Video transcript
@The Arts Unit Art Bites – Characterisation – 12. Quiz

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JANE SIMMONS: Hi everyone. I'm Jane Simmons from The Arts Unit, the Drama Performance Officer for the Department of Education. And here we are, our last module for our characterisation series. Feel free to re-watch me as many times as you like. Why, it sounds like the perfect way to spend an evening.

What's so great about this episode though, is that it is a quiz! Or a test. I say quiz, because it sounds less intimidating, don't you think? I promise you it will be painless.

So, in the other 11 units that preceded this unit, we looked at stereotypes, and introduction to melodrama acting and characterisation, status, Laban movement analysis, how to use movement to create characters, some insights into cinematic learning through practitioner Jacques Lecoq, settle down, realism techniques of the Stanislavski system such as objectives, subtext, intentions, fundamental questions, sense memory, and the magic if. And that brings us here, right now, to see how much you've understood as we take our characterisation journey together. If you get an answer wrong, it's not the end of the world.

Take note then of the right answer, because we should always strive to widen our knowledge and understanding of language and terms. There is power in being able to articulate an idea, a form, a style, a concept, a technique, et cetera, et cetera, using the correct terminology. It allows you to synthesise your knowledge and to apply it with sophisticated understanding of the topic.

And I don't get to be sophisticated very often. You know, I'm a hot chips and cheeseburger kind of girl. But every now and again, I like to impress someone by being able to use language effectively and appropriately to convey a critical analysis of a topic, and then go back to cheeseburgers, meat pies, and hot chips, because no regrets.

So, here's how today will work. I'm going to ask 25 questions with multiple choice answers, true or false, fill in the blanks, or short answer questions. As we haven't turned this into something interactive yet, you'll need to write down your answers.

I'll give you all the answers at the end. Don't cheat. You're only cheating yourself. And I'd be very disappointed. All right.

So, I'm going to ask the questions. And after each question, if you need to, you just pause. And then when you're ready, you can press start for the next question. So, here we go.

Question 1, What is characterisation? Question 2, name three types of stimulus we can use to create characters. Question 3, which of these words describes a one or two dimensional character? A) archetype, B) stereotype, C) trope, D) stock character, E) are they all do? Stop trying to trick me.

Question 4, which of these options does not describe a tableau? A) a frozen picture, B) a still image, C) a stock pose, D) cheeseburger? I mean, if you get that wrong, we need to have a serious conversation. Question 5, contrast is important in melodrama as it helps distinguish the characters immediately for an audience, true or false? Question 6, name four stock characters you might find in a melodrama.

Question 7, an aside in melodrama is? A) moving to the side to let someone through, B) dialogue spoken directly to the audience that the other characters pretend not to hear, C) the spectacle of the setting, or D) the script? Question 8, dramatic irony refers to when the audience know information that the characters on stage do not know, true or false? Question 9, fill in the blank. Observation or reading people and situations is a key skill for actors to possess. In other words, according to the book of Ru Paul, reading is ... . Question 10, write down three things about a person that you can observe that helps you make assumptions about them.

Question 11, all right, it's been pretty easy so far, right? So, let's turn up the dial. Which of these best defines dramatic meaning? A) dramatic meaning refers to the information we receive from what we see on stage.

It might be related to design choices, so the set, lights, costumes, as well as aural information like sound or music, dialogue. It can also be about the placement of items and the characters' movement, expressions, and so many other things. B) the mise-en scene of meaning and symbols that sit within the theatre's frame and that the audience interprets into story and starts to assume action. C) when you enter the theatre and before the performance even starts, you might look at the stage and start to write the narrative or mood or style of the play in your head without knowing anything about the play itself. D) all of the above.

Question 12, describe status and two ways in which you could show high status and two ways in which you can show low status. Question 13, we looked at the Laban's Movement Analysis in a trimmed down version of his 'effort' theories or movement intentions and dynamics. We played with eight of those movements. Can you list four of them?

