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Ohiri Innocent
Author, Writer, Actor, LecturerOne Man. One Mission. Can He Go Beyond?One Man. One Mission. Can He Go Beyond?
THEATRE
&
TELEVISION
PRODUCTION
HANDBOOK
THEATRE
&
TELEVISION
PRODUCTION
HANDBOOK
BY
INNOCENT OHIRI
DEDICATION TO FUNDAMENTS OF THEATRE ARTS (THA 100.1) STUDENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PORT HARCOURT.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I am very grateful to my Fundamentals of theatre Arts (THA 100.1) students whose questions, during my tutorials with them, inspired me to write this book. I thank the Head of •Department of Theatre Arts who appointed me the co-ordinator of this course. I thank Gifto,
Amarachukwu and Uchechukwu who missed some pleasurable moments with Daddy because of this work. Special acknowledgement is made of the care, nurture, love and kindness of Darling, my better half, who facilitated this work.
I remain very grateful to authors like Dean Alexander and Lawrence Carra, Oscar Brockett, John Clifford, Stephen Langley, Chris Nwamuo, Kalu Uka, .Jide Malomo, John Gassner, C.C. Nwachukwu, Don M. Baridan, Allan Bermingham, Thomas Burrow, Donald Wood, H. Ekwuazi, J. Sokomba, O. Mgbejume, Kris Malliewics, Gerald Millerson, Katharine Ommaney, Harry Shankar and Edwin Wilson.
PREFACE
This book appraises the important roles in a theatrical production. The need to write this book arose as a result of the discovery that some Theatre Arts students excel in the theoretical aspects of the course but do not measure up with theatre practice. This is because of inadequate knowledge of the roles in theatrical production. Because these students are called upon to work on all aspects of a production during their period of study, there is need for them to understand the demands and involvements of each area of the theatre. This book therefore, highlights the major roles or duties of theatre staff and students in a theatre production. These areas include Acting, Directing, Choreography, Theatre Management, Costume, Makeup and Technical designs. It is hoped that this book will go a long way in encouraging ·theatre practice in schools and Nigerian communities.
Dr. I. C. Ohiri
(C) 2007 INNOCENT OHIRI
ISBN 978-978-49774-8-7
All right reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of Eby Boy Business World Limited Nigeria and the author.
Published by
EBY BOY BUSINESS WORLD LIMITED.
No: 7 Aloke Street
Trans Ekulu
Enugu
Nigeria.
CHAPTER ONE
PRACTICE IN THEATRE AND TELEVISION STUDIES
Almost all the areas of Theatre Arts and Media Studies, involve practice. This is the practice of what is learnt theoretically. With the exception of areas like Dramatic Literature and Film History, all the others involve the students putting into practice what they have been taught. Acting, Directing, Theatre Management, Choreography, Costume design, Make Up and Technical Theatre have practical aspects the assessment of which affects students' results at the end of their studies. Because of this, theatre and Media students cannot shy away from theatre practice. Courses like the Fundamentals of Theatre. Arts and Media Production Techniques embrace almost all these aspects and therefore pose a greater challenge to students who offer them.
Other advantages include sociability, improvement of vocabulary, speech and skill. An explanation of the above mentioned advantages would encourage students to develop love for production.These challenges can be justified by the great benefits derivable from practice. In the first place, practice makes perfect. When some of the things learnt theoretically are done practically, their understanding is enhanced. This is more so because theatre practice involves some research. This makes the knowledge of research one of the benefits of theatre practice. Through theatre practice, interaction is enhanced. The students have a greater opportunity of talking to each other and working with one another during theatre practice. Two students can be in the same class or study a theoretical course together for years without discussing personally with each other but once they get involved in the same production, they have the opportunity of greater interaction' and sociability. They can discuss, play together or even quarrel in the course of the production.
In the bid to procure the items for the production, creativity and resourcefulness are engendered. Because practical projects are research oriented, they attract the kind of benefits that accrue from research. These advantages include the enhancement of investigation, identification of problems, recommendation of solutions, information, education, satisfying the natural desire to perform, overcoming stage fright, linking of thoughts, enhancement of the understanding of production techniques, and improvement of results or grades (Innocent Ohiri 2002:5).
Enhancement of Investigation:
Practice helps the students. To find out, from others, the director and their lecturers, how to dance, sing, act or design. They get interested in such things when they see others excel in them. They are, consequently, compelled to willingly find out how these things are done. By investigating how they n also excel in these arts, they develop a higher sense of investigation.
Identification of Problems:
Through the investigation of how a thing is done, the students discover the problems confronting the "doing" of that thing. A student who becomes interested in acting, for instance, and investigates how it is done can in the process discover problems in acting.
