DRAMA IP's : Help me please (1 Viewer)

[H. Caulfield]

Hey, i know im only 09' hsc student but im struggling to find, or think of how i can score good/great marks for individual performance. Everyting seems cliched or of shallow ssubject mattershallow. I went to ONSTAGE and was was overwhelmed by the standard expected. ahhhhhhhhhh! how do u find a good monologue? or how do u start to make a good one? Any ideas?

 

[jennieTalia]

I was a scripty, but its the same premise to find ideas.

Most of my friends decided to work on their strengths.
Use minimal props if you want to get to onstage btw. And BE VERSATILE.

(Go to the drama board, tonnes of what NOT to do tips on there)
Think- character. Monologues are CHARACTER DRIVEN. You need to know them, inside and out. Someone interesting and different maybe. Although your starting point is the words, it is the WAY you act something that makes it work and makes it watchable (although a crappily written piece wouldn't help)

Genre- comedy? You need a genre. Stay within it. Use the techniques. Be bold

 

[jennieTalia]

Get pictures that interest you, of anything. LOGBOOK IT.
Brainstorm, even the silliest random things
pages of quotes that you find interesting, you are allowed to borrow things for your monologue as long as you cite it in the logbook.
Song lyrics are good for insightful lines
watch things of the genre, films etc.
(Another idea is to find books in the first person that aren't majorly popular, and then use them to form a monologue, condensing the ideas/diary entries/speech or whatever etc)

 

[Kiim2507]

I did a video but I agree with jennie
Stick to your strengths
Don't try do a serious piece because you think you will get better marks

Go to a tonne of bookstores and just go through all the plays and monologues that you can find till you find one you like (It will probably take a long time like it did with most of the people in my drama class).

I wouldn't recommend writing one but do adapt one that you find to make it your own. Analyze the piece, the movements, the motivations, the emotions etc, every little detail. Become the character.

If you're still at a loss ask your teacher for guidance, I'm sure they will help you out

 

[jennieTalia]

Yep yep

And don't feel like you can't combine a few monologues you find, or add in personal touches, cut out bits, move things around etc.
If you are talented with writing, then you might want to re-do parts, or get a friend who is talented in that area to re-do it (but remember, you don't HAVE to use what they write, it might not always work for you)

Biographies are also really useful. If you are doing a case about child abuse... theres so many books out there (and to logbook them, and waste space , photocopy the front cover and then write stuff around it that you like, steal lines etc)

Don't be afraid to go to university libraries if you feel they have what you need. The internet is good and everything, but often it won't have an original monologue that no one else is doing, or that has much thought behind it.
Obscurity can sometimes be on your side. You don't want to be doing the same monologue half-heartedly whilst someone at a performing arts school rips it to shreds and the same markers had them a few years back.

Ask someone with an honest opinion. If you get a good monologue (don't post it round the net ahaha or it will get stolen by others) send it to someone who has already graduated or something, and say... cut it up, be ruthless and tell me truthfully if it is crap, needs work or if I'm onto something. A lot of friends and family will tell you something is great when it isn't, that's just what some people are like.

Think about what YOU would like to see on stage. Is the story you are looking at interesting to you at all? Then it is most likely interesting for other people. What common things have all the movies/books/performances at onstage, got in common?

Keep rereading through your logbook and research, it often opens doors for you that you totally forgot about, or could only think about with a new angle in your mind. With my script I was constantly going back and then thinking WOAH I could so add that in there. (In fact, so often was this happening that I had 5 brand new ideas on the submission day :O). But this won't happen unless you logbook a lot. Even if it is just a poem, a wikipedia entry, a picture or something, surround it by thoughts at that moment and then come back to it. It will be gold.

Word association games really get your mind going. Or just ask random people on msn 'first word that comes to your head when I say....' and keep it going. Even asking things like 'What is it like to have a mother who is an alcoholic'... sometimes if you find someone with an issue in their life, it can set you off on a really interesting creative spiral.

 

[Absolutezero]

There is a book called SOLO that should should definitely read. Check your local Library, chances are, they have it. What it is is a book that outlines all the stages needed to create a HSC Drama piece in the allocated time given.

Other than that, my general tips would be (with evidence from my own experiences):

Read the posts in the BoS Drama forum. All lot of them are really useful on the do's and do not's of HSC Drama.

