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dianadamato- Posts : 15
Join date : 2020-06-18
7/28 Class Recap
Thu Jul 30, 2020 4:18 am
This class began with a sort of open forum with Jon to discuss what aspects of Image Streaming we have a grasp of and what is still missing. Lowrie, Molly, Chris, and I shared a common interest in applying what we have learned to a script. Both Chris and Tanya expressed a desire to use what we have learned from the moment we receive a script up until performing lines because, right now, it’s a bit fragmented rather than whole. Jon provided advice here and there, including that you should lean into what you do know and use your head to find your own way to apply what you’ve learned by making it your own. Rose brought up the idea of committing to a character and interpreting it physically to which Jon informed us that his ”Persona” class would be helpful. I agreed with the others about bridging the process we practice in class to an actual script. But where I differed was my worry about being able to stay in an image mentally on a busy set with noise and other people. To this, Matt provided his own experience as a learning tool. He shared an anecdote from his time on the set of Six and his observations of actor Walton Goggins. He explained that Goggins did the prep work so that when we arrived on set, he was just there. Matt described his commitment as not only looking the part physically but seeming to embody the character on a cellular level. Even when he was off-camera, he did not leave the world he was imagining. He stayed immersed in the physiology and language while keeping focus internally and externally. Goggins never stopped working even after “cut” was called and kept a part of himself in that world, even when he spoke with others. However, what reassured me the most was Matt saying this ability comes with time and experience. When you do this long enough, streaming informs your physiology and permeates you from head to toe. While completing our exercise for the day, he also provided the 4 stages of the process: exploration, creating, judging, and fighting for its survival. But, he clarified that the discovery phase never truly stops.
We continued our detective work today by inspected Lowrie’s dreamscape character. She described a man dressed neatly in a blue plaid shirt tucked into grass-stained jeans, wide-brimmed sun hat, leather belt, and dirty cowboy boots. Details such a five o’clock shadow and jagged scar beneath his eye emerged as she observed him. From her description, it is clear Lowrie’s strongest sense is smell: she told us about scents of sweat and dirt along with a clean, earthy smell and a mint smell at the back of his neck. Most importantly, despite her describing him as being dressed neatly, she mentioned multiple times everything about him was dusty. Once she analyzed him from hat to boot, she moved on to the objects found in his shirt and pants pockets. In his front shirt pocket was a single faded business card with the number 837. He also had an old Chevrolet truck key with a bent bottle opener on the key ring. She found 2 used long black metal wood screws and a nickel and dime from 2013. Finally, she divulged that the genre of the dream was drama with a murder mystery vibe.
The first thing Molly did when we got in our groups was look up the number on the business card, 837. She found that it is an area code that doesn’t truly exist and if you receive a call with this area code then it is likely a spam caller. This, along with his tidiness, led us to believe that this man could be a con man of some sort. The strange card and smell of clean sweat Lowrie described just made us feel like this man was faking it. When thinking about the murder mystery atmosphere, we concluded that the wood screws in his pocket could be linked to the crime. When discussing the dirt on the back of his neck, we first thought he could have gotten into a fight but then elevated it to him burying someone and having been buried himself. When we spoke again with Lowrie, she said he had a tan line from a wedding ring, was alone in a tobacco field but walking toward a barn, had a serious or focused mood, and was a tan, strong man in his 30’s or 40’s. These new clues seemed to support our arguments. The other group did a similar number search but found that the area code was from Houston, Texas, which fits the setting described. They considered him to be an undercover detective since he seemed to be trying to fit in, was strong but not worn from years of actual labor, and had that tan line from a wedding band. By speaking with Lowrie, they also found out he had a Mexican accent but, uncharacteristically, had green eyes and sandy-colored hair. Lowrie further explained that when he did speak, the only thing he said was “ma’am?”
