Process Journal for G12 Collaborative Project by Elias Egermark

Window tableau

24eliase1 — 2023-09-12 08:48:34 UTC

Turning away from each other tableau

24eliase1 — 2023-09-12 08:52:11 UTC

Reaching around the wall tableau

24eliase1 — 2023-09-12 08:52:47 UTC

Nature drawing person back away from life

24eliase1 — 2023-09-12 08:53:24 UTC

The duality of man - how people treat others on the basis of money

24eliase1 — 2023-09-12 08:56:26 UTC

Control and keeping down tableau

24eliase1 — 2023-09-12 08:56:53 UTC

Containment tableau

24eliase1 — 2023-09-12 09:00:20 UTC

Reaching out but missing each other tableau

24eliase1 — 2023-09-12 09:02:27 UTC

Reaching out to the middle tableau

24eliase1 — 2023-09-12 09:04:48 UTC

Original ideas mind-map

24eliase1 — 2023-09-12 09:05:19 UTC

Response to starting point

24eliase1 — 2023-09-12 09:05:48 UTC

Entry into the door tableau

24eliase1 — 2023-09-12 09:10:24 UTC

Evolution towards freedom tableau

24eliase1 — 2023-09-12 09:11:09 UTC

Shaking hands tableau - and being isolated

24eliase1 — 2023-09-12 09:11:46 UTC

Holding him back from advancement tableau

24eliase1 — 2023-09-12 09:12:19 UTC

Being pulled between conforming to the group and staying alone

24eliase1 — 2023-09-12 09:12:46 UTC

Mind map over loneliness and freedom

24eliase1 — 2023-09-12 09:13:16 UTC

Mind map about freedom and loneliness, in regards to collectivistic and individualistic cultures

24eliase1 — 2023-09-12 09:14:06 UTC

Summary

24eliase1 — 2023-09-12 09:18:25 UTC

- Chose the starting of the play
- Brainstormed how to explore the starting point
- Created tableaus to explore the ideas brought up in the mind maps

Summary

24eliase1 — 2023-09-12 09:20:05 UTC

- Refined the previous theme on loneliness and freedom
- Started working on Theater maker's intention
- Discussed staging
- More physical explorations
- Movement, tableaus
- Door as the center piece of most explorations

Summary

24eliase1 — 2023-09-14 12:41:53 UTC

Today we tried a technique employed by the People Show called "Fascist for the Day". In this exercise, one leader is chosen to direct the rest the group on what to do. This method forces the group to break free from their discussions and thinking, and gets things on their feet. This was good for us, as we were stuck at the point where we were just exploring different ideas and constantly changing and tweaking what the others were saying.

My scene

24eliase1 — 2023-09-18 07:20:58 UTC

Idea of mirroring implemented in future scenes

Sarah's scene

24eliase1 — 2023-09-18 07:22:32 UTC

Continued the narrative from here

Aarzoo's scene

24eliase1 — 2023-09-18 07:23:37 UTC

Damon's Scene

24eliase1 — 2023-09-18 07:25:11 UTC

Scene about individual meeting group of friends and learning about the "thing"

24eliase1 — 2023-09-18 12:16:13 UTC

- Directed by me

Scene on pushing parents away

24eliase1 — 2023-09-18 12:23:50 UTC

- Directed by me

Scene on being introduced to the "thing"

24eliase1 — 2023-09-18 12:25:09 UTC

- Directed by me

Scene on mask being drawn on - increasing external influence, dilution of self

24eliase1 — 2023-09-18 12:26:34 UTC

- Directed by me

Scene on being drawn into doing something stupid

24eliase1 — 2023-09-18 12:28:35 UTC

- Directed by Aarzoo

Scene on wanting to become an individual, away from parents

24eliase1 — 2023-09-18 12:29:58 UTC

- Directed by me

Summary

24eliase1 — 2023-09-18 12:31:24 UTC

Today we started creating actual scenes for our performance. These were based mainly on the scenes Sarah and I directed during the last session. I took charge of directing most of these scenes, as I felt that I understood more clearly now where we were going with the piece.

The next step would be to work on the Theatre Maker's Intention. This should be due by the end of our next session

Scene on individual being drawn along into bad habits by a group

24eliase1 — 2023-09-20 09:18:27 UTC

- Directed by me

Second version of scene on individual being influenced

24eliase1 — 2023-09-20 09:20:20 UTC

- Directed by Sarah

Summary

24eliase1 — 2023-09-20 09:24:43 UTC

After doing all the past physical explorations we felt that we know had a clearer idea of where we wanted to go with our piece. As such, we wrote the first draft of our Theatre Maker's Intention. We split each of the sections up, and now I will read over the whole piece and edit it to make the text more succinct, comprehensive and accurate.

