Module 1 - Task 2d: Inquiry

As the focus for upcoming tasks on the BAPP course shifts to a new area within professional practice, it is worth taking the time to reflect (dare I say) on themes and common points of reference that have cropped up during my study on this part of the module. After reviewing previous blog posts and journal entries it is becoming apparent that environment is having an impact on my professional practice, more specifically how different groups of individuals interplay and serve roles in the structure of my activities within that environment. It was interesting to observe how my reflection has been informed as a result of the depth of a space, the volume of others populating it and how this affects mental and physical activity when operating within it. I have also noticed that I seem to gauge other people’s actions and go on extend upon their views in relation to my own practice. I am finding that attentiveness to others often empowers my own reflection as opposed to internalising it.

What in your daily practice gets you really enthusiastic to find out more about? Who do you admire who also works with what makes you enthusiastic?

On a day-to-day basis I am often consuming information about the performing arts industry by access of web 2.0 technology or printed text. I find that both mediums serve me in different way. Platforms such as Facebook can keep me up to date on what my past and present colleagues and ex-college friends are up to. I am excited to see them share news on a new performance job they have landed and details as to how it occurred. In terms of printed text, I am a subscriber of ‘The Stage’, a weekly newspaper covering all-aspects performing arts related. The articles featured are written by people who I obviously have no personal relation with but echo a lot of the same sentiments I often share about the industry. As well as providing advice for performers as to how they can promote themselves and get the most out of time navigating through the winding path that is a career in the arts. On the other hand, there will often be articles by figures of interest or influence to me who spurred me to choose a career in the arts to begin with. It is reaffirming to know they themselves, someone more accomplished or prominent in the industry for being heard than I, share the same consensus of opinion on how to conduct their goings on in the profession. The link below features an actor who solidified my passion to make acting a choice of career, talking about his experience in breaking into the industry. Although I can recognise that the process described was subject to a different period of time, one where information and knowledge were not as widely available to an overly-saturated market-space, the act of sourcing these opportunities remains very much the same. It is the willingness to take a leap of faith or risk, something that never changes for the artist. They hunger for it!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CukL6wW3qZU

Prospective lines of inquiry: In attempting to cast a wider net for themselves, have web 2.0 platforms actually shrunk prospects for potential candidates in relation to opportunities within the profession rather than extend them?

What gets you angry or makes you sad? Who do you admire who shares your feelings or has found a way to work around the sadness or anger?

It is no secret that the performing arts industry has been suffering for a number of years now for both political and economic reasons. It saddens me that today’s generation of upcoming professional performers are not met with the same amount of prospects as was present maybe ten or fifteen years ago. Before graduating from college I remember speaking with various tutors on the current state of the industry who said, without sounding too pessimistic, that this is perhaps one of the worst periods for new performers to be starting out. To a certain extent, I disregarded this knowledge whilst training. I knew it would be a tough market-place but opportunities would surely present themselves if met with enough hard work? Unfortunately over-saturation was only half the problem and, although I was aware of it happening at the time, I did not seem to feel the impact of the other factor at play until after I had graduated. The government has decimated spending with severe cuts across all areas of the arts sector in recent years. Here is an article discussing its current state and plans for its future.

http://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/apr/21/david-pountney-arts-funding-bad-for-our-cultural-health

This is a subject I have found myself touching upon in my reflective journal. Expenditure allocated to bodies like Arts Council UK are stretched therefore limiting the amount of funding available for application. Long-running, renowned or established work will often take a priority over newer material for its previous successes from a by-gone era that is often referred to as the ‘golden age’ of theatre. I am not naïve as to think that the money will automatically be given to stage productions of this ilk, but I do feel it is damaging to neglect developing artistry. Out of curiosity and after a bit of research, I have found that there are still various numbers of active communities and groups seeking to promote the arts in ways that the government will not. Here is an example of a group below I found to be very admirable in supporting and curating such opportunities.

http://www.communitydance.org.uk/funding.html

It is, in a way, ironic that there has never been more appeal to get involved in the arts when the prospects are so few. But who exactly do I refer to? This is another personal and general argument; are the arts becoming exclusive to those who have the means to sustain it? It is true that the interest for it is at a record high, but do establishments such as performing arts colleges allow prospective students access to study due to their financial circumstances? Does this in fact place applicant’s class divide above talent or ability? The article below explores this notion.

http://www.theguardian.com/stage/theatreblog/2012/feb/10/posh-theatre-upper-class-actors

Prospective lines of inquiry: Can the arts industry ever return to or accommodate for the demand in today’s current climate? Is performing arts becoming exclusive to those of the higher class?

What do you love about what you do? Who do you admire who also seems to love this or is an example of what you love?

When I first became interested in the arts back in school, acting in particular, I would often be asked by friends and family what has drawn me to it and why do I feel such an affinity towards it. I would be lying if I said that I don’t find it immensely enjoyable and fun, it is essentially the reason why we all endeavour to pursue such a profession. The difficulty came in articulating where this enjoyment stems from. I don’t think I was able to give an accurate response until I was studying at college, a time in which I was looking at my practice in a very focused and critical capacity. I think for a lot of people, performing stops becoming fun when they realise the amount of work that is actually required on their part to execute it effectively. I remember being introduced to the idea of keeping a character scrap by my acting tutor in my first year of college. Although I was unsure as to how it would inform my practice, I was eager to give it a try. I built a process with my then current knowledge including character or animal observation for physicality, the analysis of characteristics for playing the role as well as background research of the text’s setting. I then looked to implement this work in rehearsals, either independently or as a cast collective. I found that as a result the strength of my knowledge about the text and my character had increased tenfold. I felt much more confident in my choices as an actor. After the same tutor began questioning my decisions for such choices made, she would always provoke my thinking with alternative reasons as to a character’s intentions. This was not to suggest to me that my findings were in any way wrong but to help develop a receptiveness in my work. I studied a number of acting practitioner’s at college and still often find myself returning to their theories. A particular one that I always recall is that of Declan Donnellan’s (2002).

