On Camera Techniques, Song Recordings, and Monologues
Working together online has some very exciting possibilities. What works really well online?
- On-Camera Film and TV Acting Techniques
The final video of your character development monologue will be you in your costume and with your background, having learned some valuable techniques not only within our musical theater genre but also for TV and Film auditions. Facing the camera, having a background that is either plain or a setting appropriate to your story, expressing through the use of your face in subtle ways, keeping yourself in the center of the camera, wearing something simple or designed for your character, and keeping focus throughout the full take are some of what you’ll be working on.
- Singing & Recording
Using piano and orchestrated tracks, you get to sing along, and then record yourself.
Composer Denver Casado has put together some videos of our first singers who sent us themselves singing The Show Must Go Online
(You can still send a video of yourself for us to make another video with the recent ones we’ve already received and the ones you send.
- Close up
- Clean or single color, neat background
- Wide angle landscape view
- Look into the camera
- Wear earphones so we don’t hear the keyboard in the background
- Learn the song in short phrases by listening, then pressing pause and singing
So Far From Home & Garden Players Songs:
I’ll be asking you to record yourself singing at least one of our show’s songs, so feel free to get a head start.
Piano tracks to all of our So Far From Home songs and to our Garden Players song here.
- Character Development Monologue Writing
Your character development questions and answers are rich in details that add so much to your characters. Your monologues are built from those questions you’ve answered. Together we are exploring how to create more dynamic beginnings, endings, and hone those fun details.
See the monologues we are working on with you here
- Student Theatrical Design
The process of adding character look and set design creativity to your vision. Assignments are on Google Classrooms but email me if you need more details.
- Draw your character.
- Draw your set.
- Create a costume.
- Create a backdrop.
- Make a video of yourself performing your character development monologue in your costume and in front of your backdrop.
Keep in mind all of your on-camera technique!
- Acting Improv
Another step to depth of character and a big step towards self expression and resiliency during this moment in time, acting improv gives you chances to bond with fellow actors, think off of the top of your head, reflect the current moment as different characters during different times, and to explore what’s on everyone’s minds with fun and bravery. Small groups are able to work together in break-out rooms and then present to the full class, as well as large group stories, and single and double rants. I’ve been loving the Baby Ogres, Dragons, Atlanteans and Martians who have all been dealing with being stuck at home due to some strange virus or other alien reason just like all of us.
- Rant
- Double Rant
- Yes And
- Yes But
- It’s Tuesday
- Questions
- Conducted Story
- First and Last Line
- 3 Lines to Show Relationship
- Musical Theater Character’s in Today’s Situation
6.Songwriting
The New Victory has been providing excellent content each week. This week is songwriting week. If you follow the exercises, let me know which ones you love! If you write a song and are able to record it, send it to me! If you are working on a song and get stuck, let me know, and I can help edit! Go to the Classes.
- You Choose!
Send me what you’ve been working on! Be it acting, singing, or writing, I’d love to see it! Record yourself doing a scene with someone in your family, an improv with your sibling, a monologue, record yourself singing your favorite song, record yourself singing one of our show songs. Want me to send you a monologue for something extra to work on? Let me know that, too!
New To Garden Players? Join us by dropping us a note.
Part of the Class? See you on Zoom during your class time and if you can’t make it to Zoom, you can still do the work by sending videos and getting feedback through email.