Module 2 – Task 4b: Establishing a SIG (Special Interest Group) for developing a line of inquiry

As much as I have tried not to let it happen, I feel I have lapsed since returning to BAPP due to other activities surrounding my studies, the main cause being auditions. Audition preparation can take a lot of time, especially those that require the individual to utilise all three disciplines (acting, singing and dancing) during their call. Whilst I have been struggling to balance my schedule effectively, this has not seized an internal and continued questioning about my potential line of inquiry. Therefore, this has led me to thinking about my communities of practice and, in turn, what information I can gather from them in relevance to my topic. Task 4a’s guideline stressed an importance for looking back at emerging lines of inquiry as found within task 2d, so I feel that a consideration for recapping networking (especially since aspects of my communities have recently evolved) could greatly benefit the method in which I instigate my research. The BAPP community will of course play a pivotal role in efforts to refine my line of inquiry and as such I’m hoping that with the creation of my special interest group I will be able to hone in on a particular topic that will follow me into module three.

The SIG itself is called ‘Collaboration within the Arts and Ethics Considered'. For people who have been following my blog, you will notice that I have discussed numerous acting practitioners throughout my posts. Theories included have been influenced from training I received whilst at college and others that I sought for myself. At the time of study, I was interacting and collaborating with peers in the same environment. When it came to critically reflecting upon work, we were able to effectively dissect technical aspects of performance and share our thoughts with related linguistics as employed by the course’s structure. Upon graduation, I worked a number of jobs with like-minded musical theatre graduates that had received similar training to mine from other contemporary performing arts academies. Collaboration has proved quick and effective in these circumstances. I have experienced other moments during my career, however, in which this has not been the case. I have worked with people who are slightly older than myself and employ a different variation of training, people who have self-taught themselves outside of any institution and others who simply reject the knowledge employed and being discussed by their peers. Although I experience this mostly within the discipline of acting (due to its vast canon of development over the decades if not centuries in comparison to the other two), I have also encountered instances whilst working on dance and singing projects.

Although I am aware ethics will be required anyway as a part of investigation, I felt it important to include in the title of the SIG due to the detrimental impact it can have within the parameters of the aforementioned. I mentioned during task 2d that the ethical concerns within collaboration are different than that required of many other jobs. This does not solely concern the performers, though, and can involve creatives such as the director, stage managers, lighting and sound design crew as well as the audience. All parties have an effect on the shaping of a project and should therefore be considered. There is also a debate for how much collaboration should be shared. This meaning; where does the individual draw a line with communicating creative choices with their peers? Should some information be reserved by the creator in order to maintain artist integrity? This in itself could potentially deviate into a separate line of inquiry, but I am keen to see if it is something that I can contain within the boundaries of the aforementioned.

I have forwarded my questions to my old acting tutor as well as some new additions which shall be added as a re-draft upon result of this feedback. At the end of the campus session (as discussed in my previous post) BAPP students tackling their inquiries were asked by Paula to discuss ideas for topics we wish to pursue. It became clear to me that whilst I had an idea worthy for following up, it was a little under-developed and that much more research will be required to help narrow my investigation into something much less vague. I’m hoping that after examining a breadth of practitioner research as found in the BAPP reading list and beyond, I will be able to conduct my working with a more concise objective. Research practitioners Anne Edwards and Robin Talbot state that:

“At the start of your project you are about to take on a considerable commitment which is probably in addition to many continuing demands on your time… So be selfish, focus on what interests you, think about your future professional development as well as the impact your study might have on the workplace, and then step forward with confidence.” (Edwards & Talbot, 1999)

I imagine the results of my drafted questions, alongside the ongoing activity on my SIG, will begin to reveal which direction best serves for further investigation. I have already found in the time spent between presenting my initial framework for inquiry and now that what I aiming to achieve needs to be worth not only the time of others but my own. If I am not stimulated enough by the subject, how can I expect anyone else following it to be? I have also caught myself questioning whether my chosen topic will hold any significance but will make the choice to assess its worth after completing the task work to come instead of jumping to conclusions that have been reached without exercise or formal discussion. If you would like to be involved with the group, please do follow. The link can be found just below.

Collaboration within the Arts and Ethics Considered.

Bibliography

Edwards, A, Talbot, R (1994) The hard-pressed researcher, 1999 re-print, London: Routledge