I have posted up over 100 entries in this blog and none of them really have anything profound to say. Except the stuff written by others. Well, that's an exaggeration, I believe. I might have said something wise or profound or at the very least something that sparked some sort of thought, but I won't know if my words did have any sort of effect on anyone other than me.
I moved myself to move and try not to be such a shitty writer. A task easier said than done.
By that I mean: sometimes, I look over older entries and realize that there are errors in mechanics (repetition, punctuation, improper sentence formation, grammar) and content ("Did I really write this? What the fuck was I thinking?") in general.
it's fun but it gets annoying having to read on and catch myself making mistakes. Still, it gives me something to ponder as I try to formulate the next topic I'll write about.
Friday, January 27, 2012
... Yellow Leather
When discussion came as to how to approach the play, my director said she'd require accents. My castmembers picked Irish and English. I (being unable to do either of those accents) went with the accent that I could barely do. Why? Because I can't seem to do either of those previously mentioned accents and because I started with Scottish (albeit accidentally) so it seemed right to continue with it.
I can say (with some degree of certainty and without fear of contradiction) that my Scottish accent has improved: it doesn't suck as bad as that audition day. In addition to my somewhat improved accent, my dedication to has shot up. At least it's noticeable to me in how I prepared for this role. For previous roles I had, the research and application of said research was minimal (in comparison, and even on its own). This time around, I spent more time focusing on this role even though it wasn't a lead or starring role or anything of the sort. I think at one point, I said, "This [is] more of a glorified extra." Of course, this was in jest; there are no extras in theater, and I was kidding.
I would insert an explanation about how even the parts with the fewest lines contribute to the overall quality of the play and write some analogy about cogs and small pieces in a great big machine but from the proposal to write about said analogy, I've already done it and to write at further length would accomplish two things: create a long run-on sentence, and drive the point into submission to the point of redundancy. But I'll do it anyway. Sort of.
Any collaborative effort is like a pyramid in which there must be a strong foundation, the same with a machine: which is made up of many many many parts. In order for said pyramid, or machine, to stand or function correctly, every bit must work well, in unison and so forth. As such, even the role with the least amount of lines can and often does contribute to the overall play/film/etc. If the role with the least lines falters, this brings everyone else down. You've noticed this, too, in any movie you have ever seen. The weakest link tends to drag the quality down considerably. I may be but a cog in this great machine but that doesn't mean I'll give it less than my best; I don't want to let the side down. They've given a lot of their time and energy into creating this so it would be a great insult to not deliver my best possible performance or dedication.
My focus in preparation included watching Trainspotting over and over, as well as other films and programmes that feature many Scots. The point of this was to figure out a decent Scottish accent that approached authenticity and didn't sound like a total caricature. This is a bit of an impossibility at this point because I have almost no experience with accents other than goofing around, which doesn't actually count. That being said, while I tried to approach verisimilitude, I still sound like a caricature. And for that, I apologize.
How did I study and develop my (take on the) Scottish accent? Firstly, I thought of any shred of contact I had with Scotland or anything Scottish. Some of the things that came to mind immediately were "Ach!", bagpipes, Sean Connery, Ewan McGregor, Susan Boyle, and the Loch Ness monster. After filtering things out, I decided to listen to various people try their accent. Fellow actors, film/tv actors, actual Scottish people and so on and so forth. I decide to focus on the trends in their speech: how hard or soft the R and L sounds were. Where certain sounds dipped and raised, which syllables and words one leaned in, and so forth.
By noticing trends in how certain words are spoken and so forth, I managed to form a wide and large patchwork of sounds ranging from a young Sean Connery, just about every character in Trainspotting, and Billy Connolly, as well as Fat Bastard from the Austin Powers movies. From there, I started to narrow down my choices and options as well as recognizing my limitations. The final product has received a strange reception. One that pisses me off to no end but for which I am grateful because it gives me an idea of what to improve on. Of course, I'm still pretty pissed because I spent so much time working on it. Oh well, at least nobody has said it was bad or horrible or just plain shite.
The accent was the most difficult part and the most fun.
The rest of the stuff sort of fell into place on its own through means of fairly extensive research regarding police procedures of the 19th century, fashion of the time (especially with facial hair and hair). That in turn led me to shave my goatee, leaving only my mustache. And I started smoking again, using a pipe, even though I'm not allowed to smoke on-stage in any way, shape, or form. I then stopped smoking after the last performance.
