Abstract This is a paper that concerns a career as an actor. The paper discusses aspects of the actor's career such as auditions and casting, researching the play and character, understanding character and motivation, learning lines and blocking. The writer also looks at working with directors and stage managers, costumes, rehearsals, makeup and the madness of opening night.
From the Paper "Many people think they would like it if they were a famous actor, either on Broadway or in the movies. They are excited by the idea of being admired by millions of screaming fans, getting paid lots of money to hang out and maybe even get to do a love scene with other big celebrities. But acting is not all just about fame and fortune; it's a lot of work. Stage actors have to spend weeks or months in preparation for their two hours or less under the lights in auditioning, researching the play and understanding their character, learning their lines and blocking, rehearsing with the other cast members, getting into costumes and makeup, coping with nerves and stage fright, and dealing with directors and stage managers."
Abstract This paper gives a brief biographical view of the works of Lloyd, Jeff and Beau Bridges. The writer summarizes the life of each of the three famous members of the family. The article mentions dates and places of birth outlines the career of each of the different actors. In the paper, the writer refers to various movies and television programs in which each of the Mr. Bridges became famous or starred. The article looks at milestones and memorable moments in the lives of these famous people.
From the Paper "Although Lloyd and Beau have both had illustrious careers, Jeff seems to have surpassed both his father and older brother. And not only has his career been more successful, it is said that no one who has ever worked with Jeff has a bad word to say about him (Jeff pp). Peter Bogdanovich, who directed him in the 1971 movie, "The Last Picture Show," has said, "I've never, ever heard of him pulling a star turn or showing ego," and John Goodman, who co-starred with Jeff in "The Big Lebowski," said, "It's like watching a diamond cutter...When you look at the diamond, you don't think of the work, you just notice there's no flaws" (Jeff pp)"
Abstract This paper begins with a look at the history of animation, focusing special attention on the history of computer animation. The paper explains the advances in technology that have helped improve computer animation techniques and then takes a look at some of the ethical questions that have developed regarding the use of computer animation. The paper then discusses one of the primary concerns, the fear that this type of animation will replace real actors, and explains why actors really have no reason to feel threatened by computer animation.
From the Paper "Visual representation of ideas, history, and stories has been an important part of human culture since prehistoric times, when cave paintings and other primitive drawings were used to record and relive events. As human culture developed, so did the visual arts, and primitive cave paintings gave way to more complex drawings, paintings, and engravings that told stories ranging from epic mythological tales to a simple moment from daily life. While a talented artist has always been able to bring drawings "to life" and have a sense of movement in the work, actual animation has its roots in the 1800s. Devices such as the zoetrope, also known as the ?wheel of life,? were simple and used a cylinder with slits in the sides to make the drawings inside appear to move when a person peered through the sides as it spun."
Abstract This paper explains that Whoopi Goldberg (real name, Caryn Elaine Johnson) grew up in a New York housing project, became a single, teenage mother and dropped out of high school because she was convinced that she was not able to understand basic lessons. (Later she found out that she had dyslexia.) The author points out that, in 1983, Goldberg's career took off when director Mike Nichols attended her show at the New York's Dance Theater Workshop and immediately signed her for a one-woman Broadway show; Steven Spielberg chose her to play the lead in "The Color Purple" for which she received an Oscar nomination and a Golden Globe Award. The paper concludes that Goldberg represents a true pioneer in the motion picture industry not only because of her groundbreaking roles, which place her at the forefront of the black female actors in America today, but also because Goldberg's portrayal of white actors created an environment that breaks down social barriers while tacitly acknowledging and reinforcing others.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Review and Discussion
Background and Overview
Analysis of Selected Goldberg Roles
Conclusion
From the Paper "Goldberg endured the unendurable for several months ("I had this caseworker who was nasty as hell"), which makes her reaction to her initial success more understandable. Even though she's won a Grammy, a Golden Globe Award and received an Emmy nomination, Goldberg reports that absolutely nothing in her life has come close to the sense of accomplishment that she felt when, after five years on public assistance, she was able to support herself through acting: "The greatest thing I ever was able to do was give a welfare check back. I brought it back to the welfare department and said, 'Here. I don't need this anymore.""
Abstract Used, abused, and confused by the grinding, unforgiving machinery of celebrity, the aging TV child actor, from Ricky Nelson to Brandon Cruz, from Patty Duke to Dana Plato, has always been more susceptible to the "crash-and-burn" than your average, not-so-cute-and-cuddly-anymore youngster. But what about Gary Coleman? What is he supposed to do? Disappear? And there it is: The Gary Coleman Paradox, the Former Child Star Dilemma. When their time is up, when their shows are canceled, we want them to go away. But they can't. Reruns assure otherwise; our TV-burned memories assure otherwise. We don't need to see another second of another "Diff'rent Strokes" to know that Gary Coleman is pint-size Arnold Jackson Drummond from Harlem. Now and forever. He can't go away. They can't go away. And, for that, we make them pay. If it was impossible for the TV kids of the 1950s and '60s to know the traps that lay ahead, it was impossible for the TV kids who followed them not to know.