Question 14, Jacques Lecoq is a French movement practitioner who believed that the body's impulses rather than dialogue itself offered a more truthful response to stimulus. Also, Jacques Lecoq is a pretty fabulous name, true or false? Question 15, which of these terms does not relate to the physical world or movement? A) cerebral, B) somatic, C) corporeal, and D) gesture?

Question 16, why is historical context important in researching the dramatic movements? Is it A) understanding what was happening at that time in society adds to our understanding of the form, style, and conventions of the dramatic movement? Context gives us insight into why we can better understand the how. B) history is cool. C) more A than B, but technically both are correct. D) do you want fries with that?

Question 17, which of the list below does not relate to Stanislavski and his system of realistic acting? Subtext? Intentions? Super objective? The magic if?

Sense memory? Throughline? Action? Observation? Fundamental questions?

Given circumstances? Obstacles? Units and beats? Missy, the British shorthair cat? 18, when we talk about tactics, what do we mean, and how are they connected to objectives?

Question 19, in his book An Actor Prepares,' Stanislavski said, 'the actor must feel the challenge to action physically as well as intellectually. Look at one's part as a series of units and discover the fundamental objective in each unit. Every objective must carry the germ of action, so use verbs to define objectives, not nouns.' What is a verb?

And 10 bonus points if you can name the kind of verbs he is referring to. And 100 bonus points if you can describe that specific type of verb. Question 20, why is tension integral to drama, and what do we mean when we say raising the stakes? Question 21, describe internal conflict and external conflict. Question 22, Name four fundamental questions an actor should ask about the character they are playing or researching?

Question 23, sense memory. What are the five senses that trigger memories? Question 24, magic if is the phrase Stanislavski uses to describe imagining what you would do in a given situation that you have no real life experience in. This is why drama students are better at empathy, collaboration, and creativity. And why drama is the best subject in the world, true or false?

[deep breath] Question 25, Jane.Simmons10 is a gift to education. Oh, that's not even a question. Just give yourself a point. And we are done! Feeling confident and ready to go through your answers?

Now if you are swapping papers or getting a different colour pen, all right, then get ready cause we're going to start. Now you give yourself one point for each answer that you got correct unless I state otherwise. So, here we go. Question 1, characterisation is the process of becoming and developing characters. Now I will accept anything that basically says that.

Question 2, stimulus to create characters can be almost anything, including images, music, costume, text, dialogue, a distinctive name, a setting, a situation, an occupation, a written description, a physical characteristic, a voice, status, a prop, accent, an attitude, a colour, an animal characteristic, an object, movement, well, almost anything. So, if you name three things on this list or something else that you could reasonably assume would be stimulus for a character, give yourself a point for each you got right, up to 3 points. Question 3, they are all words to describe basic characters of one or two dimensions. So, the answer has to be E) of course.

Question 4, D) Mmm, cheeseburger. Cheeseburger does not describe a tableau. You might eat one at a table, but not the same thing.

Question 5, contrast is important in melodrama as it helps distinguish the characters immediately for an audience. This is true. Question 6, characters can include a villain, a hero, a heroine, the villain's incompetent assistant, the hero's sidekick, the heroine's sick mother, the heroine's father, he may be a drunk or have gambling debts. Give yourself a point for each one you got correct up to four points. Question 7, an aside in melodrama is B) dialogue spoken directly to the audience that the other characters pretend not to hear.

Question 8, dramatic irony refers to when the audience knows information that the characters on stage do not know. This is true. Question 9, according to the book of Ru Paul reading is fundamental! Question 10, question 10, three things about a person that you can observe that helps you make assumptions about them could be once again, almost anything, size, shape, voice, height, movement, attitude, status, dialogue. I will accept almost any answer here. So, give yourself the three points if you're on the right track.