“Actors often experience paralysis because they have                                                              been looking for a ‘one’. The search for ‘one’ is a wild                                                            goose chase; there is no magic ‘one’ that will solve every-                                                      thing. Life comes in opposed ‘twos’. Trying to simplify,                                                                cut corners and get things done in ‘one’ blocks the                                                                   actor. This rule of ‘two’ is as easy as riding a bicycle and                                                      equally difficult to explain in words.”

This view combined with my tutor’s thoughts reminded why as to why, of the three arts forms I practice, I enjoy acting the most. Dance and singing require a very linear and specific approach to develop and achieve technique, but acting is subjective. There is often an inextricably linked ‘other’ to any choice presumed by the actor. The process of discovering this is intoxicating and I continue to attempt to improve and adapt my preparation with every role I undertake.

Prospective lines of inquiry: In comparison to dancing and singing, what makes acting as an art form subjective?

What do you feel you don’t understand? Who do you admire who does seem to understand it or who has found a way of making not understanding it interesting or beautiful, or has asked the same questions as you?

Like many other performers, I am frequently asked the same question in relation to my practice; “do you not suffer from nerves as a performer?” A lot of people assume because I am professionally trained that I have nerves of steel, which is not the case. I will admit that my time at college certainly gave me a sense of confidence about my abilities as a performer, but a complete resistance to such a natural reflex is near impossible and, if achieved, quite damaging to practice in my opinion. In a way it goes back to my previous quote by Donnellan, that ‘one’ cannot exist without the other. In this instance, it’s excitement and nerves. A lot of people assume that a technical knowledge and background in a subject would provide answers but my studies normally provoke more questions. I do, however, find it saddening when I speak to aspiring performers who are keen and passionate for the subject but become stagnant when faced with the opportunity to take it further. I’m aware that arts schools can be extremely expensive and that it is not a feasible option for some people to undertake as I too fall into this category. The opportunity to audition for college places and funding for courses is there, however. I know for a fact that without funding I would not have been able to attend Urdang Academy and I consider myself extremely lucky for that. I try my best to persuade any who wish to become involved in the arts to do so. No matter how far they choose to take their interest, they can take pride in knowing that they have. In relation to nerves, there is a famous quote from renowned actor Laurence Olivier from the time he became afflicted with stage fright during a performance of Shakespeare’s ‘Othello’. "Use your weaknesses; aspire to the strength." It is a comforting thought that even the most highly regarded within their professions suffer from the same anxieties as the rest of us. It is human nature and that’s exactly what makes acting so fascinating, does it not?

Prospective lines of inquiry: Nerves and reservations about the performance industry; do individuals find it more of a drawback than a use for empowerment? Is there a correct balance to be met?

How do you decide the appropriate ethical response in a given situation? To what extent are disciplinary responses different to what you might expect more generally in society?

The profession of a performer is one that often requires a level of engagement that others do not. A job in an office, for example, may require a degree of trust and compliance between colleagues but there will rarely be an event that calls for a union to be met between them physically. This is a relationship that performers participate in regularly. Whether it be between individuals meeting for the first time during an audition or a closely-knit network of cast members who have operated together for a long period, the industry demands that artistes be capable of this as part of their practice. That is not to say there is a discard for an ethical code of conduct, and it needs to be met with a level of respect for a colleague. Because of the collaborative nature and dependency of the industry, performers will often work to make their time together as comfortable and enjoyable as possible.

Prospective lines of inquiry: Is it right of creatives within the arts industry to expect artistes to comply with pre-conceived ideals that may put them in a position of discomfort, or is this to be expected as part of professional practice?

Extended prospective lines of inquiry: How does environment inform reflection? Do skills learnt at performing arts colleges display a lack of transparency when reflecting upon practice and, if so, is this informed by the act of art and not education? Why is there so much conflict of ideals within performance (with particular regards to acting) when theorists of reflective practice seem to acknowledge one another? Does this qualify an argument for art against education?


Bibliography

Cuncic, A, 2015 “Social Anxiety and Sir Laurence Olivier” [online] About Health, Available at: http://socialanxietydisorder.about.com/od/celebritieswithsad/p/Sir-Laurence-Olivier.htm [Accessed 30 Apr. 2015]

Donnellan, D (2001) The actor and the target, 2002 re-print, London: Nick Hern Books

Pountney, D, 2015 “Austerity and the arts: the hidden cuts that are bad for our cultural health” [online] The Guardian, Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/apr/21/david-pountney-arts-funding-bad-for-our-cultural-health [Accessed 29 Apr. 2015]

Screen Actors Guild Foundation, 2014, Conversations with Kenneth Branagh [audio-visual], YouTube, Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CukL6wW3qZU [Accessed 28 Apr. 2015]   

Module 1 - Task 2c: Reflective Theory

My relationship with reflective practice has grown immensely since beginning the course, though I wouldn’t say it’s one I have shared exclusively. I have, particularly during my time at college, needed to take note of constructive criticism for myself. This type of reflection is different to the sort I am experiencing at the moment. It is interesting that I use the word ‘experience’ in affiliation with reflection as that is exactly what it’s all about – experience. In reader two of module one the idea of reflection within professions, ones that specifically deal with and evoke an undergoing of change. Whether it be a psychiatrist helping a patient, a teacher educating a student or the artist creating, all use reflection as a means to assess and advance their subjects. The reader states, however that there is a clear difference between writing practice with one’s own experience and conceptualising it. The latter involves the ability to take a step back from one’s own experience and put it into the grander scheme of reflection. They are able to show an understanding for what kind of reflection they are utilising specifically, the themes being invoked and the knowledge to recognise how other professional practitioner’s analysis can complement or argue said methods.