Abstract This paper is written about famous women and immigrants. From the beginning of American history women have played an active role in seeking rights for immigrants, African Americans, and their own rights.
Abstract This paper looks at Shakespeare's famous play "Hamlet" from different
perspectives, as it has been re-enacted throughout history. It pays close attention to the movie versions of "Hamlet". The paper starts out with a brief biography of Shakespeare himself and also summarizes and provides an overview of "Hamlet" as a play, its plot, major characters and main theme. The paper then goes on to look at three actors who have played the character Hamlet in movies over the last few decades: Kenneth Branagh, Mel Gibson and Ethan Hawke. The paper provides a brief biography, examines each actor's performance, and looks at other details about each film. The paper then looks at the author's personal reaction to each of the movies and actors.
Paper Outline:
Introduction
Shakespeare Biography
Overview of Hamlet
Kenneth Branagh
Mel Gibson
Ethan Hawke
Reaction to Performances
Conclusion
Works Cited
From the Paper "But "Hamlet" is not an action movie; it is a tragedy. In comparing the
1990 movie to Shakespeare's original play, we see that the director has taken some liberties to speed up the action by eliminating certain scenes, some of which seem easily disposed of. These edited out scenes include much of Shakespeare's comic relief. Other scenes seem to be missing from the movie version, mainly the important political
subplots that explain the movements of many of the characters in the play".
Abstract This paper reports on "Paul Robeson: A Biography" by Martin Bauml Duberman, which tells about the man who made a name as one of the most famous black singers and actors of the twentieth century. He achieved his success at a time when racism and discrimination were prevalent and he fought against these ills and became an activist on these and similar issues. He further ran afoul of the political forces of the time because of his communist leanings and this reduced his ability to work in his later years. The paper explains that, in this book, Duberman provides a detailed account of Robeson's life, an in-depth biography that covers Robeson's life and work, including material from his letters and other writings as well as interviews, newspaper and magazine articles, and so on.
Abstract This paper emphasizes that the style of China's national theater called the Beijing opera is importance to its culture. The author points out that the use of male actors to portray female characters and females portraying male actors are truly ancient in China, although the practice did not become primarily exclusive until the early 19th century. The paper relates that, although Beijing opera has been heavily influenced by royal prerogative in the past and the desires of the Chinese people more recently, the reverse gender playing the role in traditional Chinese drama has no restriction on the sex and age of its performers.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Review and Discussion
Background and Overview.
Historic Influences on the Use of Male Actors for Female Roles in Beijing Opera
Contemporary Influences on the Use of Male Actors for Female Roles in Beijing Opera
Conclusion
From the Paper "Likewise, the distinctive Beijing opera walking styles of the dan (female roles) and sheng are clearly recognizable in other traditional forms, just as are the stylized hand and eye movements of the huadan. Although some localized forms of theater have not include certain role types (the jing being the role type most frequently excluded), the walk, posture, and gestures techniques used for every other role type traditionally included in each form and can be recognized by modern Chinese audiences without fail as belonging to that role type throughout the various forms of traditional Chinese theater."
Tags: dan, national, jingpai, conventionalized, actors
A review of Thomas Risse-Kappen's book, "Bringing Transnational Relations Back In. Non-State Actors, Domestic Structure and International Institutions".
Abstract This paper discusses how the book "Bringing Transnational Relations Back In. Non-State Actors, Domestic Structure and International Institutions" by Thomas Risse-Kappen takes a fresh look at the impact of non-state actors on world politics and on the foreign policies of states. It also discusses how it revives the debate on transnational relations which started in the 1970s, and was at the time focused on state-centred approaches. It looks at how Risse-Kappen's new approach highlights the interactions of states and transnational actors, arguing that domestic structures of the state as well as international institutions mediate the policy influence of transnational actors.
From the Paper "The fifth chapter is entitled "Transnational relations, domestic structures, and security policy in the USSR and Russia (1982 - 1994)". The author, Matthew Evangelista, aims to present a theoretical rationale understanding why the Soviet Union should have been open to the influence of transnational actors - in this case organisation of the Soviet and US scientists pursuing arms control initiatives - even in the high politics of security policy. This represents a break with the literature of the 1970s which assumed that transnational relations would predominate in issue areas outside the realm of 'high politics' and in countries where democratic politics would permit penetration of government policy making by transnational as well as domestic actors. Evangelista also seeks to evaluate an important implication of the generalization linking domestic structures and transnational activities. "
Abstract This paper discusses the theory of "self-presentation" offered by the famous sociologist Erving Goffman. This theory concerns the behavior of a person in day-to-day interactions. The author provides examples in order to illustrate how the theory applies to real-life situations.
