Given Circumstances
What is the definition of Given Circumstances?
The Who, What, Where, When, and Why for your character and the scene
What are 3 important elements of blocking?
Levels, Depth, and Proximity
What is the definition of an actor's Objective?
What your character wants from the other people in the scene
What is a definition of a Tactic?
What your character does to achieve their objective
What is an example of the Given Circumstances for a scene?
Example
who: 13 year old girl
when: the year 3000
where: a colony on mars
what: she discovers an endangered alien and has to protect it
why: she has to protect it because there is a law discriminating against these aliens and if she doesn't, he'll be killed
What is a Tableau? And how do you pronounce it?
A Tableau (Tab-low) is a frozen stage picture of actor's bodies in action.
How does an actor phrase their objective?
Why do they phrase it like this?
"I need you to _______"
This gives the actor something to do that connects them to the other people on stage
How does an actor phrase their tactics? Why?
An actor phrases their tactics as strong, simple verbs. So that they are easy to remember and very actionable in the scene.
Name 2 aspects of your character's experience that should be a part of your Given Circumstances
For example, what should you include about your character if you were creating a character sheet?
Possible correct responses:
-Background/backstory
-Relationships
-Personal Beliefs
-Hopes/Desires
-Motivations (why do they do what they do)
Give one reason why blocking is an important part of a scene.
-It tells the audience about the character's relationships
-It helps show the story and the action of what is happening in the scene
-It shows character emotion
Give one example of an objective
Possible correct answers:
I need you to obey me
I need you to listen to me
I need you to leave me in peace
If your objective is "I need you to listen to me" what are 3 tactics you could try to use in the scene?
demand, plead, explain, come clean, block, reveal, temp, etc....
Explain 1 reason why given circumstances are important for truthful acting
Possible correct responses:
-They help the actor understand the character's motivations
-They help the actor understand the character's emotional state
-They help the actor make informed choices about how a character would behave in the scene
What element of blocking is demonstrated in this picture?
Why?
What does that element do for the storytelling of the scene?
PROXIMITY, because one student is set apart from the rest. This helps show that the line of students is on the rollercoaster, and the student sitting to the side is operating the rollercoaster.
Explain one reason why objectives help an actor have a more truthful performance.
Objectives help actors have a more truthful performance, because they get them out of their head and focused on the other people in the scene. This helps them authentically listen, connect and respond to their scene partners.
Explain one reason why tactics help an actor have a more truthful performance
Tactics help an actor have a more truthful performance, because they have a clear action to achieve on stage, rather than trying to pretend to feel an emotion.
Who invented the idea of Given Circumstances, and why did he think it would help actors?
Constantin Stanislavsky, a russian actor and director invented the idea of given circumstances. He thought it would help actors fully embody their role and make their performances more realistic.
What element of blocking is demonstrated in this picture? Why?
What does this element it tell you about the character relationship, story, or power dynamics in the scene?
Possible Answers:
-LEVELS, because the people in the center are on a box, while one person is on the floor. This draws my eye to the people on the box, making me think they have more power, or are more important to the story
-PROXIMITY, because the people on the box are close together, and one person is separate, except for fingers touching. This makes me think that the person on the ground is trying to get onto the box, or is trying to connect with those people in some way.
Read the following lines and create a possible objective for Character A:
A: Do you have a minute?
B: No
A: Please, I really think --
B: Just go away
A: Look, I'm sorry. I don't know what I did to --
B: Forget it
(B storms away)
-I need you to forgive me
-I need you to talk to me
-I need you to explain
-I need you to love me
Read the following scene. Create a list of 3 tactics character B could try, based on the lines they say:
A: Do you have a minute?
B: No
A: Please, I really think --
B: Just go away
A: Look, I'm sorry. I don't know what I did to --
B: Forget it
(B storms away)
Shove, ignore, plead, guilt, slash, belittle, etc. etc. etc