Drama Terminology

Question 1

Movement techniques

Answer 1

• Entrances and Exits
• Use of space
• Weight
• dynamics
• energy
• levels
• proximity
• posture
• facial expression
• Gesture
• body language

Question 2

Voice choices

Answer 2

• pitch (high-low, monotone)
• pace (slow, medium, fast)
• pause (build effect, create suspense, breath, emphasis)
• projection (mumble, turn away, loud, soft, how well your help)
• accent (locality, context of play)
• articulation (pronunciation, slang, lisp: speech impediment)
• Tone (monotone, general tone, emotion)

Question 3

Stanislavski’s method of acting

Answer 3

• Given circumstances
• Fundamental questions
• The magic If
• Emotional recall
• Method of physical actions
• Units and beats
• Objectives and super-objectives

Question 4

The 5 key fundamental questions

Answer 4

• Who am I?
• Where am I?
• What time is it? (Century, year, month, day, minute, ect)
• What surrounds me?
• What am I doing?

Question 5

What are given circumstances?

Answer 5

• Are the sets of circumstances, or the contexts in which both the characters and the actors find themselves
• Place/Geography
• Time
• Society
• Political arena
• historical past and situations

Question 6

What is the Magic If?

Answer 6

If I were in this particular situation, at this time and this place, with these given circumstances, then what would I do?

Question 7

What is emotional recall?

Answer 7

• The actor delves back into the past of their own life and explores situations in which they experienced similar emotions to those of their characters

Question 8

What is Unit and beats?

Answer 8

• dissect plays script and segment them into small workable sections
• A unit is a section in which their is usually one dramatic focus/situation/event. Often marked by physical/environmental change
• Beats are smaller segments which are not necessarily marked by a physical or obvious change

Question 9

What is objective and super-objectives

Answer 9

• Objective is the internal desires of a character and is open to interpretation
• Super-objective is their overall want and desire which overshadows the whole play

Question 10

Elements of design

Answer 10

• Colour
• Shape
• Space

Question 11

Principles of design

Answer 11

• Contrast
• Emphasis
• Pattern
• Repetition

Question 12

Objectives of stage lighting design

Answer 12

• Visibility
• Realistic and presentational
• Composition
• Mood/atmosphere

Question 13

A lighting designer needs to consider

Answer 13

• Intensity
• Form
• Colour
• Direction

Question 14

3 main categories of lighting

Answer 14

• Spotlights (fresnels, profiles, etc)
• Floodlights (cyclorama floods, general floods, etc)
• Special effect lighting (moving/intelligent lights, strobes)