From the Paper "Erving Goffman offers a unique theory of interaction, which has been both highly acclaimed and criticized by other sociologists. While some believe that Goffman has been absolutely accurate in his assumptions that a man usually presents his self in a certain way to others which is often not the real him, there are others who feel that this may offer at some times especially when we met someone new but with our old associates we let go of the fa?ade because they know us well and we do not to pretend in front of them. But the fact remains that a man does often presents himself in a different light when meeting others and often the performance is so convincing that it does not leave any room for doubt or suspicion."
Tags: faח, ade real actor role physical interactions performance impression
Abstract This paper analyzes the Ancient Greek play of" Lysistrata" and compares it to modern artistic productions. The claim is that this play addressed very contemporary issues. A summary of the play is provided, the characters are analyzed and a historical description of Ancient Greek artistic trends are described.
From the paper:
"Lysistrata is both the name of a woman and the name of one of the most famous comedies of ancient Greece. The name of Lysistrata has become a watchword for feminists and pacifists alike, for reasons a brief synopsis of the play will shortly disclose. Yet this paper will contend that rather than being an pre-modern, non-musical version of the popular musical "Hair" for ancient Athens, where common societal sexual and military mores are brushed away, "Lysistrata bears" far more resemblance to a kind of classical version of ?I Love Lucy.? In the play ?Lysistrata,? clever yet silly women try to twist their husbands around their little fingers to achieve their ends, to great comic effect, perhaps, but not in any fashion that permanently undoes the social mores of the time in a real and lasting fashion."
This paper looks at the 1921 F.W. Murnau film "Nosferatu", highlighting the use of texts, talented actors and special effects to carry this silent film.
Abstract The paper studies the famous silent film and the ways in which the director, Murnau, was able to inform the viewers without the use of sound. The writer analyzes two methods of propelling the plot through the silence and telling the story of the infamous vampire: the first one is reading, the use of inter-titles between shots, and the second method is editing. The paper gives examples of how these techniques carry the narrative of the film.
From the Paper "One of the most important questions we can ask is how, why and when do we figure out that the Count is a vampire? The earliest clue is Renfield, the accountant for who Harker works. When we first see him he is reading a letter. Not a normal letter but one with strange symbols on it the audience cannot understand themselves. When Harker walks into the office Renfield pulls him aside and gives Harker the assignment of going to a client, as it turns out a Count to buy him a house in Bremen. Promising Harker money to go to the Count in Transylvania Renfield states: ?"it will take a bit of effort"a bit of sweat and perhaps"a bit of blood"?. By suggesting that Harker has to give "a bit of blood" if it is necessary plus the letter with the strange symbols the audience can expect that there is something not right with the Count."
Abstract This paper explains that the famousactor, Christopher Reeve, who was paralyzed from a fall from a horse and became one of the biggest supporters of embryonic stem cell research, alleged that the United States was about five years behind our medical abilities because of the politics surrounding stem cell research. The author stresses that the battle over embryonic stem cell research continues and will continue unless we can put aside ideology and, instead, put first the interests of those individuals and their families who are suffering. The paper urges that the responsibility of citizens in a free country is to take a stand on issues like approving embryonic stem cell research.
From the Paper "Now that we have a basic awareness of what they are and how they can help, I would like to introduce all of you to the current debate and controversy over embryonic stem cell research. One of the concerns among those in opposition to the research is the way in which these cells are to be obtained. Many people are against it because they oppose abortion, and believe that this type of research would start an industry to provide a source of embryos."
Abstract Embryonic stem cell research has the potential to help more than 100 million Americans who have life-threatening diseases and conditions such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury and many others. The paper shows that the limits on the lines of stem cells available for federal funding has strictly limited researchers' ability to help treat these diseases and conditions. The paper examines the views of research supporters, including famousactors such as Michael J. Fox.
From the Paper "Michael J. Fox, a man with a personal interest in finding cures, thinks it's "nuts" to restrict stem cell research when it has so much potential to help or cure millions of people. In his words, "Those of us with Parkinson's and other degenerative diseases see it as so self-defeating. We don't want to clone a Frankenstein or Uncle Charlie so we can play poker with him again. We just want to save lives." The man has a point. Would President Bush be so quick to ban research if his own daughter could be cured? Would any of us?"
Tags: human, embryos, Christopher, Reeve, George, W., Bush
