Wiki Page, Oklahoma High School- Drama/Theatre Course (OK Art Tech): 9.5 Practice Your Scene

Wiki Page
2025-03-06T08:26:20-06:00

Practice Your Scene

Tips for Practicing

Congratulations on completing your script for your silent film scene! Now it is time to practice it. You must know your scene well and be comfortable performing it. This will help the recording assignment go smoothly.

Steps

Perform your scene multiple times. Be mindful of your body and voice as you practice your scene. Take note of what went well and what can be improved each time you practice.

Use a timer. Remember that your scene must be between 30-60 seconds. Practice with a timer to ensure you meet the allotted time. You can use a timer/stopwatch on your phone, an analog clock, or search "stopwatch" in an online search engine.

Perform for a partner. Performing for a partner can help reduce anxiety. Remember that you are a beginner, so do your best and don't expect perfection.

Exaggerate your expressions. Remember that in acting, you must exaggerate all movement and facial features to make them reflect on the camera. If you think you're doing too much, it's probably the right amount. See the example in the clip below to observe exaggerated movement in context.

Brainstorm facial expressions and gestures you could add. Read through your script/scenario once more, and see if you can visualize what it may look like on a stage or in front of a camera. What would an actor do to bring this scene to life? Try adding additional facial expressions and gestures to your character as appropriate.

Practice in front of a mirror. Practicing in front of a mirror can be a great tool and will help you make changes on the spot.

Record yourself and watch it back. Recording yourself and watching it is one of the most effective ways to find ways to improve your scene. You can assess your pantomime actions, facial expressions, and gestures to see if they show up on the camera.

Exaggerated Movement Example

Watch the following clip to see an example of exaggerated movements. Although this isn't a silent film, it is useful to see different ways to exaggerate your voice, facial expressions, and bodily gestures. How many can you identify? Are there any in the clip you could incorporate in your silent film scene?

Video: I Love Lucy: A Colorized Celebration - "Job Switching" clip

Fathom Events. (2019, Jul 9). I Love Lucy: A Colorized Celebration - "Job Switching" clip. [Video]. YouTube.https://youtu.be/K3axU2b0dDk?feature=shared

Click on the button at the bottom of the video to access the closed captions.