2.0 HLADEKA/Chosen Fallen - Production Meet

New Acting Participants

Thursday March 27 a "method session" for primary and secondary acting participants using the HLADEKA system took place. On location at the Friedrich Building in San Antonio, Texas, they improvised scenes to initiate the first stage in the character development process.

From Left: Leslie, Devin, Blaine, Kat, Racheal, Myriam (CF Producer/UPM), and Phebe.

Schedule Details

Schedule Details:

Mar 25, 2008 - Tue

09:30pm-12:30am: Document Katherine Brown as "Caterina" at the Fredrich Building

Mar 26, 2008 - Wed

Phone calls/Prep work/Schoolwork

Mar 27, 2008 - Thu

11:00am: Contact Eugene to secure Friedrich space for Saturday
11:30am: Email Eugene Details to secure Friedrich space for Saturday
03:00pm Revise bulletin post for Sat
07:30pm-09:00pm: Meet with Mike at Candlelight to discuss business/ and Chosen Fallen "extra" contacts
09:30pm-12:00pm: Meet with acting participants at Friedirch for video documentation of character development


Mar 28, 2008 - Fri

12:00pm-05:00pm: Edit revisions on Chosen Fallen 10 min Short
07:00pm-09:00pm: Document Clayton as "Mourge" at the Friedrich Building
09:00pm-10:00pm: One to one with Lance to introduce his revised character Bio at the Friedrich Building

Mar 29, 2008 - Sat

02:00pm-04:00pm: Complete Edit revisions on Chosen Fallen 10 min Short / Burn DVD
05:00pm-06:00pm: Interview writers: Frank Leal, Tommas, Clayton
07:00pm-08:00pm: Equipment & table Setup at the Friedrich Building
09:30pm-12:30pm: Friedrich HLADEKA/Chosen Fallen Meet & Greet

HLADEKA/Chosen Fallen - Production Meet

While in San Antonio I will be working with individuals involved in the HLADEKA and Chosen Fallen projects. This meet will address project update & progress, documentation (proof of concept), and Summer 2008 production schedule.

Scenario Building - Persona

An east coast based director producing an independent film working with multiple actors in various geographical locations. The project is operating on a shoestring budget and to hire well-trained paid actors is not an option. Not wanting to compromise the integrity of the films dramatic impact and extract exceptional performances from the actors it was necessary to develop a system used by the creative team actors

The process starts with character bios predetermining age, gender, local, and main characteristics corresponding to their roles in the narrative.

Secondly, the actors whom accept their character bio will have creative control of character development within the initial concept of the original character bio. The director is interested in the actor’s dynamic transformation into character and how it will affect them on screen to capture a hyper-real performance.

Thirdly, the writer will compile journaled real life and virtual interactions of the personified characters and introduce this content into the story’s narrative. The dynamic methodology constitutes a new form of character development from a writer’s perspective.

Scenario Building - Persona

The audience for "HLADEKA" consists of three parts: Director, Writer, and Actor. Personas have been developed for each and they are as follows_

March Work Schedule Update

Characters - Cyber Social Networks

One of the components of the system are the Actor's personification in cyber social networks. Currently, but not limited to, MySpace is being used.
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Caterina

PM

Max Maxium

Morgue

Roger

Rake

Engin

Research Questions

Hey Joey,

Here's my answers for ya...."Caterina" was out in quasi-character this past saturday....lolol

Hope all is well!


k


Research Questions-

Please answer the following as it will be used as analytical data for the project. There is not a right or wrong answer and will not affect your involvement in the project.
____________________________________________


Name: Katherine Brown

Location: San Antonio, Texas

Character Portrayed: Caterina marrone


Do you have formal training acting: No


How do you perceive your role as an acting participant:
Caterina, my character, is quite opposite in every way of myself....she allows me to be a bit more harsh as far as the online cyberspace interaction, overly sure of herself and explore art in an approach quite different to my real work. Caterina has a few pieces that will be on exhibit at the Vivo/Alive Exhibition....so interested to see the reaction to her pieces which will be a bit more erotic and or violent.


Deciding factor/s to want to be a part of the project:
When Myriam and Joey talked of changing the caracter (who was a male previously) into a cold calculating female....that she was to have Italian roots and a passion for the arts that was used as her front....


Ideas, expectations and goals regarding the project:

I am just very interested in the entire evolution of this film as it is quite diverse with the cyberspace interaction with those who actually feel the characters are 'real'. Also, the fact that Caterina is actually donating a piece or two for a 'real' arts benefit. I am excited to see what happens.


Briefly describe your process as to identify with the "Character Bio" provided to you:

Being that Caterina is quite a cold and demanding person...I have to constantly remind myself of that. When I write to people via cyberspace, if they have asked me a stupid question or ignore something written in my profile regarding the character via myspace, I must have a "0" tolerance ....so typically respond to people who have emailed me regarding dating, money, where I live in Miami with a bit of a harsh response.