Despite our findings, Jon rightfully pointed out that we discovered some great context but didn’t have a sense of a character profile for him. I guess we got hung up on solving the murder mystery! You have to look at these characters as you are going to be playing them. He encouraged us to look at the symbols (the objects) to profile him. He informed us it was important to notice that Lowrie repeated certain words while describing him: the word “earthy,” him having dirt on him but not being dirty, and other contradictions. He also drew attention to the fact that so many of his things were old, as if he were living in the past or was the type of minimalistic man that uses things until they’re completely worn out. Even his torn and worn physical appearance could symbolize something greater within his personality. The mint scent could show he has something to hide while the manure smell could represent character growth. So, while it was fun discovering his part within a story, we have to remember that the character discovery should come first in this process. And we must remember to look at these objects as metaphorical symbols to see what they say about the character. Now, if only I could find a book that tells this murder mystery story based as good as our theories…
We continued our detective work today by inspected Lowrie’s dreamscape character. She described a man dressed neatly in a blue plaid shirt tucked into grass-stained jeans, wide-brimmed sun hat, leather belt, and dirty cowboy boots. Details such a five o’clock shadow and jagged scar beneath his eye emerged as she observed him. From her description, it is clear Lowrie’s strongest sense is smell: she told us about scents of sweat and dirt along with a clean, earthy smell and a mint smell at the back of his neck. Most importantly, despite her describing him as being dressed neatly, she mentioned multiple times everything about him was dusty. Once she analyzed him from hat to boot, she moved on to the objects found in his shirt and pants pockets. In his front shirt pocket was a single faded business card with the number 837. He also had an old Chevrolet truck key with a bent bottle opener on the key ring. She found 2 used long black metal wood screws and a nickel and dime from 2013. Finally, she divulged that the genre of the dream was drama with a murder mystery vibe.
The first thing Molly did when we got in our groups was look up the number on the business card, 837. She found that it is an area code that doesn’t truly exist and if you receive a call with this area code then it is likely a spam caller. This, along with his tidiness, led us to believe that this man could be a con man of some sort. The strange card and smell of clean sweat Lowrie described just made us feel like this man was faking it. When thinking about the murder mystery atmosphere, we concluded that the wood screws in his pocket could be linked to the crime. When discussing the dirt on the back of his neck, we first thought he could have gotten into a fight but then elevated it to him burying someone and having been buried himself. When we spoke again with Lowrie, she said he had a tan line from a wedding ring, was alone in a tobacco field but walking toward a barn, had a serious or focused mood, and was a tan, strong man in his 30’s or 40’s. These new clues seemed to support our arguments. The other group did a similar number search but found that the area code was from Houston, Texas, which fits the setting described. They considered him to be an undercover detective since he seemed to be trying to fit in, was strong but not worn from years of actual labor, and had that tan line from a wedding band. By speaking with Lowrie, they also found out he had a Mexican accent but, uncharacteristically, had green eyes and sandy-colored hair. Lowrie further explained that when he did speak, the only thing he said was “ma’am?”
Despite our findings, Jon rightfully pointed out that we discovered some great context but didn’t have a sense of a character profile for him. I guess we got hung up on solving the murder mystery! You have to look at these characters as you are going to be playing them. He encouraged us to look at the symbols (the objects) to profile him. He informed us it was important to notice that Lowrie repeated certain words while describing him: the word “earthy,” him having dirt on him but not being dirty, and other contradictions. He also drew attention to the fact that so many of his things were old, as if he were living in the past or was the type of minimalistic man that uses things until they’re completely worn out. Even his torn and worn physical appearance could symbolize something greater within his personality. The mint scent could show he has something to hide while the manure smell could represent character growth. So, while it was fun discovering his part within a story, we have to remember that the character discovery should come first in this process. And we must remember to look at these objects as metaphorical symbols to see what they say about the character. Now, if only I could find a book that tells this murder mystery story based as good as our theories…
Jonmenick likes this post
- Jonmenick
- Posts : 215
Join date : 2020-06-17
Re: 7/28 Class Recap
Thu Jul 30, 2020 10:31 am
What a great post! I chuckled and was left thinking about the experience. Another keeper!
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