Theater Notes
Unit One
The History of Theater
Aristotle’s Elements of Drama
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Thought or Theme- the central idea explored
by the playwright (embodies a truth about life)
Plot- the story of the play (protagonist’s
conflict with an opposing force)
Action- central action of the play (a decision
is made by protagonist)
Aristotle’s Elements of Drama
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Diction- the language of the play (includes
style, dialect, rhythm, and actual words)
Sound- everything heard by the audience
(words and sound effects)
Spectacle- everything the audience sees
(scenery, blocking, costumes, dance)
Theater Notes
Unit Two
Observation
Observation
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Sense memory- memory that uses all five
senses to recapture an experience
What is Pantomime?
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A dramatic performance in which a story is
told or a theme is developed through
expressive body or facial movement
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From the Greek “pantos mimos” which means “we
can act anything”
Invented in Rome and based in nature
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Animals often pantomime messages, and this is
the first mode of communication for humans
Pantomime
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Mime- a shortened term that refers to pantomime or
someone performing a pantomime
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You must have mental and physical strength and body
control
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Cheating out- turning body partially towards
audience while in dialogue to allow audience to see
facial expression and hear voice
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Motivation- the reason behind a character’s words
and movements on stage
The Rules of Movement
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When onstage, movement must always be
motivated by the intentions of your character.
Know why you move.
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Movement must be simplified.
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Movement must be heightened from real life.
Remember, every action counts.
The Rules of Movement
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Movement must delineate character. It tells
the audience who your character is and
develops your relationships with others.
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Movement must be towards audience. Keep
your body “open”-remember to cheat out.
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Adjust to the movement of others. Never
upstage another actor.
How to Move
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Entering- be in position and ready to enter.
Keep your head up. Make sure you can’t see
the house seats (if you can, then the
audience can see you).
Walking- Create a walk for your character,
whether it be normal, jittery, labored, tired,
etc.
Standing- stay still, as every movement
matters on stage. Fidgeting looks like
nervousness.
How to Move
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Turning- make all turns towards audience.
Sitting- be comfortable but don’t slouch unless
required by your character.
Rising- Know when you are supposed to stand
and remain in control of your movements.
Gestures- be strong and definite with all
movement. Weak gestures look half hearted or
unsure.
Exiting- Stay in character until you are entirely
offstage.
Movement
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Onstage- whatever is literally on the stage
Offstage- anything not on the stage
Blocking- major movements of an actor on
stage
Stage Business- minor movements of an
actor on stage
Upstaging- taking audience attention away
from another actor
Warm Ups
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Articulation- Clearly pronounced words
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Vocalization- warming up vocal chords by making
sounds that imitate the lengthened vowels heard in
song
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Focus on the clear presence of all consonants and well as the
pure formation of vowels
Singing without words
Routine- a series of actions that can be repeated
Stage Fright
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The feeling of nervousness before or during a
performance
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Caused by a rush of adrenaline (fight or flight)
How to Deal?
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Be prepared- know your plan (your lines, your blocking) and have
you character’s thoughts and behaviors firmly in your mind; set
your props
Good Posture- this will give the audience an impression of
confidence
Breath!
Use relaxation techniques- use that extra adrenaline in a way you
can control
Change the way you react- some actors use that adrenaline to
boost their performance on stage
Improvisation
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Improvisation- scenes in which actors make up dialogue and
action on the spot
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Dialogue- speech between two or more characters
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Ensemble- a group of actors working together as a team (rather
than focusing on individuals)
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Etiquette- appropriate behavior
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Set- to establish definite movements and lines (*also, scenery on
stage)
The Rules of Improv
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Do your best to add to the scene. Don’t
make others pick up your slack.
Find reality in the scene, even in the craziest
of the crazy.
Take your time.
Stay in character. Laughing (when not
appropriate for scene), making personal
comments, or denying the reality of the scene
will hurt the scene.
Audience Ettiquette
(In class and in life)
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Dress appropriately.
Never take pictures.
Do not put your feet on the seat in front of
you.
Do not talk (don’t even whisper). It is rude.
Do not unwrap things (like candy or gum)
during a show.
