Acting in Film: An Actor's Take on Movie Making by Michael Caine

Grading Breakdown

For Directors:

Class participation, 10%
Continuity Scene Pre-Production and Production, 20%
Continuity Scene Final Cuts, 5%
Improvisation Scene Production, 10%
Improvisation Scene Final Cuts, 5%
Final Project Pre-Production and Production, 30%
Final Project Rough Cuts, 10%
Final Project Final Cuts and Completed Acting Reels, 10%

For Actors:

Class participation, 10%
Continuity Scene Script Analysis, Rehearsal, and Acting, 20%
Continuity Scene Acting Excerpt, 5%
Improvisation Scene Acting, 10%
Improvisation Scene Acting Excerpt, 5%
Actor Casting Pieces, 10%
Final Project Script Analysis, Rehearsal, and Acting, 30%
Complete Acting Reel, 10%

Grading Scale
A: 93-100, A-: 90-92, B+: 87-89, B: 83-86, B-: 80-82, C+: 77-79, C: 73-76, C-: 70-72, D+: 67-69, D: 63-66, D-: 60-62

All grading is final (assignments may not be resubmitted for new grades). All assignments are due the class after which they are assigned. Late assignments will not be accepted (if you anticipate you will miss class, the assignment must be delivered to my door before the start of the class in which it is due), unless the absence for the class is excused (documented illness, death in the family, etc.).

For group projects, grades will be uniform across the entire group, unless negative written evaluations are received from fellow group members for the assignment.

Continuity Scene

One or two directing student(s) will partner with two actors in the class (if there is an odd number of actors, you may cast an additional actor from outside class, but the actor must be a Theatre School student or an outside acting student/professional with a professional resume; if there is an odd number of directors, a director may be forced to go solo, but MAY NOT form a group of three directors). If there are two directors, one director should be responsible for directing one actor ONLY, and these pairs should not be switched (for example, if the director has a note or adjustment for the actor he or she is not responsible for directing, it MUST be given to the director of that actor, who will then either relay it, filter it, or disregard it altogether).

For Directors:

You will choose a scene from a play that has NOT BEEN PRODUCED FOR FILM (a previously filmed staging is ok), that occurs in only one location. The scene must have objectives in conflict (it cant just be exposition with a clever twist or surprise). You will adapt this scene using standard screenwriting format (using Final Draft, Celtix, etc.). You will utilize ONLY ONE set on which the scene takes place. The set can be a stage (designed/built) or a found location. But the set must be decorated to fit the given circumstances of the scenes. Costumes and props should be utilized to fit the given circumstances of your adaptation (you may change the setting of a period piece, for example, to contemporary times, but you cannot pantomime a prop or wear civvies for a character who requires a uniform, etc.).

To shoot the project, you should work with two other directing students, who will shoot the scene and record sound, using a boom mic or lavalieres. Using sound from on-camera mikes is not acceptable, and will result in a grade penalty. The coverage MUST include: wide shot; over the shoulders; close-ups on actors; and inserts on objects/action.

The final scene should be edited with appropriate sound design (effects, ambiences, and music should be utilized). The total running time MUST NOT EXCEED 5 minutes (longer scenes will face a grade deduction). Final project must be turned in on two DVDs: one will be authored with a menu, playable on a DVD deck; the other will be an exported quicktime file copied to data-DVD.

For Actors:

You will be responsible for written script analysis of the scene. This script analysis should be typed, and turned in on paper. The script analysis should include:

1. Research: List ten facts about the character (trivial to profound, but they must be facts, and cannot be judgments). Come up with ten questions about the character that cannot be answered within the context of the scene. Answer these questions, feeling free to consult or depart from the source text for these answers.
2. A retyping of the entire scene with no punctuation and no scene direction.
3. A preliminary analysis of possible beat changes.

Also, you must conduct a separate rehearsal with your acting partner. If the directors are able to attend, great, but they are not required to attend, and may only watch. The rehearsal should be run by you and your partner for the purposes of exploring your characters and possible changes, not for getting off book or setting your character in stone. This rehearsal should be videotaped for ONLY 15 minutes. You must turn in this videotape with your script analysis. The camera can be set up, then left to run for 15 minutes, but you should probably start recording somewhere in the middle of your rehearsal, NOT the beginning.

While the directors are editing, you should get the original source material, and cut an excerpt no longer than 30 seconds of your best acting to include on your final acting reel. You will turn in this reel on two DVDs: one will be authored with a menu, playable on a DVD deck; the other will be an exported quicktime file copied to data-DVD.

Improvisation Assignment

Same partnership requirements as previous assignment, but YOU MUST WORK WITH A DIFFERENT PARTNER.

Each group will receive the same set of given circumstances for a scene; the given circumstances will exist in only one location, and characters must not move to another location during the course of the scene. The actors and directors will rehearse the scene on the same day and same location where they shoot.

The same coverage from the previous assignment absolutely must be utilized. In editing, at least one of each type of shot must be used in the final project: wide shot; over the shoulders; close-ups on actors; and inserts on objects/action. Simply shooting the entire scene in one take with no editing is not acceptable, and will result in a failing grade. Total running time must not exceed THREE MINUTES.

Actors should again cut excerpts and turn in DVDs of the excerpts.

Final Project

The parameters of this project are the same as the first assignment with the following exceptions:

1. The script must be an original, non-produced, non-published screenplay, which you did not write yourself. It should be written by another student, who must be willing to sign a release granting you and the actors limited rights of exhibition. The script can be written by a professional, but you must have a signed release prior to filming.
2. The script must take place over and utilize more than one location.
3. The total running time must not exceed 10 minutes.
4. The shooting must utilize some improvisation, and this improvisation must be cut into the final edit (in other words, some dialogue must be different from the script, and these changes must be highlighted in a final script turned in with the final DVDs). The amount of improvisation may not exceed 50 percent of the total running time, and may be as little as one line.
5. Actors cut excerpts from this project that totals no longer than one minute. They will combine these excerpts with the two other excerpts for reels totaling no more than two minutes, and turn in final DVDs of these reels.

DO NOT RETURN EQUIPMENT LATE. It impacts fellow students and DC classes. Failure to pay fines within seven days (see Equipment Policies below) will result in a grade deduction equal to 5% of the final grade.