What is your feeling about the project's non-conventional approach towards film production to proceed forward with a voluntary production crew and acting participants:

I feel it is awesome...but I also feel that some of the characters are not keeping up with their dialogue....maybe they are a bit 'lost' or second guessing what dialogue they need to use....???

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-Name: Myriam Lanau

-Location: San Antonio, TX

-Character Portrayed: At this time, no character has been assigned though we are in discussion about it :)

-Do you have formal training acting: No i do not

-How do you perceive your role as a Producer & Production Manager: Isee my goal as keeping you up to date on goings on here in SA and online w/ the characters as well as keeping you on track :)

-Deciding factor/s to want to be a part of the project: Cutting edge idea, friend, and creative contemporary :0

-Ideas, expectations and goals regarding the project: At this juncture I feel where we are is good in character development. I figure a few more months of this. catreina has already been out and about and some shots of her have been taken.


-Briefly describe your process as to identify with the "Charater Bio" provided to you: N/A at this time

-What is your feeling about the project's non-conventional approach towards film production to proceed forward with a voluntary production crew and acting participants: As an artist w/ photography as my primary training, I am fasicanted w/ the approach. I feel like it's a living photo series.

Hope these help. I'm utterly exhausted and I'm crashing ;)

ttys~m
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Name: Clayton Hodges

Location: San Antonio Tx

Character Portrayed: Morgan Wore



Do you have formal training acting: Formal, no. But I do have plenty of experience with creating personas just to mess with people. When you come back during spring break, remind me to introduce you to Sergei, Jack Dolan, and Philip McCrotch.


How do you perceive your role as an acting participant: I've been given a REALLY important role and I respect that position; hence the fact that I'm taking so long to start working with it. I'm still trying to get this cat down and solid.


Deciding factor/s to want to be a part of the project:
The idea of letting a story 'evolve' from the characters. This could be the truest form of 'letting a story tell itself'.


Ideas, expectations and goals regarding the project:
I'm basically rolling with the punches with this.


Briefly describe your process as to identify with the "Charater Bio" provided to you:
I've been asking questions of myself as to why Morgan has become the person he is. I've been slowly building a history that will culminate in a full actualization of the character.


What is your feeling about the project's non-conventional approach towards film production to proceed forward with a voluntary production crew and acting participants: To put it in the vernacular: IT FUCKIN' RAWKS!!!
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Scenario Building

The character development component of "HLADEKA" relies on actor participation. First a film project and and character biographies must be established by the creative team. The creative team in this scenario consist of the writer and/or director.

1. A bio is developed for a character.

2. A actor is invited to portray the character for the film project.

3. Actors personify their characters and to interact with a public audience in physical (the real) and virtual space. dialogue content to be introduced into the script's time-line.

4. Actors correspondence online is archived and used by the creative team to contrive dialogue for the characters.



Persona:
Research Questions-

____________________________________________


Name:

Location:

Character Portrayed:


Do you have formal training acting:


How do you perceive your role as an acting participant:


Deciding factor/s to want to be a part of the project:


Ideas, expectations and goals regarding the project:


Briefly describe your process as to identify with the "Character Bio" provided to you:


What is your feeling about the project's non-conventional approach towards film production to proceed forward with a voluntary production crew and acting participants:

FLOW

Overview

HLADEKA is a system for character development implemented by a film director working with multiple acting participants in various geographical locations. Combining real-life experience and imagination encouraging a hyper real performance, this system allows the acting participant to exercise collaborative creative control with the director customizing a character persona.

Incorporating traditional method acting techniques and virtual connectivity via the Internet, HLADEKA enables acting participants to portray characters in real life and anonymously in cyberspace introducing a meta level to character development and the acting experience.

This meta level offers a support network between acting participants and film director for those that are not formally trained in the school of acting in addition it produces dynamic improvised happenings within the character development to be introduced into the script’s content.

Key Words

This compiled list defines key words applied to the HLADEKA system.

Terms provided by "Wikipedia"

actor - one who acts : An actor, actress, player or rarely thespian (see terminology) is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity. The ancient Greek word for an actor, hypokrites, when rendered as a verb means "to interpret";[1] in this sense, an actor is one who interprets a dramatic character.

alter ego - (Latin, "the other I") is a second self, a second personality or persona within a person. It was coined in the early nineteenth century when schizophrenia was first described by early psychologists.[1]
The term alter ego is commonly used in literature analysis and comparison to describe characters who are psychologically identical, or sometimes to describe a character as an alter ego of the author, a fictional character whose behavior, speech or thoughts intentionally represent those of the author.

Anonymity - derived from the Greek word ανωνυμία, meaning "without a name" or "namelessness". In colloquial use, the term typically refers to a person, and often means that the personal identity, or personally identifiable information of that person is not known.

Anonymous (group), the collective name of individuals that participate in certain online message boards, taken from the customary use of "anonymous" postings.