Do not ask to leave unless it is an
emergency.
Audience Ettiquette
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Arrive early and turn off anything that makes
noise. DO NOT RECEIVE OR MAKE CALLS
OR TEXT DURING A PERFORMANCE.
Remove your hat.
Don’t leave until the house lights come on.
Applaud performers during their curtain calls
and bows. Save standing ovations for truly
deserving performances.
Voice Production and
Articulation
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Inflection- variety of vocal pitch that usually
suggests speaker’s mood or attitude
Project- to increase voice or actions so they
will carry to audience
Diaphragm- the muscle below the rib cage
that aids in voice projection and sustainment
Theater Notes
Unit Three
Building Character
Character Analysis
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Protagonist- the main character; typically, audience
empathy is with this person
Antagonist- a main character who opposes the
protagonist
External Traits- characteristics that make up
physical appearance
Internal Traits- characteristics that make up
personality
Dual Role- the actor’s two realities on stage (actor
as actor and actor as character)
Character Analysis
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Conflict- the dramatic opposition of the
protagonist with society, with peers, or with
self
Objectives- goals
Obstacle- anything that gets in the way of an
objective
Outcome- result
Stakes- the consequences that result from an
outcome
Character Development
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Cue- the last words or action of one actor that
immediately precede another actor’s speech;
signal for light changes, curtain, etc.
Cue Pickup- awareness of a cue
Denouement- the outcome of the main
conflict in a drama
Fourth Wall- the imaginary wall through which
the audience views the play
Character Development
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Act- the main sections of a play
Scene- a part of an act of a play
Realistic Play- a play that imitates real life
Nonrealistic Play- characters are exaggerated
Presentational- a style of play in which the actor
speaks directly to audience
Representational- a theatrical style in which the
actor is unaware that the audience is watching
Dramatic Roles
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Drama- literature written to be performed
Tragedy- a drama in which a protagonist
struggles against some force
Melodrama- an overly dramatic play that
focuses on cliff-hanging action and intense
emotion over character development and
motivation
Tragic Flaw- a weakness in a character that
ultimately causes protagonist’s destruction
How to Build Dramatic
Characters
The actor must convey:
 Strong characterization
 Emotional intensity
 Simplicity of objective
 motivation
Comedic Roles
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Comedy- a play that ends happily with an
amusement treatment of life
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Low- comedy that is physical or sometimes vulgar
Middlebrow- comedy based on plot and sentimental
situations (romantic or situation comedies)
High- comedy such as satire or manners that makes fun of
political situations, cultural habits, and social standards
Comedy of manners- makes fun of attitudes of the
wealthy (originated in 1600s)
Comedic Roles
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Farce- a physical comedy that exaggerates
situations until that are hardly believable
Parody- imitate in a humorous way
Satire- comedy that ridicules the foolish
behavior of certain people
Rule of Three- the belief that pratfalls,
accidents, and misunderstandings designed
to make the audience laugh are only funny
three times in a row
How to Control the Giggles
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Tell yourself the situation is laughable. Let
your character be overtaken by disbelief.
As the character tell yourself, through actions
and gestures, that you cannot believe the
circumstances.
Turn your laughter into a character trait.
Become a character who laughs
uncontrollably. This should be a last resort.
Monologue
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Monologue- a long speech delivered by one
person
Soliloquoy- a speech in which one actor
speaks aloud, stating his or her inner
thoughts
Aside- words spoken by an actor on stage so
that the audience can hear them but the other
actors on stage cannot
Monologue
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On book- when an actor has not memorized
lines
Off book- when an actor has memorized
lines, cues and blocking
Run lines- to recite the lines of a play without
blocking
Run through- a rehearsal during which an
entire scene, act, or play is done without
stopping
Monologue
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Emoting- expressing emotions
Fall- the loss of character while on stage
Illusion of the first time- the action on stage
seems spontaneous and fresh, as if done for
the first time
Convention- an implied agreement by the
audience to accept an artistic reality for an
everyday reality
Stage Etiquette- Actors
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Be on time to rehearsals and performances.
