NEXT SESSION: August 23 / 24, 2003

to register email tom@tomnoonan.com or call 212 473 7375

This is a 2 day workshop limited to 16 directors.

                                         HOW THE WORKSHOP OPERATES:

Directing. What's the job? How do you do it?

This workshop is an intensive course designed to handle the major issue of being a director for film or theater: creating drama.   This workshop is open to directors who want to expand and sharpen their skills, to writers who want to direct their own work, and to actors who are considering moving onto the other side of the camera or footlights.

As in all my workshop, I believe you learn by doing - through good practice. This workshop will cover the basic aspects of directing for theater and film - but will focus primarily on working with actors.

I believe that the material of drama is the actor - his/her relationship to him/herself and his/her relationship to the world (primarily the other actors).  Your job is to bring this world to life in front of the camera or on a stage.

We will work with all the elements of the production and explore and practice how they support those relationships(the drama): the script (the words), the blocking (the stage directions), the costume, the set, the props, the sound track, the music, the make-up, the crew, and the lighting.

                                    DIRECTING WORKSHOP DETAILS:

 
SINCE THIS IS A SHORT TERM, INTENSIVE WORKSHOP, I WILL BE MAKING COMMENTS AND GIVING NOTES 'PUBLICLY' TO THE ACTOR/DIRECTORS.  THIS IS A DIVERGENCE FROM MY REGULAR WORKSHOPS WHERE ALL NOTES/COMMENTS ARE MADE PRIVATELY.

 Concepts and skills to be covered:

1) What is drama?  How does it 'work'?

2) Blocking a scene for film and theater (I consider choosing operative words in dialog as part of the blocking)

3) Learning how to support the actor with the script, the make-up, the costume, the props, the set, etc.

4) Casting. How to pick the ‘right' actor to make your play or movie ‘work'.

5) How to talk to an actor - the language of acting / the language of directing - how to keep the actors from undermining each other - keeping control of the set. How much do you tell the actors about your process.  How to give an actor notes.

6) What you can expect from a cast in terms of knowing their words, sticking to their blocking, etc. What is your AUTHORITY and how to use it to make your play or movie work. What is not within your authority.  (How do you 'author' a dramatic work.  I do not believe that a director's job is primarily one of 'interpretation' but one of exploration and discovery.  A director is much like a parent in a family - you do not make your children become what you expect of them, but support them in where they need to go.)

7) When and how to delegate that AUTHORITY.  How to hire the 'right' crew.

8) How to rehearse.

9) How to work with your stage manager/assistant director.

10) How to handle the script with both the writer and the actors and the crew.

What we'll do day to day

1) The primary focus will be scene work - each scene will have one director and two actors (played by directors).  Thus each participant will have opportunity to see what it's like to act - what it's like to be directed - to experience the directing process from all sides.

2) You will be given the scenes (each director will act in 2 scenes) as soon as you register for the workshop - you will be expected to know your lines perfectly when we commence - complete memorization of text is a very important part of any dramatic situation and this is not an exception.

3) I will be giving notes publicly so the work will be more open and instructional than in the acting and writing classes. We will work toward a performance of the scenes at the end of the process - on Sunday night at 8pm - you can invite people to this performance if you wish.

4) I will provide the scenes unless you have an interest in directing a particular scene.  You need to let me know if that's the case immediately.

4) There will be a minimum of 10 directors in the class - a maximum of 16.

5) The workshop will take place over Saturday and Sunday - August 23rd and 24th - from 9am to 6pm, with a one-hour lunch break (1pm to 2pm) - on Sunday night we will perform from 6pm to 8pm.

6) I am VERY open to questions but we have a limited time for them.  But I am not open to arguing my work methods or basic concepts.  I only know what I do - that is what this workshop is about.  What I do works for me and hopefully what you take from the workshop will work for you.  I do this understanding that directing is a very personal process.

7) Following the performance on Sunday night there will be a 'get together' at a local restaurant.

8) The cost of the workshop is $375 for theater company members - $500 for non-members. Upon registration you will receive, via email, a collection of course materials, including a book of essays, the scenes we will be working on, a schedule and outline of the workshops activities day-to-day.

NOTE: We will cover technical aspects of directing as it pertains to acting: for example, repeating blocking, matching performance take-to-take, when overlapping dialog is advisable and when it isn't, acting and directing 'tricks', etc.

BUT... During the Directing Workshop I will NOT be spending a lot of time on the craft of filmmaking or playmaking - those will be covered in other workshops I'm designing for the fall and winter which will include:

                                                        FILM MAKING (Fall/Winter 2003/2004)

PRE-PRODUCTION: casting, breaking a script down, doing a budget, designing a production, creating a schedule, shot listing and story boarding, rehearsals, finding a crew and what each crew position's job is along with the chain of authority, unions, financing/fundraising, legal issues including contracts and rights.

PRODUCTION: running a set, keeping on budget and schedule, implementing the design, sound recording, cinematography, lighting, transportation, craft service and catering, costume / hair / make-up, call sheets, cataloging and storing film/sound dailies, shooting with an eye toward editing.

POST-PRODUCTION: Picture edit (Final Cut Pro / Premiere), picture effects (After Effects), syncing and cleaning up your production sound tracks, sound design/mixing (Digital Performer / Pro Tools), film scoring, music rights, festival entry, sales representation, and distribution.

                                                      PLAY MAKING (Fall/Winter 2003/2004)

THE SHOW: casting, hiring designers, rehearsing, set construction, costume design and fabrication, make-up, sound design, lighting design, stage managing, and tech rehearsals, etc.

THE BUSINESS: financing, budgeting, finding a theater, advertising, press agents, critics, still photos, industry invites, agents, biographies, press releases, contracts, and unions, etc.