I mentioned briefly in my last blog post (task 2b: journal writing experience) that I have folders of recorded critical reflection from my time at college. A lot of these notes I still use from time to time when preparing for an audition or I am unsure how to achieve something within my practice and need a reminder e.g. a technique to help with a vocal quality whilst singing, an exercise that will help my understanding of a character’s intentions when acting. These notes are only compiled by previous experience through education, something that educationist and philosopher John Dewey was interested in exploring. He believed that education and experience were closely interlinked and referred to this process as ‘experiential action’, the act of actively seeking out, surrounding and absorbing one’s self with the events of life. He makes the point that arts such as dance, music and architecture were enhancements of social culture e.g. religion rather than developments within the spaces of theatre or museums. He also argued the concept of drawing results from reflection.

 

“We say of experience of thinking that we reach or draw a conclusion.                                   Theoretical formulations of the process is often made in such terms to                                         conceal effectuality the similarity of ‘conclusion’ to the consummating                                            phase of every developing integral experience.” (Dewey, 1934)

Dewey stresses that the generalised term of ‘conclusion’ simply cannot equate to a finality reached within reflection. That is because there is, in essence, no end to reflection. In writing, Dewey describes three stages that the structure of the text will take, ‘premise, proposition and conclusion’. The first two stages of this structure will be pre-determined, moulded and manipulated to pave way for the third and final segment. He argues that this is impossible when writing reflectively as a conclusion has already been reached in the practitioner’s mind beforehand. Unlike the study of someone else’s work, the writer will work through an assignment giving back and forth reference to premise and proposition. They will continue in this vain as their research develops and expands within the text being studied all before attempting to marry these separate entities in the conclusion. Dewey suggests that reflective practice works in the opposite direction, that the first stage can only be initiated by its conclusion. It is because of the conclusion that the reflective process begins and so Dewey makes the case “a ‘conclusion’ is no separate and independent thing; it is the consummation of a movement” (Dewey 1934).

I can certainly draw comparisons for Dewey’s view in my own reflection. Since starting a journal logging my recent professional activities, I have realised after studying Dewey’s theory that a large number of my entries have all begun from an end point and I have looked to work backwards in creating an account to accommodate. I can, however, recognise why practitioner’s came to challenge Dewey’s arguments. I have covered a number of different styles within Nola, Reid and Moon’s framework in tackling reflection, a few of which provoke differing starting points for entry into the reflective process. Donald Schön saw that Dewey’s view could be considered narrow and did not best reflect all forms of practice. He recognised Dewey’s view on conclusion provoking premise and proposition but argued that such a process need not be so rigorous and that reflection can begin much earlier. He developed two methods for describing reflection past Dewey’s aforementioned; ‘reflection-in-action’ and ‘reflection-on-action’.

“When a practitioner reflects in and on his practice, the possible objects of his reflection are as varied                               as the kinds of phenomena before him and the systems of knowing-in-practice which he brings to                                 them. He may reflect on the tacit norms and appreciations which underlies a judgement, or on the                       strategies and theories implicit a pattern of behaviour.” (Schön 1983)

Schön show emphasis for action over education as the former provokes a more generalised, immediate oversight for what has taken place. It keeps everything relevant to what has happened within that particular experience, as opposed to how it relates or fits in a grander scheme. Reflection-in-action supports an identification of patterns for past experiences that have occurred not long before reflection begins therefore allowing for a more accurate account of any hindsight’s. It often begs for the subject to draw comparisons in the moment between other experiences maybe of their own or more universally shared, and that initial imagery will prompt use for adjectives or metaphors in an attempt for the account to appear relative. Reflection-on-action promotes an opposite process in many respects, collating an experience a while after it has taken place. This means that nuanced description for individual experiences can be lost and become more generalised, and makes reflecting more of a means to be mindful for future events.

In terms of my own professional practice I have realised that I will often use reflection in and on action simultaneously. If I am preparing for a role I will often perform character observations, the act of researching a specific figure who could inform my role and help my understanding of their actions in the play. The amount of detail recorded will be within the frame I am studying the subject, it is not to be laboured over at a later date as this takes away from analysis constructed in the moment. In another area of my preparation I will research the context of the world of the play. Whether it be from a point of cultural, political, religious or other historical influence inhabited within the text they will all be research by product of past experiences but aiming to draw conclusive evidence that allude to themes and motives indicated by the narrative. While not directly related to the purpose of reflection, the outcome is often conceived of a similar design. Both are examples of reflection in and on action, respectively. Only since beginning my study of reflective practice and from keeping a journal have I noticed that I have been unknowingly showing evidence of both methods within my day to day practice. It is also worth noting that practitioner’s such as John Cowan have gone on to strengthen Schön’s view, stating that there is fact a third method for presenting reflection. This has been referred to as ‘reflection-for-action’.

                                                                "It is a reflection                                                                                             which establishes priorities for subsequent learning by identifying the needs, aspir-                     ations and objectives which will subsequently be kept prominently in the learner’s       mind.” (Cowan 1998)

A lot of Cowan’s theories and in fact others aforementioned have been influenced by the work of practitioner David Kolb, particularly with his system referred to as the ‘model of experiential learning’. Kolb was, in turn, influenced by the work of Dewey and Kurt Lewin. Based on their previous models’ Kolb adapted his own that has arguably gone on to become the most popular for citing what style of learning an individual best enters.

 

Upon first look at the diagram, it is difficult to point to an exact stage in which I enter the cycle as I feel different experiences require different entrances. I can recall several moments as an actor in training when techniques could only be informed by my teacher presenting me with an exercise. This creates a concrete experience for myself and then follow the cycle as displayed. When I was teaching drama, I would attempt to take my lessons learned at college and incorporate them in a fashion that could be made understandable for the children. That would be active experimentation, planning and trying out what I have learned to bring a new experience before others, to then reflect on the experience and eventually conceptualise and learn from it. As a performer on the job I would say I also start from the same place as I would a teacher. When preparing for a role or reflecting on my practice I would start with reflective observation. As aforementioned, to describe an experience I most often find myself starting with its conclusion. I have become aware when thinking about my own experience that reflective observation and abstract conceptualisation are closely interlinked. It could be argued that the conclusion of an experience then provokes cause for reflection but I can understand this is only when sharing it physically e.g. the dance class is concluded and the teacher then goes on to give critique for their students to work on. However, I can also understand the capacity for the student to independently critically reflect whilst carrying out an exercise before it concludes. I suppose it relies in what party the two processes take place. The two examples can give cause to both a mental and physical experience whereas I feel the demands of active and concrete experience can only be informed by physical practice. I will, however, disclose that in my own practice I find reflective observation super cedes in most circumstances. My previous experience provided in relation to this section also further proves that I do in fact reflect in as well as on action.

