Cross Cutting and Split Scene Reflection

What is cross-cutting & split scene:
Cross cutting is a drama technique where two scenes are intercut to establish continuity within the performance. Also the term is used to describe two or more scenes which are being performed on stage at the same time.

This week we were asked to create a short performance using this technique. Our group created a scene about bullying where there was a part where the bullies were bullying a kid and the principal talking to the victim's parents. We created this by having one scene performing on one side of the stage with no volume just exaggerated movements and the other was more talking and descriptive about the issue going on.

Specifically in our performance there was the part where 2 bullies were attacking the victim because she brought in her mother to speak to the principal. So once the mother was talking to the principal the cross cutting began as we showed very hurtful movements in our actions to seem intimidating. One line that was spoken by one of the bullies were "You think you're cool bringing your mom to snitch" This was where the bully was judging the victim for being a cowardly snitch.

Our group was trying to communicate the importance of bullying awareness as it is a well know issue that plays a major role in safety in most of the schools around the world.

End of Unit Reflection

Criteria B: 6/8
Criteria D: 6/8

This unit in Drama we focused on Rio de Janeiro and its street life. We looked at the division and the lives of different citizens, how people from society were treated or respected upon who they were. We had chances to improve our skills to create realistic and believable characters throughout the unit. For the final piece we were divided into groups of 4, 5 or 6 and had to create a performance based on topics we studied. We could choose to do a performance that we might have already created and build upon that to improve it or make a completely new performance using what we learnt.

Our performance was a topic we went through class for 2-3 weeks. It was about a nephew of a very strict uncle that depended on the nephew for survival (money, food, water, etc) When the nephew came across an injured train surfer on his way back, he decided to help the train surfer with the last amount of money he had. Causing the nephew to arrive home late and with no money. The uncle then became very angry and had to show his temper through anticipation and build up suspense.

My group Abdul (Carlos-Nephew), Luca (Police), Sher (Uncle), Melissa (Good/Angel Conscience) and I (Bad/Devil Conscience) created our performance based on that idea. My character was Abdul's devilish conscience who always led him to be bad. Where Melissa always ended up making him do the right thing. I established my character through sounding very arrogant and acting confident. I constantly contradicted everything Melissa wanted me to say showing our differences and the contrast between our characters. In the beginning of the play it seemed like Abdul would listened to the wrong influence until the right one overpowered and everything worked out at the end. "Who cares if he's our uncle" is someone of the dialogues that were negative to show my character. This was when Sher just made up his mind to kick us out and I was angry towards him.

My group structured or performance with Abdul coming home late and his uncle Sher being very angry with him. As Abdul is talking to Sher, Luca is in another building which was cross-cutting with him doing stage business in the background to keep busy. As Sher scolds Abdul to his room seconds later Melissa realizes he needs to leave the house before 6 and Melissa and I argue about waking him up. Later on I make noise to try and wake up Sher and here we used slow-motion to show my anger towards Sher, as I dramatically tried to hit him with a block. Melissa said "Stoooooppp!" in slow-motion to also give it a realistic effect and then we were back into normal speed. I still wanted to wake Sher up so I made Abdul drop one of the block right next to Sher which woke him and the neighbours around as well (showing how close people in favelas live). Sher then wakes up and calls Luca in the police department reporting to have a "house intruder" Abdul gets scared and tries to escape as Melissa and I contradict wether he should escape or not. Then Luca comes and attempts to shoot Abdul where Sher, Abdul and Luca freeze and Melissa and I start to speak showing Abdul's conscience.  Abdul then gets taken away by Luca as Sher bribes him in the middle of the stage. Abdul then blurts out the truth and Luca decides to believe him and takes away Sher instead. As they're walking down the stairs they freeze to show a freeze frame/tableau as Abdul & Melissa look proud and me looking confused (next to the stage). Luca then comes on stage to comfort Abdul and everything works out great at the end.

We used 3 significant techniques in the performance. Slow motion and 2 freeze frames. I think the one that worked successfully was the slow motion. As explained in the paragraph above. We could have improved the last freeze frame an Luca was arresting Sher because it was a very important twist to the performance.

Overall I believe we did very well but to improve I could have improved my character to make it more over the top, but the whole idea for the unit was to create believable characters which I think is why I couldn't achieve a higher grade such as 7 or 8.

Carlos gets Kicked out of the House

This week we had to improvise a scene where a young boy, Carlos, (living with his uncle because his parents left him) helping out an injured train surfer on the street with the very last amount of money he had. Not realising how late he would get home, once Carlos enters the house his uncle flips out on him because Carlos is the one supporting himself and the uncle with money and food. The uncle doesn't really care about Carlos and all he wants is the money, and once Carlos can't supply him with that he gets really angry and kicks Carlos out of his home.

Our group performed the journey once Carlos was kicked out and wanted to take a train as far away as possible. In the start Melissa (Carlos) approached the ticket sales person (Me) and they looked confused. Melissa asked for a ticket for the train that was going to departure. As the sales person told her how much it costed an obnoxious business person (Laith) pushed Melissa out of the way. Laith got his ticket while the I was busy and Melissa snuck into the train. I then quickly changed roles and became another business person talking on the phone. Melissa took a seat next to me because there were no other places. Me in disgust moved my possessions away from her as the train's security (Tommy) walked by demanding tickets. Since Melissa snuck onto the train she began to panic and ran to the toilet of the train waiting for Tommy to leave. The train began to move and Laith went to the bathroom where Melissa was and pushed her out. Melissa then wanted to get away and took with her her emotions/conscience to the cargo part of the train. She began to talk with her conscience about what she would do next and how she would handle things. The train slowed down and Melissa wiped the tears off her face, took in a deep breath ready for the new world.

