Preserved Topic: Really stuck here, need help ASAP

It goes like this.....
I do Yr.12 Drama at school (I'm in Yr. 11 and do it for my Yr. 12 subject) and we have to write up our solo performance act REALLY SOON......but the only problem is that I don't really have any ideas probably because my creative juices are still recovering after putting so much effort into the school production of "West Side Story" (I was Lieutenant Schrank)
So if anyone has any ideas feel free to bring them forth.....this is the criteria you have to include:
CHARACTER: A retired movie actor

STIMULUS: The impact on actors of the introduction of sound to movies circa 1930.

PERFORMANCE FOCUS: Create a solo performance based on the fictional charcter of a movie star who successfully made the transition from silent movies to 'talkies'

The retired movie actor addresses a group of actors at a film studio in Hollywood in 1950. The actor recreates
* acting style used in silent movies and in the talkies of the 1930's
*ways in which the changes in film techniques impacted on the actor's work
*events from his/her own career which demonstrate a successful transition
*incidents in the lives of colleagues who were not successful in making the transition

PERFORMANCE STYLE: Non-naturalistic

THEATRICAL CONVENTIONS: Mime, use of fact

DRAMATIC SYMBOLS: Sound, symbol

Hope you guys and girls don't mind me asking for some ideas. So if you have any ideas as to what I can or should do with this.....feel free

-=Luxo Jr.=-

Doin' wierdassed animations since 1986

You do realize you are in the Asylum, right? Web design, Photoshop kinda stuff ... black pills and lots of head slapping ... Do you think many of us will have all that much input for a Drama class? Good grief ...

Just don't get your hopes up too high is all I'm saying, OK?

BeeKay
Murphy's 50 Laws of Combat Operations
11. Try to look unimportant -- the enemy may be low on ammo.
23. When in doubt -- empty your magazine.

none of that description made a bit of sense to me...except one word.
I know all about MIME types.
video/mpeg
text/css
text/html
image/jpeg
etc, etc, etc.
Somehow I can't seem to fit them into a story about an actor in the 1930's...sorry.
mobrul

I dont mind you askin at all!!!

I cant help you at all either.... sorry.

Clueless here..........

Well, I guess since I have the degree in Theatre (note the "re" spelling) I should jump in here. My first suggestion is to hit the largest of your local libraries and view some of the old silent films. You can take in a couple Chaplin-Keaton shorts, but I would suggest you dip into the old melodramas and action-romance films. Study their overacted emotions and overemphasized gestures -- the kind of stuff that killed the careers of most silent-film actors when the talkies became popular.

And just throwing out an idea here: As the actor character, do a lot of name dropping...actual stars whose careers flopped or blossomed around that time, as if you knew them yourself. "As I used to tell such-and-such" sort of thing. I think it could be funny if done right and would show your instructor you put some effort into your research -- probably a few extra points there.

See if that takes you anywhere and let me know; I'm perfectly willing to brainstorm with you if these other philistines don't wanna help.

Us Neanderthals don`t like being called phillistines, ya know..

Ok, I`m ready for my closeup, now Mr. deVille...



Boldly going nowhere

What Wes said. Sounds like he knows what he's talkin' about. Dropping historical references (both acting and non-acting related) should definitely earn you extra points for having done your homework. Teachers love that kinda stuff.

Geez, high school drama... that was ten years ago! I suddenly feel old...

Thanks so far..... I'm a bit pressed for time to check out silent films at the local library probably because it's crap. But I have seen a Charlie Chaplin film in class a while ago and saw a documentary on Greta Garbo.

Beekay: Yeah, I do kinda realise I'm in the Asylum but I'm in the right place..the Ozone where it states it is a place for Miscellaenous chat about whatever.

Wes: thanks man for the info. I'll take your stuff into consideration. I have a tendency to watch those really dodgy, melodramatic films late at night sometimes. They give me a fair idea of what I'm aiming at. I agree with you on the philistines thing................................

I asked for ideas.....if you have any. I don't want to know if you don't have any. That doesn't help me unfortunately, would be good if it did.

Considering there are 1405 members in here......there is bound to be some people that have heaps of ideas

-=Luxo Jr.=-

Doin' wierdassed animations since 1986