The relationship between mental and physical input involved in experiential learning was one of keen interest to practitioner Howard Gardner (1983). He expands and takes the focus of reflective practice away from cycles and presents a more list-like fashion as to the multiple intelligences that allow for learning. They include abilities such as spatial, verbal linguistic, logical-mathematics, bodily-kinaesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal and naturalistic that the learner employs. They are all examples of physical and mental activity operating to find meaning for experience. Gardner felt that previous practitioners had internalised too much of reflection and instead put forward the notion that a learner could look outside the initial parameters of an experience to what surrounds them. The space in which a student/teacher takes a class or the singer rehearses, for example, can matter and inform in equal measure to the immediate action taking place. He later (Gardner 2005) developed the idea of multiple ‘lenses’, the concept of seeing things in varying circumstances, giving purpose to different ways in which an experience can be engaged. He felt this would help undo a sense of tunnel-vision that could be brought on by various iterations of the learning cycle and tempt one to be mindful of detail found in environment. The views of Gardner are particularly useful in my own professional practice as art is usually subject to an opinion formed by environment. A piece of acting performed in a public area like a town centre to a passing crowd will be received differently to that of one performed in a booked theatre in front of a paying audience. The mechanics and structure of the activity are on different scales and so reflection in and on action will be subject to exterior influences.

Building upon Gardner’s theories are the views taken by Jennifer Moon (1999), “the importance of finding ways to articulate tacit knowledge and experiences, not only because they are only ‘real’ when they are put into words but because they have understanding and meaning in them that are important to access.” I have been working extensively with Moon’s framework in regards to critical reflection within part two of module one for the course. As mentioned previously, the process of keeping journal and logging activities in differing writing styles has revealed my tendency to reflect-in-action unconsciously. This was revelatory for me as up until this time I had always considered my reflection most effective once I had taken a distance away from the experience. I did not contemplate the level of detail I was sacrificing and the subsequent learning I have lost from neglecting this method.

The study of reflective theory has been of the most significance during my time on the course thus far. The opportunity to study practitioner’s relating and contrasting theories have exposed weaknesses in my own practice of reflection as well as giving me a large assortment of tools to work with when conducting my own reflection. Although, it hasn’t only served to develop in the aforementioned field but also in my structure of writing. Starting with practitioner’s as early as Dewey and examining his theories written in 1934, I found his prose a hard read and was checking back over sections to make sure I had fully understood his views. Moving forward to practitioner’s like Moon, the texts have been written for an audience of today. Whether that tells of today’s society showing an incompetence for understanding theories at a higher level of literate knowledge is another cause for debate. It becomes irrelevant, however, when presented with an evolution in ideals as to how the process of critical reflection can be pushed forward and by what means.

Bibliography

Dewey, J (1934) Art as experience, 1958 reprint, New York: Putnam

Cowan, J (1998) On becoming an innovative university teacher, 2nd edition, England: Open University Press

Gardner, H 1983 “Frames of mind” BAPP Module 1 reader 2 [online] Available at: Put link here [Accessed 26 Apr. 2015]

Moon, J 2004 “Resources for reflective learning” A handbook of reflective and experiential learning [online] Available at: http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&sqi=2&ved=0CCEQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cemp.ac.uk%2Fdownloads%2Fresourcesforreflectivelearning.doc&ei=_3o9VYuJDYXtaoytgKgJ&usg=AFQjCNFLaheYAyMzMSyLDhLdNcXPpJveWQ&sig2=veEax9_vjVVOG8pqbZer6Q&bvm=bv.91665533,d.d2s [Accessed 26 Apr. 2015]

Schön, D 1983 “The reflective practitioner” How professionals think in action [online] Available at: http://scholar.google.co.uk/scholar_url?url=http://smeduquedecaxias.rj.gov.br/nead/Biblioteca/Forma%25C3%25A7%25C3%25A3o%2520Continuada/Artigos%2520Diversos/reflective%2520practitioner%2520-%2520schon.pdf&hl=en&sa=X&scisig=AAGBfm3f2As46TQAy6VSUihgQjSqCfsd1g&nossl=1&oi=scholarr&ei=P349VezaH9PpaMnvgegC&sqi=2&ved=0CCAQgAMoATAA [Accessed 25 Apr. 2015]

 

Module 1 - Task 2b: Journal writing experience

“Reflection lies somewhere around the notion of learning and thinking.  We reflect in order to learn something, or we learn as a result of reflecting.  Reflective writing is the expression on paper/screen of some of the mental processes of reflection.” – Moon, J. (2004) ‘Resources for Reflective Learning’ Page 6.

The above quote is a good source to refer to when describing the process of reflection and is the basis for the framework developed by Moon, alongside Nola and Reid’s take on the matter all of which is featured in the handbook and second reader for module one. Over the last nine days I have been keeping a journal documenting my day to day practice. The framework offers nine ways to approach and think about reflective thinking. Nine days, nine separate approaches. I didn’t start with a particular style in mind, but I know what a typical schedule of mine will proceed like from week to week save for the minor irregularities (an audition, for example) so I had premeditated which one I thought would best suit my day’s activities. Aside from this, all information logged is true to what I was experiencing, came to mind or what I thought of said events after them taking place. This last statement foretells a degree of reflection-in-action and reflection-on-action (Donald Schön) as detailed in the journal entries as a result. For the sake of chronology within my journal, I will start with the method implemented in my earliest journal entry. I will also be conducting this post utilising one of the writing styles I have been exploring in my journals, ‘lists’.

