Witchcraft

1.

The Response PhaseOur first task to start of our project was to watch the video 'The Blair Witch Project.' We had to make notes on these 2 things:* How they created atmosphere through use of light, sound and images.* How the character of Heather was created.We had to really observe Heathers character. I think this was the best character to make notes on as she was the only girl and her personality was always changing eg.

My first impressions of Heather were that she was friendly and that she got on really well with Josh and Mark, after a while I noticed that she would get stressed and grumpy very quickly. I could tell that she was under a lot of pressure because she was the leader, this was shown through how she was a always determined that she was right. Like when they used to get lost in the forest she was always determined that the way she was going was the right way.From watching the video learnt how to build up atmosphere using lighting and sound. I learnt that if you use dimmer light it gives it a spooky, gloomy and mysterious atmosphere whereas the bright light gives it a more relaxed atmosphere. With the sound if you were quiet then you could tell you were scared or worried but if you are loud then you can tell that you are relaxed and calm.

We then went on learning about witches from the Medieval ages and read a play called 'The Crucible' by Arthur Miller.This play had 5 characters in it and was all about how witches used to perform magic in the past, using this we had to create a still image in groups of 3. Me Sapna and Sarah worked in a group of 3 and using a picture stimulus we had to make a still image and used thought tracking to let the audience know what we were thinking. This helped me because using thought tracking in a play for build up of atmosphere because although a character seems brave on the outside they may really be scared on the inside.This helps the audience understand what is going on. The effect it has on the atmosphere because I think it brings the play to life.

It also has the effect of showing what the character is going through and changes the whole mood of the play. With this piece of work we weren't allowed to move or say much but it taught me how to use my time and how effective short and efficient plays can be.From our picture stimulus I learnt that witches did their magic in the forest and were naked while performing their witchcraft. Using the script we had to perform what the 5 characters did the night before (The Missing Scene). Me, Sapna, Waleed, Hasan, James and Daniel were in this group. The explorative strategies we used in this play were:* Role Play: We had to be in character all the time.

We all had to play witches from the Middle Ages, and do chants, dance and we also had to act very odd and different so the audience could tell that we weren't normal people.* The Use of Lighting: We used dim lighting to show we were in forest and our only source of light was the moon. I think this built up the atmosphere of the quietness and darkness in the forest.The other group we watched consisted of Mariam, Louise, Richard, Usman, Devdeep and Ryan.

This group built up the atmosphere really well because their use of lighting was really good. Richard used his voice well with the speed and tone of it. The lighting was used in such a way that it actually created shadows on the floor in the same way as the moon.This created a mysterious atmosphere. This is because it showed the darkness in the forest and the moonlight in the forest. Richard played music while the rest of the group danced around him, this showed atmosphere because the forest is supposed to be quiet and they make so much noise.

The other characters make ritualistic voices and scream so this shows the same things.After this piece of work we left the play and went back to The Blair Witch Project. Our task was to act out 3-4 main parts of the movie. In this task we worked in groups of 3. I worked with Mariam and Sarah. The 4 main parts we chose were:* When they have no food left to eat* When they find Josh's tongue and Teeth* Heathers entry to the camera saying bye to her mum and dad* When they are in the house looking for Josh.

When they had no food to eat and when they find Josh's Teeth and TongueFor these two scenes we used the lighting quite bright to shoe that it was during the day, and that we were in daylight. We put leaves on the floor to show the forest and sticks as well. We used an empty cigarette box to show their restrictions and also how they were running out of the things they needed. It also showed how they had to suffer.I think our use of props was really good for these two scenes, I also think we used our space well because we weren't just using a little corner we used a big space to shoe the size of the forest and we also didn't overcrowd the stage. I think for making a scene in the forest you need to use your space well which I think all the groups did.

I think the way I broke down when seeing Josh's teeth and tongue was really good. I think I did this well because I have always been to shy to scream while acting and in this scene I did scream. Doing this scene taught me how to use my props and space effectively.Heathers Camera EntryFor this scene we used no props.

We used the audience as a camera so I was always looking at the audience. All the background was black and there was one spotlight on Heather (me). I think this built up atmosphere because the only source of light they had was torchlight. Blacking out the background was good because the audience knew to keep their eyes on Heather. I used my voice quiet because there was supposed to be Mike and Josh sleeping behind me and also I am supposed to sound scared and worried because I know I am going to die. I had to sound apologetic towards the people I was talking to.

I couldn't speak informally or rudely because the video was going to my parents and I also had to in an emotional state.When they are in the houseWhen they are in the house we showed the lighting very dimmed to show the fear in the characters and the gloominess of the house and the forest. We used the sound well by pretending the two characters were far from each other. We used a split scene to show this as well.

We used one prop, which was a camera, and we had the Blair Witch walking in the darkness touching us. We showed this by having the main characters in a spotlight and The Blair Witch in the darkness. Each character was on a different side of the curtain.Our next task was to take a diary entry from Heather's journal and we were told to hot seat each other in pairs. Mariam and I hot seated each other.

We then got together as a whole class and hot seated one person from each pair. I was hot seated by the class. We all then had to write a role on the wall of Heather. I learnt a lot about Heathers character. Like how she got on with her friends, why she wanted to do the project. I think learning all this from a hot seat is good because then you know how to portray that character.

Like Heathers character would be: Bossy, Grumpy, Careless, Likes to be on top of things, always thinks she's right.Our last task was to show through atmosphere the reaction of the townspeople when they find out about the three missing people. I was in a group with Mariam, Sarah, James, Damien, Salman, Sunil, Christian and Fasil. We decided that we would have a family watching the news and then find out about the missing youngsters. We would have a reaction from an old man a couple (in their early 30's) and 2 little kids.

