The Desktop of a Student

I'm very much enjoying being a student. It is quite difficult to be a good student and a be good friend or person at the same time. Maybe not for some people, but it is for me. 

I was working on my Journals for my classes the other day and I suddenly noticed how peculiar my desktop looked. Peculiar that is, maybe, for an acting student?

Click for full picture

There was bloodshed and stories of atrocities to our fellow man, and it was all pretty upsetting. I had been working on it for most of the Easter holiday week, so I was thinking pretty darkly about humankind for most of my free time.

I'm grateful for this course for introducing me to moments in our history that I had looked over. We're quite sheltered in Australia, and people all over the world don't often like to talk about bad things that have happened in the past, so though I had heard about the events of Srebrenica and the Serbo-Croat War, I had never looked into them.

I also finished the book Century the other week, so I'm looking forward to (one day, after all the books I own are read) to going through the book again and delving in further to the events that are briefly mentioned.

TODAY: I watched Srebrenica: A Cry from the Grave and did some washing. David made Bacon and Egg rolls on Tiger Bread - the best bread! I had it with my Red Pepper Relish (Australian Made) that I recently purchased. Then I mostly procrastinated: I did this, for one, and worked on hopefully improving this blog. I want to make some changes.

Procrastinating with chores and a MacBook.

YESTERDAY: I did a First Aid/CPR Course, which was really interesting. I learned that if you really want to help save anyone who needs CPR, you should own a defibrillator. Pity they cost so much money! Over $1000. Without it the chances of someone living is somewhere between 3 and 7%, with the Defib, it increases to 82%. I wonder if they are keeping the price so high for a reason?

My friend here looks a little pale... *guffaw*

I then went to a 60's House Warming Party that was really fun. I got a little too dark towards the end of the party. Talking about life and travel. I had fun doing a last-minute bad version of Holly Golightly.

My Holly next to a more accurate Holly.

TOMORROW: I have Acting and Music/Singing Class. I haven't organized my duologues. I'm behind. I also will have work, too. By the time I get home from school, I have to get ready and then leave again. It makes it really difficult to study. I really shouldn't waste weekends, but I was just so tired. NO EXCUSES, LAZYASS!

Link me a picture of your desktop - in a way that defines who you are or what you like or what you do or all three!

If I Don't Make It To America (RADA)

...then remind me of this.

The ending of my VISA is looming ahead and my heart pounds at the thought. I mostly would love for it to renewed, but I also can't help making plans for what I would do if was not to be realized.

I have Three Plans, The American Plan, The Australian Plan and The United Kingdom Plan.

I'm not going to give away these ideas here, not yet anyhow, I am instead going to record a goal that I may forget if my browser happens to crash... and since I have well over forty windows open in each of my browsers (Firefox and Safari) that is most likely to happen. So for now, I am dumping, and I recently organized my blog posts, so this seems like a safe place to... place it.

If Britain was the closest I could get to New York again, then I believe I would investigate the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.

I've heard stories of a number of people going there for short courses or the Summer, and I definitely could see myself doing something similar. It'd be lovely to do something like that now, what with a large majority of my friends or gallivanting around the Northern Hemisphere now, but there is very important work to be done here in New York, so, it would have to be 2011, if the VISA is not renewed or (even better) if it is renewed and I somehow magically work hard enough to earn a trip to study in the UK.

INTRODUCTION TO ACTING IN FILM AND TELEVISION

A one-week course from 10-5 each day in April.

I've done plenty of Intro to Film/TV courses and though it is mostly inspiring and you'll learn a number of new things. It's not something one should revisit as much as I have (due to sheer lack of confidence to move on to the next level... but mainly because there are hardly any good classes that aren't "an introduction." So, it is also always kind of boring.

You usually get handed a shoddy script from something made-up or out of a text book or something the teacher has auditioned for and you spend a few days or hours learning some pointers and then you go for it, and then you get all these strangers telling you that you did good or badly and pointing out the tiniest things you did that they really loved or just didn't like.

I've always found these courses the most helpful when you're watching. Sure, you learn by doing, absolutely, but sometimes you are kind of nervous and it is hard to give your best. When you're able to sit back and watch the other actor lose it in front of the camera, sometimes the best lessons come from those moments.
Especially if the person is really bad or especially good. You never really learn much from someone who is just okay. Other than hoping that you can give more than they did.

So, I would apply if I had 700 pounds lying around. No one should ever stop reintroducing themselves to their chosen craft... just don't do it as often as I do. Yikes.

ACTING SHAKESPEARE

This is an eight-week course from June to July that excites me quite a bit. An in-depth dip into the works of Shakespeare and this,

"Each participant is allocated, for the duration of the programme, a personal tutor, with whom they will meet for one to one feedback. There are classes in voice, speech, sonnets, verse and language and style.

Alexander Technique is taught as a basis for comprehensive physical skills work that includes movement, stage fighting, period dance and improvisation."

Personal Tutor? AWESOME!
Alexander Technique? My favourite!

You are required to auditon, unlike some of the other courses, which takes place in-person in New York. It also costs nearly 5000 pounds, but it does seem brilliant.

Maybe I'll be able to work towards it and save my pennies... if I get in, of course. Imagine me now, pulling on neck-tie...

RADA SUMMER SCHOOL

Quite famous and has been around for over 30 years and consists of a full 25 day immersion into "developing the actor."

You work as a company, and aside from the acting sessions are, "Supporting the acting sessions, there are classes in speech, physical performance, sonnets, text, stage combat, period dance and clown."

You have to have full monologue prepared and ready to show to the class and the complete works of Shakespeare (check) and a full-length practice skirt for the ladies.

One of the great experiences would be staying in their dorms in London. They might be a bit unsightly for all I know, but why would you care when you were acting all day anyway and either crashing in bed, exploring bloody London, or getting pissed with your over-sexed classmates anyway?

No? Yes? Is Australian theatre life different to the others around the world? Surely not ; ) Not that that's a priority of mine, I can be a really boring drunk depending on how I feel... and I certainly wouldn't want to waste over 3000 pounds on a hangover.

I really liked how simple the site was and I liked how it wasn't overflowing with possible classes. I love workshops and I love the complete devotion to certain fragments that build up the acting world, but mostly its overwhelming. "What do I choose!? What do I spend 500 dollars on!?!?"

Alright. That's one part of the United Kingdom Plan recorded for me to see one day in the future.

The Wobbly Cranberry Sauce and The Niggling Feeling In The Belly!