Evaluation – My first recorded journal entry was written a month after it occurred but of my most recent professional encounters has had the most impact for me. The details are things that I think about on a day to day basis so a lot of the information in relatively easy to recall. I spoke about my experience auditioning for a new musical theatre agency in London. I didn’t want to mention this initially in this post for fear of my critique of the other styles seeming redundant, but this particular method just happened to be the first I tried. This was by far the most effective means for me to critically reflect, made favoured by a few different factors. I have mentioned in a previous post (see ‘Second Campus Session’) about my comfort in writing in more of an essay-like structure. I find this an easier way to establish a statement or idea to then expand upon it, giving arguments for and against as well as recognising outside opinions. This writing style catered exclusively to the latter. The questions included to think about: “what did you think went well? What worked? Did you learn anything, discover anything, notice things to avoid?” – These all pointed towards referring to an experience in the past tense and so prompting a reflection-on-action account, drawing attention away from describing the initial idea. While I can understand that the questions maybe leave establishing a situation or concept out to allow for more of a focus on its meaning, I find it hard to perform the latter without a basic outset of what has taken place to reward an explanation. One cannot exist without the other, and so in this respect it could be said that ‘description’ and ‘evaluation’ are very closely interlinked. The module handbook also mentions that we will be required to show proof our journal logs at a later stage in the course and I fear that if the description of an event is not present, even in a primitive form, how can I expect others to understand and follow my entries? It’s also worth noting that this was the journal entry that I spent the most amount of time over. This is not to say this was an entry of the highest quality from me. A lot of it could be considered waffle to another person’s eye and I have come to notice they all writing styles have their merits, but rather that it reinforces my opinion of it being the most comfortable and accessible way for me to reflect.

Description – On beginning, I thought this would be one of the easiest writing styles for me to get to grips with. I feel that in all my writing that I portray a rich establishment of a circumstance whether it be describing an environment or an idea or statement. But the questions suggested to think about; “what happened? What were the main events? Where and when?” – These are all things I know I’m going to discuss a before starting to write. The suggestions to me seem too constrained. I kept feeling the urge to follow up statements with an evaluation but this of course it its own separate form of writing. It was the task I spent the least amount of time on and left me feeling uninspired upon its completion. I won’t deny that ‘description’ is a valuable writing method as it’s needed in almost all forms of narrative from a novel, to a journal entry, but it is the unpacking of this that brings a real sense of colour and vibrancy for both the creator and consumer.

Another view – This style took me a while to get going, not for lack of understanding it but to think of an angle to approach it from. I eventually settled on an object of familiarity, one that has a daily input on my professional practice, that being my laptop. I found it quite surreal to start, writing in a first person perspective and humanising an inanimate object. After committing to its absurdity, I’m confident that this became my most informal entry by product of its style. I cannot see myself using this approach on regular occasion as I felt this outside view was a little too distant for me to draw anything substantial from it. I did, however, notice a couple of things that reflects on my current mind-set of practice. First was my continued use of questions. I imagined that the laptop was querying my decisions in performing tasks, whether it be directly engaging with the laptop or the space around it. The second was my laptop’s cynical (yes that’s right, my laptop was making crude comments behind my back would you believe) comments on how much time I spend with my headshots and curriculum vitae. It made me realise how heavily I rely on such tools in relation to my professional practice and how I often take this for granted, an example of reflection-in-action. In this respect, the technique was a success.

Lists – How ironic, talking about ‘lists’ in a list format. I was not convinced how this approach would benefit me. I did as the module handbook advised and headed over to www.listography.com for examples as to how people compose them in all sorts of capacities albeit cataloguing music listened to during the day or school schedule’s that need attending. After listing my activities, the framework advises to write something short related to the activity such as thoughts that have provoked me into further action e.g. urge me to think about what I felt at the time, what would I like to build upon or learn more about? I noticed after completing this and looking over the list that my current working days are quite robust, something that I am content to keep up. I also noticed how each of my individual activities, whilst not noticeably tied together at a first glance, play delicate parts in making my day to day professional practice e.g. my regular work shifts being flexible enough to allow for cover when needed for a professional engagement like an agency meeting. Like cogs making a clock tick over! I have noticed that other students on the course have been using lists in the form of bullet points within their blog posts to convey questions posed by the module handbooks and readers. If I deem appropriate for the task being worked on, I would like to give this method a try in future.

Initial reflection – This style unlike most others was done in real time as the event was happening. I happened to have an appointment for a television and film acting agency and thought it would be worthwhile to record the day as it happened with the notepad app on my phone. Because of travelling, my sentence structure was kept clipped and relatively short. This approach was reminding me a lot of the ‘description’ technique to begin with, however the questions to think about in the framework involved detailing instantaneous thoughts and observing events in my surrounding environment. The method for me feels like it falls somewhere between ‘description’ and ‘evaluation’. It does not allow for expanded thinking and in doing so forces you to surmise a given circumstance. Now of course, I did not sit there jotting thoughts down during my interview but I thought of several lines that I made sure to take note of soon after leaving. I found that adjectives were a quick way to snapshot events e.g. the photographer was “most insightful” and that the atmosphere the office was “light and filled with laughter”. This method has proven very capable of providing bite-size reflection-in-action and I would definitely look to use this again to document in the moment.

Graphs, charts and diagrams – These three techniques are ones that in a way I have been using for years now, for a different purpose however. I use graphs for character study when measuring what is at stake (a term used and described by dramatic practitioners such as Declan Donellan) for characters during the course of a text. This often takes the form of an ‘x and y axis’ scatter graph. The horizontal x axis will represent the passing of time through scenes or acts, and the vertical y axis will track the character’s changes in development throughout the plot on a negative to positive scale. In regards to reflective practice, I decided to use this template to plot my life events in the past couple of years in terms of fun, freedom and stress as suggested by the framework. You can see the results as pictured below. While I found the graph to be profound in plotting and assessing points of interest in my career thus far, I feel that categorising events by levels of fun and stress did not correctly equate to the feelings experienced at that time. Right now, I am experiencing a period of stress over fun most definitely but that is not to say I don’t feel fulfilled in my activities. On the contrary, I prefer being busy to not. I did like this method but I think I will look to improve upon how I can log reflection in this manner when used again.