Some will point out that I did too much preparation for a part that only speaks for a minute in total. And that I shouldn't have done so much but I don't care for that sort of talk. And I refer you to my little spiel about machines.
I can say (with some degree of certainty and without fear of contradiction) that my Scottish accent has improved: it doesn't suck as bad as that audition day. In addition to my somewhat improved accent, my dedication to has shot up. At least it's noticeable to me in how I prepared for this role. For previous roles I had, the research and application of said research was minimal (in comparison, and even on its own). This time around, I spent more time focusing on this role even though it wasn't a lead or starring role or anything of the sort. I think at one point, I said, "This [is] more of a glorified extra." Of course, this was in jest; there are no extras in theater, and I was kidding.
I would insert an explanation about how even the parts with the fewest lines contribute to the overall quality of the play and write some analogy about cogs and small pieces in a great big machine but from the proposal to write about said analogy, I've already done it and to write at further length would accomplish two things: create a long run-on sentence, and drive the point into submission to the point of redundancy. But I'll do it anyway. Sort of.
Any collaborative effort is like a pyramid in which there must be a strong foundation, the same with a machine: which is made up of many many many parts. In order for said pyramid, or machine, to stand or function correctly, every bit must work well, in unison and so forth. As such, even the role with the least amount of lines can and often does contribute to the overall play/film/etc. If the role with the least lines falters, this brings everyone else down. You've noticed this, too, in any movie you have ever seen. The weakest link tends to drag the quality down considerably. I may be but a cog in this great machine but that doesn't mean I'll give it less than my best; I don't want to let the side down. They've given a lot of their time and energy into creating this so it would be a great insult to not deliver my best possible performance or dedication.
My focus in preparation included watching Trainspotting over and over, as well as other films and programmes that feature many Scots. The point of this was to figure out a decent Scottish accent that approached authenticity and didn't sound like a total caricature. This is a bit of an impossibility at this point because I have almost no experience with accents other than goofing around, which doesn't actually count. That being said, while I tried to approach verisimilitude, I still sound like a caricature. And for that, I apologize.
How did I study and develop my (take on the) Scottish accent? Firstly, I thought of any shred of contact I had with Scotland or anything Scottish. Some of the things that came to mind immediately were "Ach!", bagpipes, Sean Connery, Ewan McGregor, Susan Boyle, and the Loch Ness monster. After filtering things out, I decided to listen to various people try their accent. Fellow actors, film/tv actors, actual Scottish people and so on and so forth. I decide to focus on the trends in their speech: how hard or soft the R and L sounds were. Where certain sounds dipped and raised, which syllables and words one leaned in, and so forth.
By noticing trends in how certain words are spoken and so forth, I managed to form a wide and large patchwork of sounds ranging from a young Sean Connery, just about every character in Trainspotting, and Billy Connolly, as well as Fat Bastard from the Austin Powers movies. From there, I started to narrow down my choices and options as well as recognizing my limitations. The final product has received a strange reception. One that pisses me off to no end but for which I am grateful because it gives me an idea of what to improve on. Of course, I'm still pretty pissed because I spent so much time working on it. Oh well, at least nobody has said it was bad or horrible or just plain shite.
The accent was the most difficult part and the most fun.
The rest of the stuff sort of fell into place on its own through means of fairly extensive research regarding police procedures of the 19th century, fashion of the time (especially with facial hair and hair). That in turn led me to shave my goatee, leaving only my mustache. And I started smoking again, using a pipe, even though I'm not allowed to smoke on-stage in any way, shape, or form. I then stopped smoking after the last performance.
Some will point out that I did too much preparation for a part that only speaks for a minute in total. And that I shouldn't have done so much but I don't care for that sort of talk. And I refer you to my little spiel about machines.
Saturday, January 21, 2012
January
January is a month that was occupied with a lot of theater and the gathering of ideas as well as trying to figure out what the hell to do with the rest of the year. Call it planning. As such, I haven't posted as many entries as I intended. Could be worse, I suppose.
The wheels are still turning. A steady output of content will be coming soon.
