were not secured, and of course this was all before the editor got to work.
At the time I felt frustrated and, yes, angry. Now I have excepted that on a timed film challenge, the first casualty is the script..
So what is on screen is my story, just not necessarily told the way I would have liked. Oh well.
 http://vimeo.com/63572559

Task 3b Reflection on Networking

Network.
A network is system for support or gain, for sustainability or advancement.
Cooperation.
I found the information on Game Theory, as an aspect of networking, very interesting. Especially the "Prisoner's Dilemma " scenario.
Axelrod's theory : people will cooperate fully with others, until they reach a point of maximum benefit, and then defect.
This is at the heart of my reluctance to network.
The idea that people want your association purely for what they may gain from the connection, I find a little cold.
The added fact that the connection may be severed at a time the associate deems your value to the network, obsolete, I find even colder.
But if I think about it, is this not what I do?
There are people in my current network that are simply there because I place a value on their connections, their experience. It's not that I dislike them, I don't know them. Similarly at the beginning of a new year, I cull my social network (Facebook). It's not a stretch to think there may come a time I do the same to my profession network.
I need to get my head around the fact that this is an acceptable practice. I need to overcome my sense of guilt (born from the belief that I am partaking in an exercise in exploitation.) And, realise my aversion to the act of defection, probably stems from  my fear/frustration of being abandoned myself.
Affiliation
There are two theories for affiliation.
Social Comparison Theory.
Theory of Social Exchange.
Social Comparison Theory states "to know ourselves and better understand our place in social environment is to compare ourselves to others." (social psychology psy 403. Zee Pedia web page.)
This rings true with my learning experience at drama school. It was encouraged that we should strive to be the best we could be, not just the best in the school. However, living in a microcosm of 60 students everyday, it was inevitable our desire to out shine one another would feel like an immediate priority. We were also encouraged to critique other performances as long as it was constructive. By observing others, studying their strengths and weakness in technique, I was able to gauge where I stood as a performer.
If someone had good stagecraft, I would learn from them. It was just as important to recognise bad acting. If you can identify it, you should have the sense not to produce something similar in quality.
All this was only possible by first being affiliated with the group. That is, I had to be a member of the group to establish where I stood in my learning and ability. This would not have been achievable from a position of solitude.
Theory of social exchange.
George Hormans (1958) stated that "all social relationships are like economic bargains in which each party places a value on the goods they exchange with one another."
I certainly place a value on what I do as a performer, both artistically and financially (I have to eat).
Truth be told, I do try to distance myself from the monetary aspect. I have this wacky notion it's about the art. This means when I am involved in a project as an actor, the value I place on my work is high. I believe I can be professional in attitude, consistent- yet -flexible, and ultimately deliver what the director is looking for. OK, this last one comes with its fair share of self doubt and fear. But the principle is sound and so to is the desire to deliver. When I join a network and announce "I am an actor", I am placing a value on my craft and recognising others may do the same.
But, it is a two way street. I also place a value on the work of those I connect with. I may target certain people/projects because : I have always wanted to act this part, in this theatre, with that director, that actor etc.
I place a value on the experience I will gain from the collaboration.
Also my engagement with people in my network differs from person to person.
I am by nature a private person. Therefore I first thought my levels of interaction fell under that banner. However the more I reflect on my practice in this matter, the more I am convinced my level of engagement is based on a value scale. I think it is human nature to gravitate towards people who have similar opinions to you, and on a physiological level, have an empathy with you.
This of course, in part, is the attraction of my professional network. But also the more value I place on an interaction, the more I will engage in said interaction. Likewise if someone values the association and I see little in it at that time, I may limit my correspondence.
I stress "at that time" because the level of affiliation with an individual is always in a state of flux. I do this with all my network. It is done almost instinctively, however as my explanation shows, it is actually a carefully implemented strategy, based on physiological need, and the desire for relevant knowledge to serve my current need, and ultimately, advancement.
I recently tweeted an established actor with an acting practice question. The actor is currently busy in LA, filming. Yet he took the time to impart some knowledge.
If I tweeted him again I may not get a response. Within the dynamic of this exchange, the another person would dictate the level of interaction .
I will just end this section by saying I have made my affiliation/networking sound quite brutal and business-like. I still act for the thrill of it, and enjoy collaborating, gaining knowledge and connecting with other people in the profession, for the same reason. It's just now, after reflection, I realise there are more motives at work.

"I reject your reality, and substitute it with one of my own."   Adam Savage. Myth Busters.

Constructivism, Objectivism, Connectivism.

I love the quote above, because I think it's what acting is all about. As actors on a stage, do we not create a world, a reality, that differs to the reality outside the theater?  But, one that echos the human experience, the search for meaning in the world around us.

Constructivism

Constructivism suggests that learners  create knowledge as they attempt to understand their experience. (Driscoll 2000)

Objectivism

The notion that truth and meaning resides in the object independently of any consciousness, and that appropriate methods of inquiry can bring us accurate and certain knowledge of that truth.

Both theories are quite frankly, way over my head. Do I favour one above the other? How do I apply them to my network?
Well, first off, I'm not going to view it in terms of my broader network. Instead I will approach it from a smaller network : a theater company. If my professional network is the internet, then a company of actors is an intranet. This doesn't mean that it is a loop of knowledge - just the sum of its members. No because, as the actors all work through a text, old knowledge is challenged( through experience : rehearsal), and new knowledge is born. The company as a network evolves through it's interaction with one another. Many times I have been in rehearsal and the director has said "just play with the text." The performers would then experiment, and new meaning in the text could be realized.
However, I think this can only be achieved if the individual has some knowledge of the world and meaning , already at their disposal. And surely, that basic knowledge must be the general consensus of the company, the immediate network. Otherwise we are in an "Adam Savage" situation where my understanding of reality, isn't necessarily yours. I think this fundamental knowledge is what we build our broader understanding on. Does that new learning then become the definitive knowledge?
I do believe that I need to experience more of the world around me, if I am to become a better actor. This also means engaging more with my network. Indeed, since I started this project I have been conversing with many old contacts and establishing quite a few new ones. I have also joined a writers group (purely as an actor) as a means to platform my acting, to a new selection of writers and directors.

OK. Constructivism I can get behind. It's inherent in my practice as an actor, and has been a way of gaining knowledge and understanding, all my adult life (whether I knew it or not).
However, there s a quality in Objectivism, that I find quite seductive. I think it is because as a child you are taught that knowledge can be found within the pages of a text book. Ink on the page, makes it ,concrete, unchanging, definitive. As a child I thought all knowledge, the only knowledge, was held in the encyclopedias at home. And the only new discoveries were being made by astronauts. Of course, as I grew I realised, discovery - knowledge - meaning, was changing at a quicker rate than the Earth turned.
Wind forward : 2009. Drama school. Acting Text class. What does the teacher tell us?
"The author has served you well. Everything you need to know is in the text. You just have to find it."
Is this not Objectivism?