 

 

What if? – This final technique I treated as a love letter to myself. The thoughts recorded are ones I daydream about on a daily basis. It was nice to pull these thoughts into focus and channel them in order for me to get a perspective of my current feelings of where I stand. When posed with one of the framework’s questions “what would you hate to happen”, I was surprised at my immediacy for stepping back and taking a larger look at how my practice is affected in the grander scheme of things. I mentioned about the damage further government expenditure cuts would bring to the arts sector in an already suffering industry. I would consider this opinion held by a number of practitioners within the arts and is a factor I am constantly thinking about. Despite technologies today making the profession more accessible than ever e.g. auditions being posted to websites, professional material being produced exclusively for web 2.0 tools, this is no good when funding is taken away. It is a shame because the arts is arguably more diverse than it ever has been and a lack of resources is only limiting what professionals and consumers are receiving.

I have thoroughly enjoyed working on this task. I found the prospect of starting a bit daunting given the amount of preparation needed to carry my out assessment. However, putting time aside at the end of each day has allowed me to fully explore each of the different styles and as a consequence has informed my view as to which ones work well within my methods of reflection and which don’t. Evaluation, graphs, charts, diagrams and lists seem to work very well for me so I think these three styles I will be making a conscious effort to incorporate these in future posts if I haven’t been doing so already.

Module 1 - Task 2a: Reflective Practice

The concept of a journal has always been one that has puzzled me. In my very first post for the course I expressed a discordance for keeping a blog for personal use. I stated not finding the idea of keeping one to be particularly resourceful, logging close and delicate thoughts and putting them before an audience. I felt it be could be particularly damaging for an individual to pour such ideas so publicly by pretence of it being treated as an online diary. A key difference between a physical and web 2.0 journal is the level of creator/consumer participation. It is this relationship that has actually shifted my opinion on the matter since starting the course. I also spoke in my first blog about the opportunity web 2.0 technology allows in creating a platform for communities to share a common interest in e.g. the arts. Since being enrolled on the course, I have found myself plenty a time looking at tutor’s and student’s blogs for inspiration with tasks, layout design and generally all things BAPP. It is from this perspective of thinking that I have discovered something crucially important about blogging as a form. The creator writes and expresses their thoughts via a more tangible medium (blogging as compared to private journals) for consumer participation i.e. the online audience. Like the actor, expected (you would hope) to enjoy their practice, they ultimately do not play the role in that play to boast how talented and good they look on stage but to instead provide their audience with a truthful and honest account of a character, looking only to serve the best intentions of the written material. This is what makes worthy of an audience’s time and attention, initiated to the material or not. It is a similar experience with blogging. The creator can find it useful as a form of therapy but its ability to gauge an audience in such a way to spark a dialogue within themselves is a much more rewarding prospect.

Jessica (http://jessicaplant.blogspot.co.uk) left a very humbling comment on an earlier post of mine concerning 2D images and audio-visual. Readers can look at her exact comment themselves should they wish but she was basically identifying with my impressions on using moving image as a method to analyse and critically assess a practitioner’s work. She mentioned that this was an approach she found beneficial and could potentially incorporate into her own practice when teaching. This response is arguably the most rewarding factor, one that differentiates the blog from the private journal, the ability for the consumer to be inspired from what they’ve seen. The consumer absorbs the information and looks to produce it in their own work, thus successfully forming a creator/consumer relationship.

Part two of the module encourages that a private journal be kept in order to document day-to-day practice in whatever capacity we see fit, but by paying close attention to the way in which we choose to record our activities in the process. I feel that I am already exploring reflection in my blog posts through varying methods of demonstration. Whether that be the recount of previous professional experience in relation to a task or including diagrams detailing exercises carried out during module sessions, I feel that all attempts thus far have only strengthened cases I have been making.

 

My only real experiences of keeping journals have been directly related to my professional practice e.g. a character research scrapbook for a role or notes taken and compiled together from a singing lesson. The notion of keeping and attending to a journal on a regular basis on top of other tasks for the course is one that unnerves me slightly. This isn’t for fear of chronicling and being forced to look outwardly at my current activities, professional or not, it is more the time involved in keeping it up. I would say I already put aside a substantial amount of hours a week in order to focus on the course. It is something I am thinking about daily and, to the best of my ability, try to make a priority around other events. I would also say I spend a copious amount of time crafting my blog posts to be the best they can be. I’m wary as to how much I’m writing for each task and while I could understand someone’s opinion that I’m waffling too much, it is only a result of my tenacity to answer and develop ideas in as full a capacity as I can. I may choose to keep my journal informal and less structured as it will be more for my own eyes only, for now at least. I’m aware that a lot of students on the course have already completed part two so I will be looking to see how they approached the tasks and what styles of reflection they found to work best for them in comparison to my own.

The Second Campus Session (17/03/15) - Discussing Module 1 Part 2: The Reflective Practitioner

Although this was the second campus session as part of the BAPP programme, this was in fact my own first experience. I missed the prior session as my enrolment on the course had yet to be finalised. The session was headed by Paula with Irini, Lisa and myself in attendance. It was a pleasure to meet them all face to face for the first time. I felt a touch nervous prior to attending. Due to my late enrolment, I was around three weeks behind judging by how long the module handbook recommends to spend on each part. I was happy to find the session beginning with a re-cap on the first, what we feel constitutes being a professional. I learnt that Lisa and Irini, who were both present for the first, had discussed with Paula that what they feel characterizes the professional is not simply the work produced as an act of performing, but everything that surrounds the performance. This could include how the performer composes themselves in the rehearsal space and that making the most of the time only serves to better the end product. We then put this into some kind of context to lead as an example.