The blog will remain blacked out until the SOPA vote. I may change how it's blacked out once I figure out how. Until then, write to your congress representative and well, the next course of action should be self-explanatory. And visit this site. americancensorship.org
Edit- January 26, 2012: The blog is no longer blacked out.
Thanks.
The wheels are still turning. A steady output of content will be coming soon.
The blog will remain blacked out until the SOPA vote. I may change how it's blacked out once I figure out how. Until then, write to your congress representative and well, the next course of action should be self-explanatory. And visit this site. americancensorship.org
Edit- January 26, 2012: The blog is no longer blacked out.
Thanks.
Monday, January 9, 2012
Lifting and Setting Down Each Foot in Turn
More often than not, I find myself walking a range of distances, alone. This is partly by choice and due to the fact that few people want to be around me for extended periods of time, willingly. That's fine by me; I've reached a point where I simply say "meh" to just about everything, including that particular brand of ostracism. In fact, I'm at a point where I'm used to it and generally expect it, for the most part. Some would say, "Oh! How ghastly!" to either: me being shunned (with malice or otherwise, who the hell knows or cares?) or my willingness to be off on my own. But I eloquently respond: meh.
On these walks, time seems to slow down and I absorb more than just sunlight and air. I focus on the sounds and sights though they tend to be mainly buildings and cars passing by. Then this phenomena gets deeper and deeper. I start to notice an abundance of a particular color or sounds that seem to be distant. Sure, they're ordinary sights and sounds but in some sort of isolation you tend to focus because you have no other choice. That's to say that there is no other alternative but to pay attention. I would probably listen to music during these walks if I had the chance but I don't have a portable music player on me anymore: a double-edged sword in various respects. Negatively, I grow bored or can't escape certain situations as easily. Positively, I can pay more attention to what is around me which in turn is another double-edged sword and another story, for another time.
On these walks, time seems to slow down and I absorb more than just sunlight and air. I focus on the sounds and sights though they tend to be mainly buildings and cars passing by. Then this phenomena gets deeper and deeper. I start to notice an abundance of a particular color or sounds that seem to be distant. Sure, they're ordinary sights and sounds but in some sort of isolation you tend to focus because you have no other choice. That's to say that there is no other alternative but to pay attention. I would probably listen to music during these walks if I had the chance but I don't have a portable music player on me anymore: a double-edged sword in various respects. Negatively, I grow bored or can't escape certain situations as easily. Positively, I can pay more attention to what is around me which in turn is another double-edged sword and another story, for another time.
Red leather...
I often read about the production of films in more than just the technical aspects. What interests me is the creative elements. I'm referring namely to the things actors do to prepare for their roles.
Some actors lose or gain a lot of weight for their roles. Others learn new skills altogether. And some are so fiercely dedicated that they lose friends, their mind, and greatly endanger their health. In these categories, you find the likes of Daniel Day-Lewis, Dustin Hoffman, and Robert DeNiro, many among others.
I am nowhere near their level right now. I won't rule out the possibility of stepping it up in the future because a declarative statement will most likely come back and bite me in the ass. So for now I say something unintelligible and vague. And start this entry.
In preparation for an upcoming play, I've been watching Trainspotting a lot lately. Why? Because my director is requiring us to use accents. As such, this particular film is serving as an educational film of some sort.
At the auditions, I was asked to read with a British accent (which I took as: "English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh, and/or anything in between"). I can't do English (Cockney, posh, et al) properly, unless my goal is to sound like an idiot. My Irish accent flat out sucks. I have no idea what a Welsh accent actually sounds like. I played to my "strengths" and went with the only remaining choice of that brief list... a bad Scottish accent. How bad? It started off vaguely Scottish (or more accurately: a poor imitation of an amalgamation of Chibs from Sons of Anarchy and a young Sean Connery). I then slipped into German and into Swedish, then, I just stopped in embarrassment.
Needless to say, I got cast. (Note: I'm a bad judge of my own abilities. What I deem to be a shite execution of a particular accent could in fact be passable. A mystery to me.)
Funny thing is I was reading for a different piece altogether.
When discussion came as to how to approach the play, my director said she'd require accents. My castmembers picked Irish and English. I went with the accent that may have set the stage for me to prove myself as adequate: Scottish.
So far so good.
