What do the students feel about their progress at the workshop on theatre and acting before cameras which began in Buenos Aires three months ago? We have asked them their opinions and here are some of the answers:
CARMEN LOPEZ
What led you to participate in the theatre
workshop?
My
love for the English language along with a need I felt to enhance my ability to
express myself better –in any language- was what made me decide to participate
in the theatre workshop. As a journalist, I have always enjoyed reading
British/American news articles. Besides, I like contemporary English literature
(particularly authors such as David Lodge and Philip Roth, who write satires).
As before taking up this workshop, I had never attended theatre classes, I
thought (and still think) that in a foreign language I might be able to lose my
inhibitions more easily. In a word, joining the theatre workshop is part of a
personal quest for both enjoyment and self-development.
Do
you feel this experience has improved your English? Has it increased your
knowledge about acting and creativity?
While
I didn’t take this workshop in order to improve my English, it certainly has
helped! As regards my knowledge about acting, this is my first experience, so I
know that there’s a long way left to run. However, I feel that I immediately
experienced an improvement in my creativity. The activities in the workshop
have helped me a lot to be less stuck in my ways and become more mindful of
everyday life (perhaps looking for ideas to perform better)!
Does
doing both theatre and acting in front of cameras produce confusion or
uncertainity? Which do you prefer and why?
It’s
been quite difficult for me to act in front of cameras, particularly because of
my complete lack of experience in “ordinary” acting. I guess that, as soon as I
learn the basics (which is taking me quite a long time!), I will enjoy it. Anyway
this experience is going to be very useful for my professional career –as a
journalist—I mean learning how to act in front of cameras can obviously be
important for journalists! Nevertheless,
for now I think I prefer developing my skills in for acting on stage. But one
never knows. Maybe later on I will change my mind!
MARIAN OTTONELLO
What made you decide to
participate in the theatre workshop?
I
started loving theatre at a very early age, when I attended an English school
where our school plays were all in English. After I finished School I started
began studying theatre in different Theatre Schools and also took some
seminaries. However, when I heard about the possibility to act in front of
cameras in English, I wanted to try it because it would give me the opportunity
to do what I had done in school but now as a grown-up. As I don´t often use the
language now, this is an opportuity to freshen up or practice my English in the way I most enjoy,
through acting. I think this workshop will also be important for my my acting
CV.
Do you feel this experience has
improved your English? Has it increased your knowledge about acting and
creativity?
In my case, I’m not sure if it has improved my English but it has helped to keep in practice and use the language well.
Concerning the acting aspect, I think I’m learning how to act in front of cameras, as I feel I am
already attached to the theatrical way of acting. For example, I’m getting more
used to the idea of economizing my actions and facial expressions. Sometimes
I´m really afraid of exaggerating things, and maybe before the camera things
must be a bit more “bigger” in order for the spectator to notice those actions
and reactions. The idea of the workshop is to learn by playing, to play in
order to find the character we are working on, so exaggerating things is part
of the exploration we carry out in working on our characters.
Does doing both theatre and
acting in front of cameras produce confusion or uncertainty? Which do you
prefer and why?
I love the idea of being in front
of cameras, always did. But now that I have the experience of both theatre and
cameras, I really enjoying it and believe it´s useful for my acting overall experience.
Of the two I realize I prefer theatre, because that´s what I always have always
done.I feel more comfortable and have always enjoyed being there at that exact
moment, all the feelings it provokes and the public in front of us. I prefer
the whole story taking place right there, than filming on scenes. Of course I
understand that´s how it is working with cameras and find it interesting and
can benifit from mis stakes; yet I prefer to improvise something fast on the
moment if I’ve made a mistake and carry on, because solving issues on stage is
part of being a theatre actor.
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