Know your lines- the sooner the better, but
definitely by your off book date.
Pick up your cues. Don’t step on another
actor’s lines or upstage them.
Don’t steal attention during another actor’s
lines by over gesturing, moving, or over
emoting.
Cover up for an actor who loses lines.
Theater Notes
Unit 4
The Production Staff
The Playwright
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Exposition- the beginning (who, where, what)
Conflict- the event that starts the action of the
play
Rising Action- build up of tension (obstacles)
Crisis- moment when things could get better
or worse
Climax- high point of play’s tension
Falling Action- wrap up of loose ends
Resolution- end of story (result of action)
The Playwright
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Archetype- a character who represents a
certain stereotype (can symbolize universal
ideas about human behavior)
Epic- a long narrative poem that tells the
story of a hero and his travels
Workshop- a collaborative meeting used to
analyze and develop a play
The Director and Producer
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Director-a person who interprets a play,
casts, blocks, and helps actors create their
characters
Dramaturg- person who assists in play’s
production (script evaluation, historical
research)
Rehearsals- set practice times during which
director blocks scenes and then directs
characterization
The Director and Producer
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Director’s Duties
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Getting Started- Auditioning, Setting rehearsal
schedule, developing artistic vision for play
Reading and Researching
Assembling the Team
Assembling the Tools (Prompt or Director’s Book)
Following the Schedule
Stage Etiquette- Directors
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Set schedules at least one week in advance
and stick to it.
Be respectful of the opinions and ideas of
other actors and staff members.
Be positive. Encourage your cast to do their
best.
The Director and Producer
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Producer- person who finds financial backing
for play, chooses director, and oversees the
daily business
Royalties- money paid to the rights holder of
a play (must be paid in order to perform play)
The Producer’s Duties
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Pay Royalties
Publicize!
Create Program
The Director and Producer
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House Manager- Manages house (ticket
sales and concessions, ushers, opening and
closing of house, and programs)
House- the seating within the theater; the
audience
Front of House- the ticket booth,
concessions, and lobby
The Director and Producer
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Auditions- trying out for roles in a show
Callbacks- second round of auditions
Cutting- a selection of dialogue used during
an audition
Cold reading- auditions for which actors did
not get to pre-read the script or cutting
Understudy- an actor who learns a role as a
backup for a main actor
The Director and Producer
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Casting- the selection of actors for roles
Cameo- a one-scene part in a show
Strike- to break down the set at a show’s
close
Mark- the mark (in blocking) from which an
actor delivers lines
Spike- the spot (marked with tape) where set
pieces are placed for a given scene
Blocking
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Aesthetic Balance- the equal placement of actors on
stage
Symmetrical Balance- equal number of actors on
stage, equidistant from center
Asymmetrical Balance- use of positioning to balance
an unequal number of actors
Direct Focus- when several actors look at one
specific actor
Counter Focus- when actors look from one to
another
Blocking
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Open Stance- full front
Floor Plan- a diagram of the walls, doors,
windows, and furniture to be placed on stage
Unity- a balance in the variety and kinds of
movement in a play
Stage Combat
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Hair pulling- one actor grabs another’s hair; actor
being grabbed takes actor’s wrist and goes with
movement
Slaps and Punches- one actor aims to hit near
victim; the other performs a hidden clap and reels
backward with motion
Stabbing- actor stabs a spot near victim (like armpit)
Falling- stay relaxed and break fall with knees, torso,
arms, and head
Dying- tense immediately and move towards wound
(intense); be short of breath
Theater Notes
Unit 5
Technical Theater
Set Design
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Minimal Set- a set made of two or three fold flats
that create walls
Permanent Set- a set that remains in place
throughout production
Prism Set- a set made of triangles of flats on wheels
Unit Set- a set made of pieces that can be
rearranged
Box Set- consists of two or three walls and a ceiling
Curtain Set- uses a wall or drapery at the back of
the set
Set Design
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Cyclorama- a curtain that covers the back walls and
the sides of the stage
