how to write a set text essay in a few simple steps
TRANSCRIPT
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