CELEBRITIES WHO LIKE THE SOUND OF THEIR OWN VOICE

 

My personal character research was to find celebrities who like the sound of their own voice. It was interesting for me to get this task as I hadn't originally thought of my character as one who was self obsessed and so it showed him in a new light to me.

 

My immediate instict was Piers Mogan, so I started to research video's of him talking and I found that he was especially useful as he is often taking part in debates as my character is, making him relatable.

This video was especially helpful for me as it showed him in full debate and how he acts and still gets his voice heard. Certain characteristics have been really useful for me to watch and analyse as they could be modified to go into my character and to help me create the vocal and physical characterisation of Collins. One of the main qualities that I picked up on was how Piers would interupt when he thought others was wrong and had to have his voice heard to the point that he would continue to talk over the other people to make sure that his point got put across. I think that this is really interesting to see as it could show him wanting to intergect his power into the debate and to use that to give him an advantage. It also shows a stubbon, controling nature within him as a person and that he can't have others making him seem wrong.

However I don't think that my character is as arrogant and aggrsive as Piers is, consquently I feel that I could take certain aspects of him but dull them down and calm them slightly to make them more realsitic to my character.

 

 

Another celebrity that I looked up was Jeremy Clarkson (and yes he is coincidentally talking about Piers Morgan :P ). This was also really helpful for my character as, especially in this interview, as he is slightly calmer than Piers and shows him getting lost in the sound of his own voice but not in an arguamentative manner. Something that really helped me in this video was how he really embelished the story and exagerated certain moments to extend the story and to pro-long being able to be the center of attention. I found this useful as my character does like to go on a bit and I think that I could use this in my characterisation by extanding my sentances through my voice and drawing out the vowls to make words longer. I think that I could enjoy the sound of my voice like Clarkson does and take pleasure in the words that I am saying and the story that I'm telling instead of wanting it to be over with quickley.

 

LABAN EFFORTS

As shown in the diagram there are 8 different Laban forces that can be used to create develop and discover more about your characters through applying a force to your characters physicality and voice.

 

As I am playing a male character that is of high status and contextually being masculine was key to power I felt that physically I would be more solid and heavy with weight. When exploring the Laban efforts having a more solid movement about my character and more weight within his walk felt strong within my body. For my character it provided control within my self and this portrayed an air of self confidence resulting in power being emitted from him. I think that this feel of power is really important for my character as his scenes take part in a male dominated, testosterone area where each man is trying to get his voice hear and assert their power, consequently I think that my character having a strong sense of himself and his physicality gives him power over others in those opinionated scenes. It is also a way of not being considered weak in front of the other male characters.  

Contrastingly to this masculinity and strength in my character, he isn’t threatening or frightening – maybe because he doesn’t have to scare the convicts as he doesn’t spend a lot of time with them but he isn’t an overly sinister or forceful character. As a result of this I don’t feel that he is a punch or a press as he doesn’t have to push or force characters through threats. When exploring this character I felt that he was more controlled and calmer character and that he is more focused on the legal side and the logical solution so he is often collected in his thoughts and as person rather than having the tendency to loose the control. This could mean that he is more of a Dab or a Slash than a Punch.  

I think that my character is a mixed of different Laban efforts as most people are, making him more natural and human as a character for the audience to believe in. For example I think that the strength could be shown in his physicality as a lot of masculinity can be communicated through movement and physical presents. Then I could contrast this with a calmer more controlled voice that is more like glide.

Actioning Script

Approaching the Script

What does my character say about him?

• “I’m a Kemble man myself” –pg5

What does my character say about other people?

• “You have been made Governor-in-Chief of a paradise of birds, Arthur” – pg2
• “John Arscott has already been sentenced to 150 lashes for assault.” –pg 3
• “I’m surprised he wasn’t hanged in England” – pg 4 – About James Freeman
• “he pleads that it was wrong to put the convicts and the marines on the same rations and that he could not work on so little food. He almost swayed us.” – pg 4 – about Handy Baker
• “Our Governor-in-Chief would say it is justice,” –pg4
• “Your wife excepted, Reverend.” –pg17
• “He was Swiss actually” –pg18 – about Rousseau
• “We know about you compassion, not to say, passion, for the women convicts, George.” –pg19
• “Actually, they seem happy enough as they are. They do not want to build canoes or houses, nor do they suffer from greed and ambition.” –pg19 – about the convicts
• “The devious ways he used to serve his Captain” –pg20 – about Sergeant Kite (in a play)
• “The Reverend, our moral guide, has no objections.” –pg24
• “She refused to defend herself at the trial. She didn’t say a word…she was condemned to be hanged.” –pg79 – about Liz
• “She was seen by a drunken soldier in the dark.” –pg79 – about Liz
• “She won’t speak, she won’t say where she was” –pg79- about Liz
• “She may have refused to speak because she no longer believes in the process of justice.” –pg80 – about Liz
• “Freemans evidence wasn’t very clear and as Liz Morden wouldn’t confirm what he said, it was dismissed.”- pg80

What do other people say about my character?

• “He finds time for Davey Collins” –pg8 – said by Ralph
• “That’s because Captain Collins is going to write about the customs of the Indians here” –pg8 – said by Harry