How to Write a Set Text Essayin a Few Simple Steps.

“Choose a character in your prescribed text that you would consider to be manipulative and/ or controlling. Give reasons for your choice. As an actor, how would you perform this role?

INTRO

STEP 1:LIKE S1 ANSWER THE QUESTION

Lady Bracknell in the Importance of Being Ernest by Oscar Wilde is a character who is controlling.

STEP 2: EXPLAIN WHAT “MANIPULATIVE and/or CONTROLLING” MEANS

controlling means asserting power over others for personal gain

STEP 3: BREAK THAT DOWN INTO 4 DIFFERENT SUBELEMENTS

(usually character traits) TO GIVE YOU THE PARAGRAPH TOPICS. Through out the play Lady Bracknell asserts her power through contriving, bullying, passive aggression and status.

STEP 4: TIE IT ALL BACK TO THE ACTING/DIRECTING PART OF THE

QUESTION All areas which are interesting to explore as an actor

EXAMPLE

Lady Bracknell in the Importance of Being Ernest by Oscar Wilde is a character who is controlling.

Controlling means asserting power over others for personal gain. Through out the play Lady Bracknell

asserts her power through contriving, bullying, passive aggression and abuse of status. All areas

which are interesting to explore as an actor.

Paragraph one

Contriving In Act I we see Lady

Bracknell questioning Jack regarding his

family.

How you would act a la

standard grade. Firstly, Lady Bracknell is

contriving and this helps her to assert her power over other characters in the play.

where quote

“I feel bound to tell you that you are not down on my list of eligible young men, although I have the same list as the dear Duchess of Bolton has. We work together, in fact. However, I am quite ready to enter your name, should your answers be what a really affectionate mother requires”

Explain how

Lady Bracknell is carefully assessing whom her daughter may marry and conniving a plan for her to marry the best possible candidate. Thus asserting her power over both characters.

As an actor I would ….. To show….

where quote Explain how

How you would act a la standard

grade.

As an actor I would ….. To show….

One mark

One mark

One mark

One mark

Opening sentence explains the

paragraph topic.

SQA MARKING GUIDELINES SAY YOU WOULD GET A MARK IF YOU

communicate the aspects of how an actor can convey a controlling character.

You could talk about

• How the actor would use voice or movement to be controlling

• How the actor would interact with other characters to be controlling

• How the actor would interact with the audience to be controlling

• How the actor would use the space to be controlling

• How the actor would use their costume to be controlling

• How the actor would use props to be controlling

• How the actor would use make-up to be controlling.

Lighting Follow SpotProfile Spot

FresnelFlood Light

(gauze)Barn Doors

GoboGel

Pyrotechnics

Focusing (the lights)

Black outSlow fadeCross fade

Snap-to

SoundSound cueCross fade

Recorded voice over

SetBack clothCyclorama

GauzeFlies

Door FlatsWindow Flats

FlatsSceneryTrapdoorRostraTreadsTruckWings

Backstage

StagingVenueThrust

Theatre in the roundEnd on

Proscenium ArchAvenue

AuditoriumRevolving Stage

Ground planKeyRake

Enter/exitAudience

Sight lines Stage Directions

Stalls, balcony, dress circle

CostumePeriod Costume

Write in super detail for full marks

Propsobjects used by actors

Personal PropSet prop

Make Upliners

Wax/nose puttyCrepe hairFake blood

LatexSpirit gum

Makeup palletsStipple sponge

ScarringSkull cap

Tooth varnish

VOICEArticulation

FluencyIntonation Register ClarityPausePitch

AccentPace

TimingTone

VolumeEmphasis

MOVEMENTStanceBalanceBody LanguageGestureFacial ExpressionMimePosturePaceTimingSlow MotionBlockingMasking

CHARACTERISATION- the process of developing a character fully

Character

Role Play-exploring attitudes and beliefs

Thought Tracking- when prompted the character says their thoughts out loud

Voice in the Head

Writing in Role

Hot Seating

Thought Tunnel-character walks past other characters.

Those other characters speak their thoughts outloud usually about the character walking past.

CONVENTIONS alternative ways of presenting all or parts of a

presentationSlow motion

Tableau (C) / Frozen Picture (F)Freeze Frame –action frozen in time

SoliloquyFlashback/flash forward

NarrationVoice Over( recorded speech played during a drama)/

Voice in Head (recall words said by others about a character or situation)

MimeMonologuesoliloquy

OTHER ACTING TECHNIQUESAside- to audience only

Stage whisperMasks

stereotype

I WOULD (tell the actors to) (put a) (use a)

VOCAB WORD (that is voice, movement, sound, lights, set, props, costume,

makeup)

WHERE (on the stage) or WHEN (in the script)

TO SHOW …..

Paragraph two, three and four

Bullying one

How you would act a la

standard grade. Secondly, Lady Bracknell uses

bullying to assert her power over other characters in the play.

where quote

bla bla bla

Explain how

This bullying asserts her power over ______ because it ……

As an actor I would ….. To show….

where quote Explain how

How you would act a la standard

grade.

As an actor I would ….. To show….

One mark

One mark

One mark

One mark

Opening sentence explains the

paragraph topic.

CONCLUSION

STEP ONE:RELIST YOUR DEFINITIONControlling means asserting power over others for personal gain

.

STEP TWO:RELIST YOUR PARAGRAPH TOPICSThrough out the play we see Lady Bracknell asserting her power through contriving, bullying, passive aggression and status.

RELIST YOUR FIRST STATEMENT

Therefore, as I have shown through the text and my choices for my portrayal of this character, Lady Bracknell is a powerful character

Controlling means asserting power over others for personal gain. Through out the play we see Lady Bracknell asserting her power through contriving, bullying, passive aggression and status. Therefore, as I have shown through the text and my choices for my portrayal of this character, Lady Bracknell is a powerful character