THE PROPOSAL
The Proposal – Creating Compelling Characters
Fantasy, classical and drama are some of the genres that etc – english theater cologne wishes to explore whether theatrically or filmic.
The Proposal is the first glimpse into this genre. This short scene is the outcome of a process which started out as an acting exercise to focus on character development.
When Kathleen was asked to put together a character profile as part of an actors workshop 3 years ago with the Australian Casting Director, Greg Apps, little did she know that her character that started just an idea in her head, would turn into a character that would walk in front of a camera and begin a journey to save her Kingdom.
Focusing on the character has been the key element in this exercise which has then developed into this short scene.
Finding the look of the character visually can help character development. As actors, we put on a costume to help visualise the character and help to bring it to life but for the character this is their clothes which reflects their personality and position/status. Like we do when selecting what to wear for the day, we think about what we need – to be warm, comfortable, maybe it’s a uniform for work or something we have to wear because of our job. The Proposal is set in a particular time period and a different world so the style is important to help the actor stand and physically move in a way that brings the character to life.
Actors are often asked to focus on our character profiles. How does a casting director see you and in which roles? Usually there are more actors than roles that need to be cast. So being asked to think of a character that is your casting type often focuses on how you are seen by others. This is not to say that actors can’t play certain roles, but it does help actors to think about roles that they would be suited for.
We appreciate the positive feedback we’ve already received regarding The Proposal Trailer and look forward to hearing more when you view the full scene. We are working on adapting it into a short play or film. If there are any creatives who wish to help us in this endeavor, we would love to talk with you!