Recommendation of Solutions:
Once a problem is identified, there-is normally the desire to solve it. The identification of problems is therefore, followed by recommendation of some solutions.
Information and Education:
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Practical projects inform both the actors arid the audience. The actors and instance get some information on acting skills as they practice with others. They finally inform and educate the audience through the theme of the play material.
Entertainment:
Theatre practice affords students the opportunity of entertaining a large crowd of people- the audience. They equally get entertained as they entertain the audience. In, other words, they make the audience enjoy the production as much as they enjoy presenting it. A good presentation satisfies the performer. He equally gets entertained by both his fellow performers and audience reaction. He, however, does not laugh to show that he is equally entertained but endeavours to remain in character in the process.
Satisfaction of the Natural Desire to Perform:
There is a natural tendency, and desire in man to perform. This performance may be in the form of dancing, singing, telling stories, or dramatizing. The later involves imitation. The desire to imitate is higher in people who have the flair for drama and theatre. Practical projects, afford people the opportunity to satisfy this desire.
Overcoming Stage Fright:
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Some students find it difficult to stand and address a large crowd. With constant theatre practice, they conquer or overcome stage fright and become more composed.
Linking of Thoughts:
Productions bring together many shades of opinion. They help the students know what their colleagues are thinking about and be able to link that up with their own thoughts for proper reasoning. They make them disclose their own thoughts to others thereby linking their thoughts with those of others and enhancing good judgment. This helps a lot in generating a working script as is the case with production workshops.
Enhancing the Knowledge of Production Techniques:
Practical projects in the theatre educate the students on how productions are done. They provide students the opportunity of studying the skills and techniques of production from their fellow students, artistes, the directors and their lecturers.
Enhancing the Opportunity of Getting Good Grades:
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For talented and practice-oriented students, productions provide the golden opportunity of making better grades. Students who are not very good in theory always have this course as a "saving grace". These students use the high grades they make in theatre practice to improve their cumulative Grade Point Averages (C.G.P.A).
Improvement in Sociability:
Being based on team work and ensemble spirit, productions enhance interaction between the artistes and the production crew. In the course under discussion, the students, who make up both the artistes and crew, interact to achieve a good production. As they interact with themselves in a production, some social impediments are removed. The students are exposed to people and an audience which they, otherwise, would not have met if not for the opportunities offered by the practical aspect of the course.
Improvement of vocabulary, Speech and Skill:
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The practical aspect of the Fundamentals of Theatre Arts exposes students to many new words. It introduces them to the "jargons" of the theatre and other English words used by playwrights in the plays produced. It improves their speech.
During the rehearsals, members of cast are taught correct pronunciation of words. Lessons on accent, intonation and stress are intensified to fully bring out the nuances of the production. The use of some theatrical elements like costumes, props, accessories, lighting and makeup gives the students training in resourcefulness, creativity and improvisation. They learn how to make costumes - dress designing, embroidery, knitting, tie-dye - and props. They are encouraged to design and assemble stage lights, sets and some accessories. They are also made to prepare local makeup materials like white chalk (Nzu), charcoal, shoe polish, cam wood (- indigo) and red oil. The preparation of these elements provides opportunities for skill acquisition.
In addition to these advantages of theatre practice is the promotion of physical fitness. Students are exposed to various physical exercises before and during rehearsals. Stage and dance movements as well as the numerous stage businesses that are involved in the plays enhance physical fitness. These advantages justify the inclusion of the practical aspects of this course
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into the syllabus.
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CHAPTER TWO
GENERAL RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR
THEATRE PRODUCTIONS
All members of cast are supposed to abide by some rules and regulations of theatre practice. These rules can be appraised in consonance with the different stages of a production. The stages are:
PRE-REHEARSAL STAGE: At this stage:
(a) There must be production meetings. Each group should meet and agree on the type of production to embark upon. A group can decide to present a stage drama, a dance (cultural/ traditional or modern), a mime, choral music or songs. At these meetings, the group can also choose the production material and even share posts/ responsibilities. The meetings should be held occasionally until the production is over.
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(b) All members of cast must own a copy of the production material, be it a story, a scenario, or a script.
(c) All members of cast must read and analyze the production material for proper understanding of the plot, sub- themes and the main theme of the production.
(d) Production right must be secured. This can be done by the director or the production manager. It can also be, secured by the theatre manager or the "group leader". This is the permission obtained from the person who holds the copyright of the material or play to be produced.