The professionally trained performer may choose to take part in an amateur production during a break between jobs. In a lot of cases, the performer will see this production as an opportunity to exercise their practice within a space that does not come to expect the same calibre of standards as a professional environment would. The time period spent rehearsing is often much longer as it requires to fit around the cast’s regular work schedule. Now granted, a large proportion of people who join amateur dramatic societies take a keen interest in the arts otherwise they often wouldn’t commit their free time to it. There is nothing wrong with members attending purely for the aspect of it being fun as, at the end of the day, it is the reason that spurs all performers to make a go of it as a career! However, the professional performer will often take their work on the project outside of planned rehearsals to further progress what they can bring to the performance. Whilst in rehearsal, they may attempt to maximise all available time in order to achieve the most out of each session. On the other hand, this isn’t to say the amateur performer is incapable of developing the same discipline as the professional. They may not have received the same formal training but an attitude can be cultivated via outside study, reading or going to see theatre to achieve a similar level of quality in their work. This is where the line between amateur and professional performer blurs and shifts to a new idea, the amateur and professional practice.

This brought a conclusion to what was prior discussed and led very nicely into the focus on part 2 of the module, ‘the reflective practitioner’. Paula asked how we were finding the tasks and what style of writing we were finding to be most useful. Since beginning the course, I have been making a conscious effort to compose my posts in an essay-like fashion. This is not a new style for me and probably no more so for anyone else as it was common practice for writing during school. I have chosen to continue using this method as a means to help me draw and sustain a more creative, fluid and grander line of thought in my writing. We spoke about dividing different ideas into paragraphs under their own sub-titles within the same post. Whilst I agree this can be extremely beneficial for some, I personally feel that the style provokes the motive to put a somewhat blinkered-vision on thoughts and doesn’t encourage referencing to earlier points made or building a critical argument. It does, however, accommodate for taking a break from writing and returning to it at a later time, an advantage over the former due to ideas being contained within their own segment. This is all subjective of course, how people choose to log work is their own prerogative and I completely respect that.

We then began discussing writing style in relation to the second reader of the module, more specifically a particular idea presented by renowned influential thinker, Donald Schön. Schön, responsible for developing the theory and practice of reflective professional learning in the twentieth century, put forward the term we know as ‘reflection-in-action’ and ‘reflection-on-action’. The terms are quite self-explanatory with the former referring to assessment being made during an activity and the latter sometime after it has been completed. I will be exploring the concept further in upcoming blog posts as well as other practitioner's work found in the second reader, so I will not be going into specifics right now. This is not a hindrance to the following section however as, at the time of the session, I did not have a full understanding for the purpose of what was to happen next.

Paula asked that we next take part in an exercise. This consisted of going into the main hub of the university, watching people with an attentiveness to their current activity and recording it before returning five minutes later to share our discoveries with the group. I instantly likened the purpose of the exercise to acting techniques learned during my time at college, Stanislavsky’s ‘objectives’ and the more broadly known ‘character observation’ which has been covered by various acting practitioners over the years. After taking a seat in the hub, I began looking for subjects of study. After a couple of minutes I took particular notice of a student who was hovering halfway up the stairs to the second floor of the building. I thought he may be on his way to a lesson and had stopped to check his phone for a call or text message but after ten seconds he began scanning the lower floor. His objective had become clear, he was looking for someone. Sure enough, moments later a fellow student met him the bottom of the stairs. After seeing this event had taken place I caught sight of a girl who walked past me towards the university entrance/exit. Her pace was quick, urgent and direct. Shortly after, it was time to head back and discuss our findings.

After Lisa, Irini and I swapped observations it became clear that without a clear objective or goal, the individual would become much more self-conscious. The man hovering around the stairs, for example, will look for reasons to appear busy when he is in fact unsure at his current activity. His objective actually becomes ‘to look busy’ in order to divert attention from onlookers. Was this the real reason for looking at his phone and that his friend just incidentally found him? I’m sure many of us on occasion can admit to needlessly distracting ourselves with an object like a phone in order to avoid unwanted attention when alone, or maybe letting on that we don’t really know what we’re doing, I know I have. Paula brought up Laban efforts, a technique developed by Rudolf Laban, for identifying and characterising traits of a subject. The nine different terms for describing movement quality within this method are float, punch, glide, slash, dab, wring flick and press. Each quality lends itself to a different activity. This is another idea I am very familiar with as a performer and did not think about when carrying out my study. In the case of this gentleman, I would compare his wandering demeanour to that of a float quality due to his indecisive shuffling along the stairs but also describe it as a flick as his legs swing under his torso, desperate to help give the impression this man is without purpose at this moment in time. The two qualities are different in their speed of movement but are both indirect. Compare this with girl mentioned earlier who was heading for the entrance/exit. She moves with confidence, completely invested in knowing and achieving her objective. She does not observe what surrounds her beyond her destination. Her movement qualities could be described as a glide and press, the opposites to the former mentioned to describe the gentleman. They are sustained and direct. Below you can see the picture I drew in attempting to express the difference between these two individuals.

We were then asked to go out and observe the main hub once again, this time thinking about how the environment affects communication.

 

As can be seen pictured, the hub is symmetrical in the sense that people walking around must pass tables, chairs and stairs on either side in a circular motion. As was the case with the girl moving towards the entrance/exit, she was alone with a pair of headphones on. This makes her introverted, moving rigidly amongst obstacles. On the other hand a group of boys make their way through idly chatting, not concerned with pace or surrounding but collectively creating their own dynamic of movement. Moving onto the environment itself, it was evident that bars and tables and chairs had been placed not only for the social aspect but also as means to integrate work into the same space. Surfaces such as the aforementioned bar and tables provide a space for students to place and rest their laptops and phones. It was interesting to note how information received via technology could spark social interaction but also negate from it. The behavior described could be called ‘progression of conversation’, how the virtual and physical environment crossover and impact communication. The session was concluded upon completion of this final exercise.

Although the aim of it was not clear to me upon starting, the exercises and in fact the whole session was important in beginning to think about ways in which I can document and reflect upon my practice. The exercise explored was just an example how to do so and reader two of the module was to supply us with many other approaches. It may be that my writing style does not alter but I am welcome to try differing processes. Worst case scenario I return to a comfortable form that I know successfully works for myself, best case I discover and learn a technique that offers me a plethora of new tools to incorporate. Nothing to lose and everything to gain!