Some actors lose or gain a lot of weight for their roles. Others learn new skills altogether. And some are so fiercely dedicated that they lose friends, their mind, and greatly endanger their health. In these categories, you find the likes of Daniel Day-Lewis, Dustin Hoffman, and Robert DeNiro, many among others.
I am nowhere near their level right now. I won't rule out the possibility of stepping it up in the future because a declarative statement will most likely come back and bite me in the ass. So for now I say something unintelligible and vague. And start this entry.
In preparation for an upcoming play, I've been watching Trainspotting a lot lately. Why? Because my director is requiring us to use accents. As such, this particular film is serving as an educational film of some sort.
At the auditions, I was asked to read with a British accent (which I took as: "English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh, and/or anything in between"). I can't do English (Cockney, posh, et al) properly, unless my goal is to sound like an idiot. My Irish accent flat out sucks. I have no idea what a Welsh accent actually sounds like. I played to my "strengths" and went with the only remaining choice of that brief list... a bad Scottish accent. How bad? It started off vaguely Scottish (or more accurately: a poor imitation of an amalgamation of Chibs from Sons of Anarchy and a young Sean Connery). I then slipped into German and into Swedish, then, I just stopped in embarrassment.
Needless to say, I got cast. (Note: I'm a bad judge of my own abilities. What I deem to be a shite execution of a particular accent could in fact be passable. A mystery to me.)
Funny thing is I was reading for a different piece altogether.
When discussion came as to how to approach the play, my director said she'd require accents. My castmembers picked Irish and English. I went with the accent that may have set the stage for me to prove myself as adequate: Scottish.
So far so good.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Sleep deprived
I haven't been able to sleep for about 2 weeks now. Yesterday, this came to a head. Rather than toss and turn for 3 hours like I do every night and finally sleep at 4am only wake up intermittently, exhausted, from 6am and onwards, I decided to just skip sleep altogether.
Up until a few hours ago, I'd been awake for over 24 hours. I want to say 36 hours but that feels inaccurate.
I've been deprived of sleep before but this time around I was really out of it. The last time I did this, things were beyond my control but I wasn't as manic as today. I was calmer and too damn exhausted to do anything. It was pretty cool, for the most part.
This time, my senses were heightened, I really noticed things in careful detail, and felt very alert albeit very jumpy. Then I became more deranged and scatterbrained which seemed to last longer than the first sentence. All in all, it was a fairly miserable experience but it was not without its highlights like appreciating the sun rising in the morning.
So scattered I can barely write.
Up until a few hours ago, I'd been awake for over 24 hours. I want to say 36 hours but that feels inaccurate.
I've been deprived of sleep before but this time around I was really out of it. The last time I did this, things were beyond my control but I wasn't as manic as today. I was calmer and too damn exhausted to do anything. It was pretty cool, for the most part.
This time, my senses were heightened, I really noticed things in careful detail, and felt very alert albeit very jumpy. Then I became more deranged and scatterbrained which seemed to last longer than the first sentence. All in all, it was a fairly miserable experience but it was not without its highlights like appreciating the sun rising in the morning.
So scattered I can barely write.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Night of the First Day. 8500 Hours Remain
Night of
The First Day
- 8500 Hours Remain -
2012 has begun. Let there be conspiracy theories everywhere. Let there be humor. Let there be whatever will be.
I don't have much to say about the new year right now except that it's being hyped up and that there will definitely be some things to look out for such as elections in various parts of the world like the US where all eyes will be on whether or not there will be a new President. Regardless of the outcome, there will be an insufferable din of bitching, moaning, and general complaining. But that's to be expected of anything.
There are also some movies that people will be looking forward to with great zeal. I personally am looking forward to Skyfall, the latest Bond film (the 23rd, in fact).
Regardless of our own personal expectations and resolutions we've made (I won't be making any this year because every time I try to make a resolution, I peter out and don't accomplish much or anything; gonna wing it), I hope you all have a great one. If I had written something for the start of 2011, I probably would have said something very similar to this.
If you want to read what I wrote about 2012 in length, you can check out a posting from late December.
Other than that, I hope you are under no pressure to perform this year. By that, I mean: I hope you don't make the most out of this year because you're scared but because you genuinely want to.
Cheers.
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