Kill Sam

The Longest Flight

Stage Presence

I found a blog which gave tips on how to increase your stage presence (such an important topic) and here's my favorite tip:



Don’t tiptoe – leap out of your comfort zone

Good stage presence is always marked by confidence – and the only way someone gains confidence is from hard work, experience, and positive reinforcement. A good performer knows his or her weaknesses, quickly identifies them, and takes the necessary steps to improve those areas. No one is perfect, but capitalizing on your strengths and constantly working on improving your weaker areas defines an ever-evolving, true talent with staying power. Sign up for those private lessons you’ve been meaning to take, perform at that open mic you’ve been "too busy" for, or take that dance class to learn how to be more fluid in your movements. Whatever it is for you, get out of your comfort zone so you can build the confidence you need to bring into your stage performance.

Welcome to Spring Acting Class!

Hilariously Silly Silent Movies

Group Two: Alexis, Lisa, Abby, Dayna




Group One: Jack, John, Duncan:

Teaser Photos for Our Silent Movies

Trying out the wigs...

Silent Movie Unit

This week, we begin our unit on Silent Film. The above short silent film was made by George Melies, a French filmmaker whose life and work is showcased in the film Hugo and the graphic novel that it was based on, The Invention of Hugo Cabret. Melies is a fanciful filmmaker who uses some advanced cinematic techniques to create a feeling of magic in his films, such as the way he duplicates one man into a whole "band" of men here. This short differs from other silent films that are well known in the U.S. in that it does not have music playing. Imagine this scene set to music. How would it be different?




In gathering some background information on the genre of silent film, you might look at the examples contained at this website: "Six Essential Silent Short Films". Also, you might look at the movie The Artist.

In looking at these examples, pay attention to the way that the actors use face and body to convey ideas. Also look at the use of props and staging (and sometimes) cue cards used with words on them) to tell the story. Finally, pay close attention to the role played by music and how it creates an emotional setting in scenes.