Module 1 - Task 1d: 2d Images

A link to my newly instated Instagram account can be found below, one that I will be using to post images chronicling my professional activities both past and present.

https://instagram.com/tomhullyer

Images have value to people in many different ways. They can be utilised to record social occasions and serve as a visual memoir, create advertisements in order to entice potential custom or evoke inspiration through means of art. Images play a crucial role in helping the performing arts industry thrive and there are various ways they can be made effective. ‘Advertising’ is a key term for the performer. Besides performing, the artist is going to be spending a lot of their time self-promoting or order to further opportunities for themselves.

Still image is perhaps the most traditional form of communication. Not only has it been around for the longest time, but it is the most immediate form of receiving information. As I discussed in my prior post on professional profile, the still image works in tandem with the fast-natured process of the performing arts industry. A casting director or agent will traditionally request a curriculum vitae and headshot when initially looking at potential candidates for productions or representation respectively, and based on these can very much make a decision as to whether the individual’s involvement will continue any further. It is a well-known yet fickle fact that decisions made by industry professionals are made largely based on image alone. It is therefore important that headshots and CV’s remain up to date in order for performers to offer a true representation of themselves to potential employers.

Moving image, or audio-visual as the module handbook encourages, is not a new platform by any means. VHS has been widely available since the 1970’s and, while essentially obsolete in today’s society, along with a camcorder provided another means for a performer to promote themselves i.e. a showreel. With the development of digital technology, performers have never had greater control and ownership over what content they choose to produce. It is cheap and easily accessible to most these days. Audio-visual goes beyond that offered by the still image in that casting directors can learn more about the candidate’s casting and vocal type, dance strengths, how they look on camera and interact with others as well as an audience. All of these are strong and telling sign of whether a candidate appropriately fits the casting director’s criteria… providing their headshot does before even reaching this stage.

Moving past images as a means of advertising, the form can also be used as a method for inspiration. I know that in my own preparation for a role, having resources as readily available to me as they are today are hugely beneficial. I recall my time preparing to play ‘Benoit’ in the musical Martin Guerre whilst at college. The character suffered from cerebral palsy, making for a challenge in playing him in a truthful and respectful light. I did a lot of research for the role but an aspect that made the process easier was the ability to view video footage via YouTube surrounding the condition. I watched a couple of in-depth documentaries on the subject featuring medical experts and people who had been diagnosed. I know that had this information not been available to me, my performance would not have been the same. I would have not been able to study thought processes, characteristics, movement efforts and reactions of the subject at such ease or leisure.

I often think that audio-visual can be helpful in improving upon a performer’s existing work. The ballet teacher, for example, chooses to record their student performing a set piece of choreography in order to point out where efforts of movement could be improved. “More of a fondu needed here, a frappe there.” The dance teacher’s critique can sometimes mean little when simply read off a list of notes taken during the class and given to the dancer just minutes before starting the routine again or ending the class. The dancer will sometimes not have a chance to work on these corrections internally within the work space and that is when video playback can become valuable. It provides the opportunity for teacher and dancer to analyse performance from an external perspective before attempting to apply them.

2d images can be important under many differing circumstances. In whatever capacity they are used the consumer is looking for an answer in their observation. “Does the performer fit the profile of the character? Does this video inform my research for a role? Where am I going wrong with a dance technique and how can I correct it?” The speed at which these observations and their potential benefits can be made is almost instantaneous. With the integration of images becoming ever more apparent within Web 2.0 such as Instagram, Flickr and YouTube and their ability to exist alongside each other with services like Facebook and Twitter, networking has never seemed so effortless and these tools will only see further innovation.

Module 1 - Task 1c: Audio-visual

So here you have it, my first use of audio-visual practice for BAPP! You can find it embedded below or, alternatively, follow the link to my YouTube channel for viewing:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYaHpQruEzg

 

Although this wasn’t a task I had to work half as long on as previous ones, I understand its importance in showing an understanding and competence for using Web 2.0 tools. The difficulties lied not in my ability to produce this video segment but in fact in the practicalities of keeping to the task’s objective, “a 45 second clip”.

My first thoughts were “Forty-five seconds? That’s loads of time! What could I possibly have to say that would last that long?” I wrote a short script (can you tell I’m an actor) to refer to whilst recording was taking place. This approach was not taken as a means to increase my self-confidence in front of a camera but to ensure that my thoughts and intentions were being presented in a cohesive and structured manner for viewers. My draft for the video (forgive my rough handwriting) can be viewed below.

You will notice that a lot has been cut and replaced. I could have uploaded my final draft (viewers would certainly have had a better chance reading it) but the evolution and change in its structure would have been lost which I felt was an important factor of this task. My final draft also took on more of a bullet-point form so in practice it only served myself. I felt this would lessen the chances of my delivery coming across as mechanical.

 

The video itself took a lot longer than anticipated. I thought I would be able to rattle off my side notes but I found myself stumbling over my words in my first few attempts. After slowing down and allowing myself to take the time necessary, I managed to get a few different takes of the video in. Upon watching them back, I realised I was clocking in way above the forty-five second mark (some of the takes a minute and a half) and began looking at points made that could be shortened or removed to meet the required time. After whittling down the information to what I felt to be the bare components needed, I felt this was more in line with the time goal. It was still clocking in over forty-five seconds, however I felt that taking away any more would only prove a disservice in expressing my impressions and intentions.

I think this task as an extension to 1a: a professional profile. When confronted with an obstacle such as a time or word-count limit, I have to work within the given parameters. The difference between them is that unlike the prior task, I have essentially failed to meet the criteria for this one. But rather than look at this task as a failure, it has actually highlighted areas of which I can choose to work upon moving forward. And so, this video will serve as a reminder for me to tackle all future tasks, when required, with as concise yet detailed communication as possible.