GREAT WORK! Seriously! This week’s work included some of the very best first in-class rehearsal sessions I’ve ever had.
Most of you cast very well and made very good starts on realizing your scenes. Bravo! This is a great place to build from.
I want to urge you not be discouraged by what may sound like a strong criticism of your first efforts. I was critiqued that way --- (rougher actually). I teach the way I was taught at Yale School of Drama, and it has served me in good stead. Still, I realize it can take some getting used to. I, of course, have no idea of the style of your other professors, so I don’t know what you are accustomed to. To my mind you are seniors or graduate students and will soon be going out into the profession. The standards, at this point, should be high, or else SCA is cheating you.
It is possible that when faced with realistic professional expectations some of you will decide that you don’t want to direct, or possibly don’t even want to pursue a film career. If you reach that conclusion, your money will have been well spent and you will have saved yourselves years of pain and disappointment.
But my hope is that you will be inspired by the standards to redouble your efforts to “beat the odds” in this business. If so you will be armed with the knowledge of what it will take.
Whatever the outcome, I hope this class will be useful to you, and not a waste of your time.
I’m looking forward to Group B!