Marking the Moment

In relations to Nascimento's case, this week in class we focused also on the poorer side of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil with train surfers.
Our task was to create a short but effective performance based on the preparation for train surfing, the actual journey and the ending with a cliff hanger. Divided up into groups of 5 or 6 our teacher talked about what the cliff hanger should be based upon. It was about a new recruit to a "gang" of train surfers where he/she has little to no knowledge about train surfing gets stuck on top of the train without his gang who leaves him and the police surrounding area. Wether the police was corrupt or not they would either charge or fine them or sentence them to jail. In our case as the train surfers were poor and generally young or teenagers they didn't care that they were putting their life at risk just for some adrenalin and fun. So what the new recruit or the one who gets caught by the police does is that he sees one of the electricity power lines running along the roof of the train station and reacher up to grab for it. The area around him is in no shock as they are used to this kind of scenarios but the cliff hanger is that we don't know wether he or she actually touches the power cord.

 

This is the ending for our performance. The way we built up to this scene was by showing from the very beginning that Aryaman was nervous and uncertain of what he should be doing. Once all of us on the train (gang of train surfers) jumped off and Aryaman was left standing Josiah (the police officer) came around pointing his gun at Aryaman. Unclear of how he should defend himself, Aryaman immediately reached for the power cable and very promisingly sad he would touch it only if Josiah wouldn't lower his weapon.  With a hesitant look on his face hi took a breath in got higher on his tippy toes but suddenly Josiah dropped his weapon and Aryaman climbed down the train. Josiah warned him and told him off not to do this every again, gave him a little nudge and walked away. 

What we could have done to create a better performance could have been to have a louder atmosphere when the gang was surfing and together and really brought down the tone when it was only Aryaman and Josiah left. I don't think we should have continued when Aryaman said his last words where Josiah brought down his weapon to keep the cliff hanging more alive and to mark the moment clearer. And for the picture their facial expressions could have been a lot more prominent and clear. Their stance could have been stronger but I like the way Aryaman is reaching his hand up to the power cable yet still out to the police officer. To create a better atmosphere maybe the rest of the gang could have been around in different places looking shock to see what he would do next. 

Is Sandro Rosa to Blame for the Murder of the Primary School Teacher?

Sandro Rosa do Nascimento was the perpetrator of the Bus 174 hostage crisis in Jardim Botânico, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Nascimento boarded a public bus with the intention of robbing a bus because he needed the money. However, the incident then developed into a hostage situation, which was broadcasted live by most Brazilian national television channels. He wanted to rob the passengers because he was poor and needed to survive. 


In the documentary Sandro hops on the bus like a normal person would. Minutes later something triggers him and he grabs a woman hostage. At this moment the driver flees the vehicle running for his life. Someone from the bus calls the very under developed police of Rio de Janeiro. Since the authorities couldn't close the roads the entire incident was live on television. Cameras rolling, police shouting and cars honking created a massive catastrophe. With the first hostage that Sandro had he faked her death. He missed whispering in her ear that he wouldn't shoot to kill. This conveyed that he didn't want people dead he just wanted attention and a big scene. He took another woman which was the Primary School Teacher and walked out the bus. The police had Sandro at point blank range aiming his gun to end the issue. He missed and shot the teacher causing Sandro to flinch and pulling the trigger on his own gun also shooting the teacher, resulting in her death. Later on when we was arrested he suffocated or was suffocated and died. 

Some of the economic reasons for Sandro's crimes are that Rio de Janeiro's police and departments are corrupt where they can easily take advantage and since they don't have much to loose (living in favelas with little to no money) they turn to crime.

Some of the social reasons for Sandro's crimes could be that he witnessed his mother being stabbed to death (when he was only 6 years old) which could have damaged him in many other levels too. Street kids or homeless people have a reputation of discrimination due to their lack of education and mannerisms. Also since there is a lot of poverty and crime in Rio de Janeiro, Sandro could have adapted to those actions in a very young age and the results would be his hostage holding in bus 174. 

Some links between social and economic reasons would be the segregation between rich and poor. Even though they live just inches apart there is a huge difference in their lifestyle. There is a lack of social support and also a lack of government assistance programs.

Overall I think Sandro is not to blame for the murder of the Primary school teacher because all he did was drag attention of the media to himself, and maybe to prove a point or just to be noticed. I know this because he had 2 people hostage at gunpoint where the first one he pretended to shoot while he whispered into her ear saying he wouldn't shoot.  The murderer of the primary school teacher was the police who missed close range shot striking the teacher. The terror made Sandro jerk causing him to pull the trigger in act of fright. 

If some of these factors were different the death of the school teacher, Sandro or this whole incident wouldn't have happened. If everyone had proper shelter with access to clean water and food there wouldn't be a huge division between rich and poor. With that people wouldn't need to sell unnecessary items for money causing less reality deprived humans wondering the streets. Which would lead to less poverty therefore improving the police department in more important ways.