Flat- basic unit of stage scenery
Drop- a curtain the width of the stage painted to
represent scenery
Scrim- a gauze like curtain used as a drop (lighting)
Teaser- a heavy curtain that adjusts proscenium
height
Deck- the stage floor
Apron- the area of the stage in front of act curtain
Colors
Pink= Childlike,
Romantic, Feminine
Red= Passionate,
Angry, Agressive
Violet= Royal,
Mystic
Orange= Lively,
Cheerful
Yellow= Happy,
Childlike,
Cowardly, Ill
Blue= Tranquil,
Spiritual, Sad
Green= Natural,
Youthful, Jealous
Lighting
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Functions of Lighting
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Visibility
Emphasis and mood
Logical representation (of sunlight, headlights)
Blackout- a light cue in which entire stage is
blackened
Light Designer- the person who designs
lighting based on multiple readings of script
Sound
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Sound Technician- person who runs the
sound during a show
Public Domain- a work that belongs to the
public and is free for use
Purposes of Sound
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Amplify actors’ voices
Supply underscoring and dramatic music
To provide realism through sound effects
Sound
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Amplifier- device that provides power supply for
speakers
Body Mic- microphone worn on actor’s body
Crash Box- a heavy box filled with broken objects
and used for sound effects
Equalizer- a device that blends various frequencies
Sound Board- device that controls incoming sounds
and allows for mixing and manipulation
Costumes
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Costume Designer- person who creates the
costume plot and then collects or builds the
costumes
Elements of Style
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Fabric
Color- must be in harmony or contrast with set and
identify relationships
Decoration- trim on the pieces as well as accessories
Costumes
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Build- to make a costume
Pull- to find a costume in costume closet
Rent/Borrow- to rent or borrow from another
company
Costume Plot- list of every character and costume
for each scene
Costume Parade- trying on costumes to determine
comfort, movement, and lighting
Modified Authenticity- when a costume looks period
but isn’t from the actual time period
Makeup
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Cake- pressed makeup
Acetone- used to remove spirit gum
Crème- foundation with an oil base
Crepe Hair- fake hair made of wool
Putty Wax- wax used to reshape areas of the face
Spirit Gum- an adhesive used to attach things to
face
Stippling- adding texture with short application
strokes
Collodion- liquid used to make scars
Makeup
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Straight Makeup- enhances natural features
and coloring
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Clean your face
Apply foundation
Add shadows- the cheek hollows, the jaw line, crease
above eye, the sides of nose
Add highlights- directly under eyebrow, cheekbone,
ridge of nose, chin
Accent eyes and brows
Apply blush and lip color
Makeup
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Character Makeup- makeup that drastically
changes an actor’s appearance
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Eyes and brows- eyebrows should hint at character’s
emotion or role in show
Crepe Hair
Nose and Mouth- Putty wax and spirit gum
Beards and Mustaches
Scars
Missing teeth- black tooth enamel or wax
Stage blood
Makeup
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Aged Makeup- makeup to make an actor look older
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Shadow eye sockets, indentations below cheekbones,
hollows at temples, sides of nose, corners of mouth, jaw
and chin, depressions on neck
Highlight over each eyebrow, in each cheek, at chin point,
along lower jaw line, at throat
Use brown liner to create wrinkles at forehead, between
eyebrows and outer eye corners, smile lines
Highlight below all wrinkles
Blend!
Thin out lips with stippling and darker reddish color
Whiten hair and eyebrows
Props
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Properties Master/Mistress- the person who
creates the props plot and then organizes all
props
Props Plot- a list of props needed for each
scene
Types of Props
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Decorative- details on stage, such as
paintings, newpapers, and curtains
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Set dressing- anything that adds to the visual
representation on stage; another word for
decorative props
Hand- items used directly by the actors
during shows, like letters and telephones
Set- items used to create the set, such as
furniture, carpeting, and light fixtures
Stage Etiquette- Technical
Staff
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Keep tools in their proper place when not in
use. When you use things, put them back.
Maintain respect for the needs of others on
the stage (i.e. actors).
Be careful when using tools. Be careful for
your own safety and the safety of those
around you.