We wanted the different perspectives to show the different reactions of people in the town of different ages like the parents would feel sympathetic and the granddad would be swearing at the TV. and the 2 little kids would be feeling scared. We chose a newscast because this is shocking and serious new and it also gets the message across to the audience at just how serious this really is.2. The Development PhaseMariam and me worked together in a group to perform Heather's diary.

The aim of this piece of work was to create an atmosphere. We had to try and build up the atmosphere of a forest, which is mysterious, dark, and gloomy. We had to also build up the atmosphere by building up Heather's character. We had to make Heather very emotional, upset, serious and apologetic.My first ideas after reading the text was to have Heather sitting inside the tent in the middle of the night with crickets as a background noise and her feeling really cold sitting with a blanket/sleeping bag wrapped around her. We decided this as a pair.

Her diary was entered, as 'Today' so we knew that it was written in the present. We thought of doing it as a camera entry because she is really attached to the camera and that she liked to have everything recorded. We know this because when she used to have arguments with Mike and Josh she never used to switch the camera off when she was told to. Also she was hardly ever in front of the camera and when she was in front of the camera she hardly used to talk she used to just sit there. The drama mediums we used were:The Use of Sound and MusicWe wanted to use the sound effects of crickets in the background because the forest was quiet but we weren't able to find a CD with the sound effects we wanted. We used the sound with the way I used my voice.

I had to use quiet, loud, slow, fast etc. I had to change it because sometimes she sounded proud, sometimes scared or worried and sometimes excited like when she talks about the future. I had to use the 3 p's in this:* Pitch: I used this when she was speaking in a more joyful was when she was talking about the future. My voice went a little bit higher and sounded happier.

When she was talking about how worried the guys were when she cut down the stick men she also used a higher voice.* Pace: I was speaking slower when I was saying that I was feeling cold and hungry because I think it was making her feel depressed and also I said that we were lost slowly as well* Pause: I paused a lot in the diary entry because my character was feeling tired and upset. I paused when I was feeling more upset and I when I wanted to let the audience know haw I felt.The use of LightingWe used a dim light and only one spotlight. This bought out the effect of the darkness in the forest.

We were planning to use a torchlight for our final poece but couldn't because I had to sit in a way with my arms folded and legs crossed so I couldn't hold the light in my hands. So the dim light made it look like there was the moonlight shining through our tent.The use of Sets and PropsWe wanted to make the tent look small and cramped like there was hardly any space to move. We put bags all huddled and cluttered everywhere with shoes. We used a camera so the audience could tell what Heather was supposed to be talking to. The tent had to be cluttered because it was small and 3 people were staying in there and everyone had all their own stuff.

We rolled up a curtain and put it behind Heather to make it look like there were 2 people sleeping behind her. Although we wanted the audience to be the camera we had to help them understand that by having a camera there. We had Heather sitting in a coat with gloves and scarf because we had to show the forest was at nighttime. This was because we wanted to give it a more mysterious and scarier atmosphere and if it were during the day there wouldn't be that mysterious look.The audience thought our use of props was really good because they thought we created the atmosphere of a small cramped tent really well. They also liked the idea of having the curtain behind us to show mike and Josh sleeping.

The audience liked the way in which I used my voice and they thought I used the 3 p's well.The audience thought we could have improved on the audience being the camera idea. They thought that the camera was to low considering I was supposed to be looking at it. They got confused with what the real camera was supposed to be.

3. The Evaluative PhaseWe watched three groups perform Heathers Journal:* Sapna and Sarah* Waleed and Sunil* Richard and RyanSapna and SarahThe build up of atmosphere was good because they used dimmed lighting to show the darkness in the forest and the gloominess. Also Sarah has a flash back half way through where they use mime. Sapna mimes the flashback while Sarah explains what happened earlier in the day. While this was going on the lighting got brighter to show this was important. The use of voice from Sarah was good because we could hear how she was feeling as well as just seeing it.

She spoke clearly and we could tell how she was feeling-she put a lot of emotion into her voice, but if she had concentred more on the 3 p's (pitch, pace and pause) it would have been more effective. I think Sarah spoke to fast I think if she had broken it down more (paused more often) she would have sounded more emotional. I think it would have bought out how nervous she was feeling.Waleed and SunilThe build up of atmosphere was good on this piece because they had flickering light in the background. This made it look as if they still had a fire lighting outside the tent. This built up atmosphere because it showed the darkness in the forest and showed that they had no source of light left.

Also no one else thought of doing this so it made their piece different from everyone else's. Their use of props was good because they had a black curtain on the floor so it looked like the ground of the tent.The emotions in the voice were good but the 3 p's would have made the performance more effective. I think if Waleed used more pitch in his voice you could have made out haw he was feeling easier.

He kept his voice the same tone throughout the play. They added another line in the play said by Sunil, which was good because it reminded the audience of other characters sleeping in the background. It made an effect because then we could tell why Waleed had to whisper in the play-but we weren't' allowed to add our own lines!Richard and RyanThe use of sound effects was really good (they managed to find a CD with crickets on it). Because they had crickets in the background to shoe the quietness in the forest.

They used good lighting in their performance because they only used a torch for their source of light. This built up the atmosphere and shoed the audience how restricted they were. Richard used his voice really well and used the 3 p's this showed his emotions really well. When he was upset he used go quiet and pause more the tone of his vice would go softer.

When he was angry he would talk faster and his pitch would go higher. This group also added their own lines to the script as well!