Play to your strengths and interests. I was interested in mime and silent theatre, so majoity of my piece was non-speaking action and mime. If you like comedy, do comedy. Likewise with drama.

Write a basic outline of what you want to achieve with your piece. Mine for instance, was essentially : To create a silent piece, that portrays an important theme of life. What that theme was or the setting was irrelevant. The point is, it provided me with a foundation to get started.

Draw inspiration from everywhere. TV shows, movies, radio, plays, musicals, newspapers, journals, stories, songs, poems, articles etc. FInd a topic that seems interesting, then mindmap possible ideas. Mine was inspired by a segment on The Sideshow TV show, but also Waiting For Godot, Mr. Bean, and a plethora of other sources.

Make sure you write everything down. Carry a notebook with you, or in your bag, from now until the actually performance. A phone with 'notes' settings can work as well, but your less likely to write big sections of ideas. By writing down everything, you have more ideas to play with.

Record your logbook as you go. Seriously, it makes it so much easier than forging one at the end. Also, you get to see the progression of your piece, and can refer back to ideas that you originally had dismissed. It really is worth it.


FINALLY, pick something that is important to you. If your believe the human race has become shallow, create about that. If you think technology has overrun our lives, write about that. Animal rights, death penalty, whatever you feel most strongly about. if you run out of ideas, cliched topics can work (that's why they're cliche) but find a way to do it differently. I can guarantee markers haven't seen many Kabuki style abortion pieces. Do what you want, and express what you means the most to you. That's my biggest tip.

Goodluck. It's a difficult process, but it's most certainly worth it in the end.

 

[christinamak]

Hey, i know im only 09' hsc student but im struggling to find, or think of how i can score good/great marks for individual performance. Everyting seems cliched or of shallow ssubject mattershallow. I went to ONSTAGE and was was overwhelmed by the standard expected. ahhhhhhhhhh! how do u find a good monologue? or how do u start to make a good one? Any ideas?

hey just relax and dont stay too long on an idea
pick something and start working on it and your idea will gradually change over time and it will be perfect
and dont panic about the examiners they are always nice and they laugh at everything
make sure your idea is polished and done to perform infront of your teacher

to find ideas you might want to use a monologue or pictures
my idea was an illness that i built up
i used schizophrenia which i later changed to multiple personality disorder and back to schizophrenia
anything you want just start working on the small unique idea
goodluck

 

[SpoonSamba]

hey there

i wrote my ip by adapting a character from a book and I did really well

I went through my entire school library, reading plays, books, magazine articles everything!! to find an idea

and then i found a book at home that had fallen off the shelf, read the blurb and was like wow i just found my ip lol

I would suggest you start reading, searching everything you can find. Think about what you want to achieve, if you have a strength in a particular style then play to that. I'd also suggest seeing theatre to help you decide on different techniques to use and get a better understanding of different techniques you can implement. You might evenlike something you see so much you wanna use it as your ip! You could also try watching movies and try to theatrically adapt a character. I wouldn't suggest just looking for something with a monologue but just try and find a character you like and then take snippets of different things they say and try to mesh it into a piece.

in the end make sure you love whatever you find cos u spend a lot of time on it

 

[electrik1991]

Find your strength. Comedy, Drama, Transformational acting.


and I must advise.

AVOID SUICIDAL, DEPRESSION, TEEN ANGST THEMED IPS!
Unless you can project them from a different light or angle and make them unique. Eg; instead of being the character of a depressed person, create someone close to them to play.
My (now former =( ) teacher is a marker and says he has discussed this with alot of markers that he knows and they hate those.

Instead of looking for a 'script,' find a 'character.' Someone you feel you will enjoy portraying and something you can make engaging.
For instance, My IP this year was about a woman about getting married who gets carried away about the materialistic side of a wedding, and doesnt realise the fat ugly arsehole she will be marrying.
it was hilarious.
at first, the script was a pile of shit. but i loved the character. so i took on the script and made alterations to how i saw my character react.

You will be fine, if in doubt consult your drama teacher.

 

[35173]

Hey, i know im only 09' hsc student but im struggling to find, or think of how i can score good/great marks for individual performance. Everyting seems cliched or of shallow ssubject mattershallow. I went to ONSTAGE and was was overwhelmed by the standard expected. ahhhhhhhhhh! how do u find a good monologue? or how do u start to make a good one? Any ideas?