Theater Notes
Unit 6
Theatre Beyond the Stage
Musical Theatre
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Musical- dramatic production accompanied
by song and dance
Musical Comedy- a comedic drama set to
song and dance (popular in 1920s)
Choreographer- designer of show’s dance
numbers
Music Director- director of actors, singers,
and dancers in music
Musical Theatre
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Chorus- a group of signer who provide
backup vocals for principal performers
Principals- actors in major roles
Production Numbers- elaborate song and
dance sequences in which most of cast
performs
Straight Plays- nonmusical plays
How to Choose a Musical?
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Money- consider royalties, costumes, props,
and sets. How much will you need to spend?
How much will you need to earn to break
even?
Space- how much room will be available for
dance numbers? How much will be available
for storage (of costumes, props, and set
pieces)?
Cast- do you have singers and dancers able
to do what is required for that show?
Other Theatre Forms
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Multimedia- using more than one medium on
stage at one time
Nonlinear- not chronological
Performance Art- unstructured dramatic
events in which movement, music,
improvisation, and games are presented
Reader’s Theater- seated actors read aloud
from a script
Stage to Film
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Screenplay- a text that has been written for
performance as a film; includes dialogue,
audio information, and camera shots
Adaptation- a text modified from its original
version to another version
Storyboard- a series of sketches that depict
the chronological sequence of a film
Takes- shots recorded to film
Differences between
Stage and Film
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Acting- While theatre requires big, broad
gestures, the film actor can utilize more
refined and nuanced expressions
Makeup- While stage makeup can take off or
add years, age cannot be easily hidden on
film (film makeup must pass the close up
test).
Voice and sound- There is not the need for
projection to the back of the theater on film.
Differences between
Stage and Film
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Takes- When filming, an actor can have
numerous takes to perfect a scene; on stage,
an actor only has one chance to get a scene
“right”.
Continuity- As scenes may be filmed over a
number of days, all aspects of the scene,
from makeup to costumes to orientation (if an
actor held a cup in right hand during one
shot, it must remain in that hand) must
match.
Differences between
Stage and Film
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Sequence- While a play is performed from
beginning to end, a film may be filmed out of
sequence, dependent upon what makes
sense (financially best to film all location
shots at once; if an actor must have short hair
at beginning of film and long at end, filming
end prior to change is best).
Film vs. Stage
Film allows for a more focused and
subtle performance.
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The intimacy factor- film actors can
speak softly and make small
gestures to create subtle nuances in
emotion
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Because the audience’s vision is
focused by the camera’s lens, the
director has more control over the
way the film in viewed.
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In film there is more opportunity to
use the visual communication
modes.
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Film can jump through space and
time.
Stage allows for a more interactive
atmosphere.
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Audiences are active participants,
as their reactions affect the actors
on stage, and vice versa.
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Theatre is multidimensional, as
audience members are forced to
look around the stage.
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Theatre utilizes multimedia in set
design, lighting, sound, and
costuming.
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Every performance is unique, as
every actor is performing live. Each
performance will be different,
allowing for multiple views with
multiple interpretations.
Movies
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Development- the creation of a script and the
plan by which the film will be produced
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Producer usually hires/approves of director,
hires/approves of screenwriters or script, and secures
financial resources needed to make film
Working packet- what the producer uses to bring in
investors
Working script- a script in progress
 Preliminary budget
 List of artists most likely to work on film
Investors pay production costs and advertising; they hope to
earn that back plus a percentage of film’s earnings
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Movies
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Preproduction- the phase of filmmaking that must be
completed before the film is shot
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Casting (producer, director, and casting director)
Finalization of filming schedule and budget (production
manager)
Creation of shooting script- a version of the script in which
each shot is tracked by a number and type
It is important to note that not all preproduction
schedules allow for a rehearsal period. Because
film actors are provided numerous takes, the need
for rehearsal is not as crucial as when preparing a
stage production
Movies
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Production- the phase of filmmaking during which
the film is shot
Soundstage- the location in a studio where the
production of a film is shot
Backlot- the outdoor lot where sets are created
Postproduction- the phase of filmmaking during
which the editor does his or her work
Rough cut- the “first draft” of a film
Final cut- the finished film