Question 11, D) all of those things describe dramatic meaning. Question 12, status is the hierarchy of people or characters and their standing within it. So, how important they are. If you say something like that, give yourself the point.

High status people tend to take up a lot of space, take deep breaths, sit and stand quiet still, keep consistent eye contact, own their own space with confidence, sit, probably with some man spreading techniques. They keep a straight back hold their heads high, and they speak in a clear voice, and they are decisive and confident. So, give yourself two points if you had something similar or the same on your list. Low status people tend to take up very little space. They breathe short shallow breaths, fidget a lot, they look around excitedly or nervously or often.

They act like guests or servants in the space. They fold their arms across the chest. They cross their legs, they hunch over, they bowed their heads, they're wide eyed, mumble. They lack confidence. Once again, give yourself two points if you had something similar or the same on your list.

Question 13, now you get one point for each you got right, punch, dab, press, glide, slash, flick, ring, and float. Question 14, true, Jacques Lecoq is a great name, and he was a French movement practitioner who felt movement gave a more truthful impulse than the mind. Question 15, A) cerebral. Cerebral relates to the mind, and the other words relate to the body and movement.

Question 16, A) or C) are both acceptable answers in relation to context. And I'll give you a half point if you only said B) history is cool, because it's cool. But you know, drama, cooler. However, if you bring me fries, I'll give you 1,000 points.

Question 17, Missy the British blue hair is not part of the Stanislavski system. But she is very cute. Look at that face. She does have her own system called do my bidding. And it has been very successful for her over the last 15 years.

Question 18, a tactic is a method of getting what we want. Like my cat Missy, smacking me in the face each morning to wake me up and feed her, it works. Our objectives are what we want. And a tactic is how you get it. So, one point for each, and an extra 10 points if you own a cat. Oh, I did not say this test was fair.

Question 19, Stanislavski is referring to verbs here, transitive verbs to be exact. Transitive and intransitive are just fancy ways of describing action and non-action. So, a better word to associate when you say transitive is transfer. A transitive verb needs to transfer its action to something or someone. In essence, transitive means to effect something else, for example, to seduce, to encourage, to diminish, to embarrass.

If you said verb you give yourself a point. If you said transitive verb, give yourself an extra 10 points. And if you defined it, 100 points to you!

Question 20, tension is when we are drawn into the action because we are made to perhaps recognise that something exciting or devastating is about to happen to a character or situation, and it's about to be fundamentally changed. Tension means as an audience member that I care and I'm invested in what happens next. When we refer to raising the stakes, we mean making a choice that matters.

If you won a million dollars and didn't seem too excited by it, or if your car just got stolen, and you're like, meh, well, then you've made a choice to lower the stakes. Raising the stakes means you are affected by the action or information. And that is much more interesting to us as an audience. So, if you had an answer that kind of said the same thing, give yourself a point for both of those things.

Question 21, internal conflict is when you are torn between decisions or when you have to choose between what you have to do or what you have been asked to do, and what you want to do, which are at odds with each other. External conflict is an obstacle created by someone or something else outside of your control. Give yourself a point for each of those that you got right. (WHISPERS) Right.

Question 22, the fundamental questions are who am I? Where am I? When is it? What do I want? Why do I want it?

How will I get it? And what must I overcome? Give yourself a point for each of those that you got, up to four points.

Question 20, sense memory. The five senses include sights, sounds, taste, touch, [exhale] and smell. One for each sense.

Question 24, [exhale] well, this is ridiculous. Of course, it's true. Drama is the best subject in the world. And every subject needs to teach the skills of drama. I mean, how much better would we be if empathy and understanding ruled the world right now?

And question 25, you get a point. You get a point. Everyone gets a point! Right. Now add up your score.

How did you go? You know what? You're all winners in my eyes. And this is where we say goodbye. Hmm.

Thanks for watching the series, and I hope you've enjoy them. And who knows? We might see each other again real soon. Until then, thank you and goodbye.

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