The director and the producer (chapter 6) Flashcards
Define director.
The person responsible for the overall
unity of a production and for coordinating the work of contributing artists
What are the responsibilities of a director?
- The director is the person who works closely with performers, guiding them in shaping their performances.
- The director oversees that the movement, rhythm, and pace is appropriate.
- The director is responsible for coordinating other aspects of the production, such as the work of the scene, costume, lighting, and sound designers.
- The director oversees all of the choices
made for production in order to create a unified vision - The director understands the playwright’s point of view and translates it into terms relevant to the production.
What is the traditional approach also known as?
Text-based method
What is the starting point, or the foundation, of the traditional director’s work?
The starting point, or the foundation, of the traditional director’s work is the script.
What are the elements that are to be made whole by the director?
- Choosing a script
- The spine of the play
- The style of the play
- The directorial concept
(CaSSie is SaD)
Define ‘spine’ of the play.
Spine: Also known as the main action, the spine is determined by the goal or the primary objective of all of the characters in a play, both collectively and individually
What are the 2 extremes of realism?
Naturalism: Attempts to put on stage exact copies of everyday life; sometimes also called “slice of life.”
Heightened realism: selective realism, refers to plays in which characters and their actions resemble real life but a certain license is allowed for other elements in the play.
What are the 2 well known types of non-realism?
Allegory: representation of an abstract theme or subject through symbolic characters, actions, or other elements of a production, such as scenery
Expressionism: The attempt in drama to depict the subjective state of a character or group of characters through such nonrealistic techniques as distortion, striking images, and poetic language.
What are the two essentials for when a director arrives at a style?
When a director arrives at a style for a production, two things are essential:
(1) the style should be appropriate for the play
(2) it should be consistent throughout every aspect of the production
Define ‘ directorial concept’.
Directorial concept: The controlling idea, vision, or point of view that the director feels is appropriate for the play; it should create a unified theatrical experience for the audience.
What are to be taken into consideration when developing a concept?
- Concept and period(what time period is it taking place)
- Concept and central image or metaphor (Hamlet caught in a spiderweb would be implemented on every level)
- Concept and purpose (should serve the play and remain true to the meaning)
What is ‘ auteur ‘?
Auteur: French term for author. When used to describe a director, it suggests one who makes drastic alterations and transformations to a traditional script
What is the hallmark of postmodern-production?
- Taking apart of the text, often called deconstruction, in which portions of a text may be altered, deleted, taken out of context, or reassembled.
- A second hallmark is the abandonment of a narrative or linear structure in a theatre piece.
- A third hallmark is unfamiliar, cross-gender, multicultural casting.
Define ‘casting’.
Casting: Fitting performers into roles.
Differentiate between type casting and casting against type.
When a performer closely resembles in real life the character to be enacted, this is known as typecasting.
When a director deliberately puts someone in a role who does not appear to be right for the part. This is frequently done for comic or satiric purposes and is called casting against type.