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(e) There must be a good budget for the production. This budget can be prepared in a production meeting. On the alternative, each "area head" should prepare a budget of what he needs and submit to the theatre manager, the production manager, the director 'or the group leader as the case may be. In student productions for the Fundamentals of Theatre Arts (THA.1 00.1), these budgets are submitted to the co-ordinator. There are, therefore, supposed, to be budgets raised for areas like costume, make-up, publicity, box office, set design, lighting, props and accessories. Other areas that deserve attention include artiste fees and. The later covers things like artiste entertainment (in food and drink), medical care (invitation of a doctor) cleaning of the theatre environment and security. The house manager ensures the execution of those responsibilities in most educational theatre productions.
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(f) Each director should submit a proposal to the coordinator of the course for approval.
(g) The publicity officer must publicize a tryout or audition.
(h) The director must conduct a tryout or audition and do the casting.
(i) The director should also prepare a rehearsal schedule.
(j) The director should secure a conducive venue for the rehearsal
REHEARSAL STAGE
At this second stage of production
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(a) Each member of cast must make sure that his or her name is in the roll call book or register.
(b) Each member must be regular at rehearsals. Any member who does not make-up to 75% attendance will not be allowed to go on stage on the presentation day. Even where he goes on stage, he will not be entitled to any grades or scores for the production.
(c) Members should be punctual to rehearsals. They should be at the rehearsal venue at least thirty minutes to call time. A record of late comers should be kept for each rehearsal.
(d) When a rehearsal starts, no member of cast should leave the rehearsal hall or venue without the permission of the director.
(e) There should be no noise making, discussions or other distracting activities during the rehearsals. All members should pay attention to the actions on stage since anybody can be called upon to be a double cast in the event of some unforeseen circumstances.
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(f) No food items or drinks should be brought into the rehearsal hall/venue. There should be no eating and drinking on stage. Not even the chewing of gum is allowed unless such is part of the play.
(g) All cell phones must be switched off during' rehearsals.
(h) No member of cast or crew should bring in visitors into the rehearsal venue. All visitors should be attended to outside the hall with the permission of the director.
(i) There should be no quarrelling during rehearsals. All disagreements should be reported to the director who has the right to direct such cases to the group leader or the coordinator if need be.
(j) Nobody should play with production equipment like drums, props, costumes and accessories when they are not in Use.
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(k) At the end of each rehearsal, members of cast and crew should assist in returning the items used for the rehearsal to the props and costume rooms. All should assist in cleaning the theatre. Since publicity commences during the rehearsal stage all involved in it should be serious minded. The following should be noted:
(a) All publicity materials must be ready on time.
(b) Such materials must be approved by the group leader, coordinator of the theatre manager as the case may be
(c) When on street advertisement - or guerrilla publicity-members should not constitute a nuisance to the public. They should be focused.
(d) No member should damage publicity materials, be they banners, posters or handbills. They should be handled with care and preserved for record purposes and further use.
(e) All members of the publicity crew must participate in singing, dancing and clapping of hands if these arc parts of the methods used.
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(f) Publicity materials should be well monitored and replaced when damaged by the public. The publicity director should perform his duties creditably.
(m) Box office materials should be acquired during this stage. The box office treasurers must make sure that enough tickets are printed, the box office cleaned and more staff trained for the anticipated production. The box office treasurers must keel' the Cardinal Rules for box office treasurers which demand the following:
1. Never leave the box office unattended.
2. Never allow an unpaid ticket to leave the box office.
3. Never allow anyone into the box office unless he is bonded.
4. Never take any box office business across the threshold.
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5. Never discuss box office grosses or number of tickets sold with anyone. (If people inquire about business, your answer should be: "Business is very good" and absolutely nothing more).
6. Never show a statement to anyone: never prepare a statement in front of customers,
7. Never bring food or beverages of any kind into the box office.
8. Never issue "free" or discounted tickets without a written order from the producer or the manager.
9. Never make personal promises to the customer or encourage him to deal only with you. Anyone in the box office should be able to help any customer.
10. Never tie up the box office phones with personal or unnecessarily long conversations.
11. Never hesitate to ask questions if you are uncertain about some policies or problems.
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12. Never hesitate to hand over all monies in the event of a robbery.
13. Never count money or prepare bank deposits in the view of customers. (Stephen Langley 1980:431)
In view of all the above, an advice is given.
Remember that you control the lifeline of the theatre. In the eyes of the customers' you, more than any other person, are the theatre. Remember that a ticket. Is negotiable and, therefore, must be regarded as cash. Treat each ticket as if it were a twenty, dollar bill. (Stephen Langley 1980:431).
(n) The theatre house and its environs must be kept clean. The house manager and his staff must make sure that the theatre lights are good, the seats are good and the temperature control equipment is in good order. The house manager should select and train his staff, assign duties to them and provide all the materials required. He should also arrange for a physician.
PRODUCTION STAGE
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The production stage demands much care and seriousness from the cast and crew. All should comport themselves well in other not to create a bad image for the theatre. The following rules must be kept.
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