A DIRECTOR'S PRODUCTION GUIDELINES
taken from the WHSFA manual
FUNDAMENTAL PRODUCTION DECISIONS
*Genre -- comedy, tragedy, musical, children's show, fantasy, etc.
*Time/Locale
*Style -- melodrama, comedia, etc.
*Period -- historical, contemporary, etc.
*Desired audience response
*Interpretation of playwright's intent
PRODUCTION ASPECTS (SENSORY IMPACT)
*Costumes
*Make-up
*Set
*Props
*Lighting
*Sound
ACTING
*Character analysis
*Concentration
*Believability
*Timing
*Sustaining character
*Motivation (why do the characters do and say what they do and say?)
*Physical aspects
-Creative business -- special individual movements, postures, gestures which define characters
-Movement
-Ensemble playing -- working as a cooperative group of actors
-Action/reaction
-Staying "in" the scene
*Vocal
-Relationship of voice to character
-Pronunciation
-Articulation
-Volume, projection
-Dialects and accents
-Rate
DIRECTING
*Blocking, stage pictures
*Tempo, pacing, rhythm
*Balance -- visually and in acting ensemble
*Making the show unique -- "your own"
*Rising action, climax, falling action
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