After finishing the intention we explored a movement scene in which an individual is pressured by a new friend group to do something he would not normally condone. We staged and recorded two versions of this scene, the first one being directed by myself.

Next steps would be to choose one of the versions to continue with, refining it to perform the scene for feedback to our teacher. I will also make sure to improve the Theatre Maker's Intention until next class.

Individual finding group which they identify with, work to fit into

24eliase1 — 2023-09-25 13:27:34 UTC

- Directed by me

Summary

24eliase1 — 2023-09-25 13:31:32 UTC

We now felt more confident with where our piece was going. Thus, we created a digital diagram for how our piece would progress, including what would happen in each scene and for how long the scene would last.

Based on feedback from Ms. Nic, we tried a more stylised approach to our given topic. We experimented with a more stylised staging method in the first scene of the performance, where the individual is told off by his parents for defying them.

I then took charge and led the directing of a second scene, in which the individual discovers a friend group they feel they identify with. Important elements of this scene included: levels, synchrony, space and contrast.

Opening scene

24eliase1 — 2023-09-28 03:38:28 UTC

Second scene

24eliase1 — 2023-09-28 03:38:43 UTC

Third scene

24eliase1 — 2023-09-28 03:39:00 UTC

Fourth scene

24eliase1 — 2023-09-28 03:39:25 UTC

Fifth scene

24eliase1 — 2023-09-28 03:39:42 UTC

Sixth scene

24eliase1 — 2023-09-28 03:39:57 UTC

Seventh scene

24eliase1 — 2023-09-28 03:40:30 UTC

Final moment

24eliase1 — 2023-09-28 03:40:42 UTC

Summary

24eliase1 — 2023-09-28 03:55:37 UTC

Today we recorded a run-through of all the scenes we have created so far. It helped us understand the overall narrative, and also gave us an idea of how much content we have under our belt.

We started thinking about props, lights and music. We tested masks we had available to see whether they would work, and saw that they would fit due their neutral expression and the ease with which we could draw and erase on them with markers. We also decided to always keep at least two white screens in the background of our play in order to frame us, since I was planning for all of us to be dressed in black. We also put down a potential idea to use a projector to display images on the white screen in the background. We briefly listened to some music pieces, but we have yet to decide exactly what we want.

We then also worked on adding on more content to our piece. In total, it is currently about 7 minutes long, so optimally one or two scenes would bring us more securely within the 7 to 10 minutes range for the length of the piece.

I motivated one of our ensemble members who had previously not directed any scenes to lead a piece. At first, he was quite unsure of what to do and the scene did not really take off. However, after I suggested that he should take a more stylised approach and explained how he ought to approach a stylised form as opposed to a realistic one, he became more certain of his vision and led a genuinely interesting movement piece. Another member of the group got another idea which elaborated on this first one, and we will explore her vision during our next session.

Damon's scene idea

24eliase1 — 2023-09-28 03:59:53 UTC

Summary

24eliase1 — 2023-10-11 12:52:59 UTC

Today we learnt how to use the lighting system. We experimented both with the lighting used for a previous show on our set, and also practiced using the sound system by experimenting with our lighting designs.

In turn, this will help us experiment with and create our own lighting design for the final performance.

Summary

24eliase1 — 2023-10-11 12:55:18 UTC

We changed the ending scene slightly based on Damon's added scene at the beginning. The new ending scene of the play is one where, after I have stood up as a sign of frustration in choosing between the different masks, the rest of the cast moves the screens in to replicate the "box" I was entrapped in at the beginning of the play. Once I take of the mask, the screens are taken away, the box breaks, and my character has symbolically learned to be himself.

Scene 3 with music

24eliase1 — 2023-10-11 13:01:53 UTC

Music: Clock sounds

Scene 6 with music

24eliase1 — 2023-10-11 13:05:02 UTC

Music: Walking, talking ambience sounds

We tried at first to play an Irish-themed, solemn violin piece over the scene, but we agreed that this did not fit. Instead, we decided to use the ambient sounds of a busy hall, with talking and walking, to indicate the confusion the main character feels as they are torn between different group identities, constantly focusing on what others think of him and expect of him.

Scene 4 with music

24eliase1 — 2023-10-11 13:06:35 UTC

Music: Eerie horror sounds

Summary

24eliase1 — 2023-10-11 13:19:24 UTC

Today we focused on finding suitable music for every scene in the play. We approached it with a step-by-step approach, finding a piece of music and then playing it in the background as we where doing the scene to see whether it would fit.