The play/ collection of monologues titled 'Talking With'- it is a beautiful little gem and served me well.

 

[Kiim2507]

For instance, My IP this year was about a woman about getting married who gets carried away about the materialistic side of a wedding, and doesnt realise the fat ugly arsehole she will be marrying.
it was hilarious.
at first, the script was a pile of shit. but i loved the character. so i took on the script and made alterations to how i saw my character react.
.

Haha that sounds similar to a piece a girl in my class did

 

[sidekick]

My tip is NOT to talk to imaginary characters - it's been done and lets face it it doesn't allow the audiences to interact when your so pre-occupied in talking to a chair!!

The most important thing in monologues is to promote your talent, do something a little bit different that is memorable. The best ones I have seen over the years were done by those that enjoyed their scripts and their characters.

I would aim to get a Band 6. Not aim for Onstage. It is only a 'bonus'. Onstage does not add to your marks. Yes, it is great to be nominated, to have your work acknowledged, but excellent works don't always get in becuase the board takes into account the sex of the performer, race, public or private school, short, tall etc. - they're more concerned about showing diversity and political correctedness - not the best work.

You'll probably do well because your already showing the initiative and dedication required to complete it well and hence get good marks!!

Good Luck!!

 

[jackbavo]

my drama supervisor from school was the best, she had this collection of scripts she brought from home, all of which were around the right time limit

i did a script called 'selling sartre' - which is about a failing art director
hes been given the task of making an advertisement for a book about jean-paul sartre and his theories of existentialism. except the art director is so damn stupid and ignorant, he tells the audience of his plans to sell the book with images of boobs, cleavage, a red dress, and "lactating puppies".
its all in all a very funny piece, got lots of laughs on the day

to this day i still dont know who wrote it, it just had - Jean Paul Sartre on it.
But it was obviously not written by him

if you wanna talk more about it to me, or try and get urself a script, give us an email jack_bav@hotmail.com, i'd be willing to help you out.

 

[guvna****]

Hey, i know im only 09' hsc student but im struggling to find, or think of how i can score good/great marks for individual performance. Everyting seems cliched or of shallow ssubject mattershallow. I went to ONSTAGE and was was overwhelmed by the standard expected. ahhhhhhhhhh! how do u find a good monologue? or how do u start to make a good one? Any ideas?

Heaps, I will never tell you though

Sorry for this OFFICIAL:


:angry:

 

[Kiim2507]

My tip is NOT to talk to imaginary characters - it's been done and lets face it it doesn't allow the audiences to interact when your so pre-occupied in talking to a chair!!

The most important thing in monologues is to promote your talent, do something a little bit different that is memorable. The best ones I have seen over the years were done by those that enjoyed their scripts and their characters.

I would aim to get a Band 6. Not aim for Onstage. It is only a 'bonus'. Onstage does not add to your marks. Yes, it is great to be nominated, to have your work acknowledged, but excellent works don't always get in becuase the board takes into account the sex of the performer, race, public or private school, short, tall etc. - they're more concerned about showing diversity and political correctedness - not the best work.

You'll probably do well because your already showing the initiative and dedication required to complete it well and hence get good marks!!

Good Luck!!

Onstage = full marks or close to it = band six

 

[Mithead]

Onstage = full marks or close to it = band six

True.
But you can still get a band six and not get nominated. It really comes down to a whim of the markers. Ok, so thats an overstatement, but it is their own discretion. ALSO, for groups, there's no guarantee that every member got a band six.

 

[Absolutezero]

But you can still get a band six and not get nominated

Especially when it comes down to topic content. If you do a incredible performance, but the piece wouldn't be suitable for a general audience, then chances are you won't get nominated.

 

[sidekick]

Onstage = full marks or close to it = band six

But not everyone who gets full marks gets a nomination, so band six doesn't always equal Onstage - which is unfortunate really

 

[geesauce]

hey for my IP im planning to do Design....any ideas/tips??

xxxxxx.

 

[jennieTalia]

hey for my IP im planning to do Design....any ideas/tips??

xxxxxx.

This should go in the design board. I didn't do it, but here is what I found out from friends who did:

Be ruthless. If something doesn't work, don't use it. You can keep the idea if it is good, but don't hold onto something just because you like it.
Be bold, keep it simple and MAKE PLANS THAT YOU STICK TO.
Get it done professionally.