Method acting - technique in which actors try to replicate real life emotional conditions under which the character operates, in an effort to create a life-like, realistic performance. This is contrasted with a more abstracted, less involved style of acting in which the actor himself or herself remains an outside observer of the character he or she is portraying.
"The Method" in method acting typically refers to the generic practice of actors drawing on their own emotions, memories, and experiences to influence their portrayals of characters.
...the process can include various ideologies and practices such as "as if," "substitution," "emotional memory in acting," and "preparation."

Pseudonymity - derived from pseudonym, meaning 'false name', and describes a state of disguised identity resulting from the use of a pseudonym (also called nym). The pseudonym identifies a holder, that is, one or more human beings who possess but do not disclose their true names (that is, legal identities).[1] Most pseudonym holders use pseudonyms because they wish to remain anonymous, but anonymity is difficult to achieve, and is often fraught with legal issues.[2] True anonymity requires unlinkability, such that an attacker's examination of the pseudonym holder's message provides no new information about the holder's true name.

Virtual - defined philosophically as, that which is not real, but may display the full qualities of the real

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Definitions provided by the online "Oxford English Dictionary"


actor, n. - 3. One who acts, or performs any action, or takes part in any affair; a doer.

alter ego, n - A second self; an intimate and trusted friend; a confidential agent or representative. Hence alter-egoism, altruism; alter-egoistic a., altruistic.

anonymity, a. - The state of being anonymous.

anonymous, a. - b. Hence subst. A person whose name is not given, or is unknown.

cyberspace, n. - The notional environment within which electronic communication occurs, esp. when represented as the inside of a computer system; space perceived as such by an observer but generated by a computer system and having no real existence; the space of virtual reality. Cf. virtual reality s.v.

pseudonymity, n. - The fact or condition of being pseudonymous; the use of a pseudonym or assumed name.

virtual, a. - Possessed of certain physical virtues or capacities; effective in respect of inherent natural qualities or powers; capable of exerting influence by means of such qualities. Now rare.

Process Continued

Thesis Schedule

The Process

In order to test the system, HLADEKA is in use by several acting participants geographically located in various locations throughout the United States for the independent film “chosen fallen”. These individuals possess no formal training in acting and have voluntarily agreed to participate without pay or compensation.

The process starts with the director’s preconceived character bios and an understanding of time and place that they enter into the time line of events extracted from the screen play as to identify the intended interactions between acting participants in the real before production. Next, an individual that has qualities corresponding to a specific character bio is invited as an acting participant to portray the character.

Next, the acting participants activate online profiles via MySpace, FaceBook, Friendster and/or other cyber social networks, produce character driven blogs, and participate in online performances personifying their assigned characters in virtual space as “real” individuals. Acting participants also portray and network their characters in the “real” life as well interjecting life experiences engaging with a public audience creating content for their online profiles contributing to an enhanced character development.

Exhibit Space

This 10’x20’x30’ Thesis show space will be an interactive experience for visitors as they will see the process from conception to final production. The space will include interfaces to explore online character profiles and video monitors for viewing proof of concept. The environment will shift from the HLADEKA system to a 15min reel of “chosen fallen”. This space is designed to attract individuals from the motion picture industry such as directors, producers, actors, and film critics.

Thesis Production Schedule

Joseph Hladek
Core 8: Thesis Prod.
1/30/08


Thesis Production Schedule


Feb/01/08 – Continue Thesis Space Model

Feb/01/08 – Resume Documentation & Website Development

Feb/09/08 – Implement HLADEKA To CT/NY Acting Participants

Feb/16/08 – Film on Location – CT/NY

Mar/01/08 – Prototype Online Interface

Mar/16/08 – Film on Location – San Antonio, Texas

Apr/01/08 – Produce HLADEKA Booklets

May/01/08 -– Complete Editing for 15min “Chosen Fallen” Reel

May/09/08 -– Thesis Show Setup

May/13/08 – Thesis Show Presentation

I A

Precedents Graph

References / Bibliography

Author: Kransner, David.
Title: Method Acting Reconsidered: Theory, Practice, Future
Publication info: New York, N.Y. : Palgrave Macmillanl., 2000.

Author: Hooks, Ed.
Title: Acting Strategies for the Cyber Age
Publication info: Portsmouth, NH. : Heinemann Drama., 2001.

Author: Gordon, Douglas.
Title: Timeline
Publication info: New York, N.Y. : Museum of Modern Art., 2006.

Author: Robert Write.
Title: Non Zero: The Logic of Human Destiny
Publication info: New York, N.Y. : Pantheon., 2000.

Author: Garrett, Jesse J..
Title: Elements of User Experience: User-Centered Design for the Web
Publication info: New York, N.Y. : New Riders Publishing., 2002.

Author: Field, Syd.
Title: Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting.
Publication info: New York, N.Y. : Dell Pub., 1982.

Author: Richter, Hans
Title: Dada: Art and Anti-Art
Publication info: New York, N.Y. : Thames and Hudson., 1965 and 1997.


Web Resources.

www.myspace.com/ivam
www.wikipedia.com
www.imdb.com

Thesis Core 8: Production

Core 7: Thesis
Core 6: Prototyping