For some scenes we cycled through quite a lot of different sound pieces before finding something that fitted. This was especially true of Scene 6, where we reached the conclusion that ambience sounds would fit better than a piece of music.

We also found that, in some scenes, ambience sounds suited the events on scene better than musical pieces. This was usually because certain key ideas where more effectively conveyed with symbolic sounds. For example, in the scene where I am being torn between two groups, namely my family and my friends, we decided to include atmospheric sounds of wind and water. The wind sound effect symbolised how the individual had become subject to the opinions of others, forces beyond his own will, which where moving him along in directions he himself did not want. It also conveyed the movement he constantly does between the groups, his old in his family and his new one with his friends, and how this is a constant shift which is typical of young people in this stage of their life.

Scene 1

24eliase1 — 2023-10-11 13:20:36 UTC

Scene 7

24eliase1 — 2023-10-11 13:22:23 UTC

Edited by myself based on Damon's added scene at the beginning of the play.

Scene 2 with lights

24eliase1 — 2023-10-12 08:06:39 UTC

Scene 1 with lights

24eliase1 — 2023-10-12 08:08:06 UTC

Scene 1 continued with lights

24eliase1 — 2023-10-12 08:09:17 UTC

Experimenting with lights for scene 6

24eliase1 — 2023-10-12 08:10:07 UTC

Scene 6 with lights

24eliase1 — 2023-10-12 08:10:33 UTC

Scene 3 with lights

24eliase1 — 2023-10-12 08:11:01 UTC

Designed by me

Originally, we planned on using a slower strobe that would serve as a form of pulse that go through the scene in synchrony with the actors' movement and the clock ticking sounds in the background. However, after trying this live on stage, we found that a faster, flickering strobe that would create an effect similar to that of TV-static would fit the scene better. This was for three main reasons:

1. It always kept the actors in stage lit, while creating a surreal effect in which it seemed as if the actors where moving in a "flicker book"

2. It had an almost hypnotic effect on us as we watched, similarly to how the individual in the scene is hypnotised by the synchrony and unity of this new group that he has discovered.

3. It made the transition to the single, red light shining on the individual's masked face more dramatic and clearly highlighted how he was being influenced by the group as they were drawing on his mask.

End of Scene 3 with lights

24eliase1 — 2023-10-12 08:11:38 UTC

Summary

24eliase1 — 2023-10-12 08:13:37 UTC

Today we programmed the lights for our performance. We went scene-by-scene, placing the set and actors on stage in accordance with what we had planned earlier, and then tried different lights.

I led most of the light designing, asking the rest of the cast to step in and indicate the placement of the actors on stage while I experimented with the lights from the computer set-up.

The introduction of lights also caused us to change some of our set designs. For example, in Scene 4 we originally planned to have the screens facing the front in a disjointed line in the centre of the stage. However, after we realised the powerful effect snapping on a light to each screen would have on the "it's so much fun" sequence, we decided to move the screens around the stage so that they would more effectively capture the light of the stage lights. Spreading the screens around the stage also amplified the eerie effect of each person saying "It's so much fun", as it would seem as if they suddenly "appear" out of nowhere on the stage when the lights illuminate them.

Screenshots from draft performance

24eliase1 — 2023-10-31 13:28:41 UTC

24eliase1 — 2023-10-31 13:28:54 UTC

24eliase1 — 2023-10-31 13:29:12 UTC

24eliase1 — 2023-10-31 13:29:28 UTC

Summary

24eliase1 — 2023-10-31 13:41:45 UTC

Today we showed a draft performance to our teacher, including our tech.

We found that the light cue sheet that we created was not clear enough. A lot of the lighting went awry due to misplaced or non-included lighting programmes.

Looking back at a recording of the play, I also noticed some moments in the play that can be polished and changed for the sake of clarity and improved aesthetics.

As an example, the scene where I am being pushed between the two sides of the scene as a means of representing the individual being torn between the family and his new friend group. I considered a new plan in which the friend group would be seen on stage at first, wearing their masks and doing their movements in sync. Then, the lights would black out, and then be brought on again to show the parents standing on the two blocks, moving their hands in scolding against the individual. This would aesthetically look better on stage, and also clarify the point of conflict to the audience.

I was also considering revisiting the opening scene, the second scene with the parents on the blocks and the final scene when I am copying the group outside of the screened-in box. I may also confer with the group to change the main idea behind the second to last scene with the multi-colored lights to clarify what our message is.