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The Mask Handbook: A Practical Guide
by Toby WilsherThis book, from Europe’s leading Mask director and co-founder of the Trestle Theatre Company, provides a fascinating demystification of the process of using masks. Full of simple explanations, and collating over twenty-five years’ experience of writing for, directing and acting in masks, The Mask Handbook examines how masks have the ability to play the fundamental game of theatre – the suspension of disbelief. The Handbook includes: an introduction to the origin of masks advice on preparing, making and using masks tips on writing, devising and directing maskwork lots of fun and effective practical exercises. This accessible and inspiring handbook will empower teachers, directors and actors to fully explore the world of the mask.
Masks and Human Connections: Disruptive Meanings and Cultural Challenges
by Luísa Magalhães Cândido Oliveira MartinsThis interdisciplinary collection explores four distinct perspectives about the mask, as object of use for protection, identity, and disguise. In part I, contributors address human identities within collective social performance, with chapters on performativity and the far right and masked identities in political resistance and communication. Part II focuses on the mask as a signifying object with strong representational challenges, exploring representations in festivals, literature, and film. Part III investigates the ambiguous use of the mask as a protective and concealing element, delving into visual culture and digital social media contexts. Finally, Part VI draws on the work of Levinas and Deleuze to investigate a philosophical view of the mask that addresses memory and ethics within intersubjective relationships. Questioning the contemporary world, using communication, sociology, visual culture, and philosophical theory, the volume provides a pedagogical and formative perspective on the mask.
Masks of the Prophet: The Theatrical World of Karl Kraus
by Karl Grimstad'When the name "Hitler" is mentioned, nothing occurs to me' – so said Karl Kraus. For this leading Viennese Jewish critic and intellectual the touchstone of art was ethics. How could he be speechless in the face of a threat to all that ethics means? To answer this question, the author makes a detailed chronological study of Kraus's intellectual activity as reflected in his work on the theatre. The results are presented in five chapters, each dealing with a different 'mask' adopted by Kraus during the period 1892-1936. Grimstad considers not only theatre and drama criticism in Die Fackel and Kraus's dramatic writings, but also biographical data, to help uncover the rationale of his work. That rationale is the logic of the theatrical mode in which he lived and wrote. The stage was not only his subject matter, it determined what he would see and say. Grimstad argues that when Kraus wrote, his words were the speech of an 'actor' who was often infatuated with himself and obsessed with the need to overwhelm his rival 'actors.' When Hitler's storm-troopers began their march, he could say nothing for the world in which his thought took shape had become a world of theatrics, not 'Realpolitik.' Kraus criticized plays without reading them and performances without seeing them, obsessed with the belief that his was the voice of all that was true, good, and beautiful. Grimstad observes that he was a prophet who confused the divine inspiration with the Thespian urge, playing to an audience, using a mask for each of his roles, yet thinking he spoke to all mankind, bringing them pure ethos. This volume will be of particular interest to those working in the fields of theatre criticism, comparative literature, German literature, and Jewish intellectual history.
Masks or Faces?: A Study in the Psychology of Acting
by William Archer"Masks or Faces?: A Study in the Psychology of Acting" by William Archer is a seminal work that delves into the intricate world of acting, exploring the delicate balance between an actor's external performance and their internal psychological processes. Archer, a renowned theatre critic and playwright, provides a thorough analysis of the art and craft of acting, addressing the age-old question of whether actors genuinely experience the emotions they portray or merely simulate them.In this groundbreaking study, Archer examines various theories and techniques of acting, drawing on his extensive knowledge of theatre history and his keen observations of performances. He discusses the methods employed by different acting schools, from the classical traditions to the emerging naturalistic styles of his time. By dissecting the techniques of notable actors and their ability to convey authentic emotions, Archer provides readers with a comprehensive understanding of the psychological underpinnings of effective acting."Masks or Faces?" also explores the concept of the actor's dual identity—the mask they wear on stage versus their true self. Archer delves into the psychological impact of this duality on actors, considering how their craft influences their personal identities and emotional well-being. Through insightful anecdotes and critical analysis, he sheds light on the complexities of an actor's life, both on and off the stage.This book is an essential read for students of theatre, actors, directors, and anyone interested in the psychology of performance. Archer's eloquent writing and profound insights make "Masks or Faces?" a timeless exploration of the fascinating interplay between reality and illusion in the world of acting. It remains a vital resource for understanding the psychological depth required to bring characters to life and the enduring question of whether actors truly live the emotions they portray or skillfully craft an illusion for their audience.
Masquerade: The Lives of Noël Coward
by Oliver Soden'This is the biography - truthful, sympathetic and thorough - that Coward deserves'DAILY TELEGRAPHThe voice, the dressing-gown, the cigarette in its holder, remain unmistakable. There is rarely a week when one of Private Lives, Hay Fever, and Blithe Spirit is not in production somewhere in the world. Phrases from Noël Coward's songs - "Mad About The Boy", "Mad Dogs and Englishman" - are forever lodged in the public consciousness. He was at one point the most highly paid author in the world. Yet some of his most striking and daring writing remains unfamiliar. As T.S. Eliot said, in 1954, "there are things you can learn from Noël Coward that you won't learn from Shakespeare".Coward wrote some fifty plays and nine musicals, as well as revues, screenplays, short stories, poetry, and a novel. He was both composer and lyricist for approximately 675 songs. Louis Mountbatten's famous tribute argued that, while there were greater comedians, novelists, composers, painters and so on, only "the master" had combined fourteen talents in one. So central was he to his age's theatre that any account of his career is also a history of the British stage. And so daring was Coward's unorthdoxy in his closest relationships, obliquely reflected throughout his writing, that it must also be a history of sexual liberation in the twentieth century. In Oliver Soden's sparkling, story-packed new Life, the Master finally gets his due.
Masquerade and Identities: Essays on Gender, Sexuality and Marginality
by Efrat TseëlonMasquerade, both literal and metaphorical, is now a central concept on many disciplines. This timely volume explores and revisits the role of disguise in constructing, expressing and representing marginalised identities, and in undermining easy distinctions between 'true' identity and artifice.The book is interdisciplinary in approach, spanning a diverse range of cultures and narrative voices. It provides provocative and nuanced ways of thinking about masquerade as a tool for construction, and a tool for critique. The essays interrogate such themes as:*mask and carnival*fetish fashion*stigma of illegitimacy*femininity as masquerade*lesbian masks*cross-dressing in Jewish folk theatre*the mask in seventeenth and eighteenth century London and nineteenth century France*the voice as mask.
Master of Arts: A Life in Dance
by Tulsi BadrinathV.P. Dhananjayan was one of the first men to make a successful career as a Bharata Natyam dancer. In the late sixties, when he made this choice, Bharata Natyam ? the classic dance form that Rukmini Devi helped evolve from the dance of the devadasis ? was almost exclusively the domain of women. In making Bharata Natyam his profession, Dhananjayan had to create a space for his dance where none existed. It is only recently, in the relatively short span of the past seventy years, and to a great extent because of the creative efforts of versatile and innovative dancers like Dhananjayan, that greater number of men have performed Bharata Natyam as men, without needing to dress as women to appear on stage. As Dhananjayan?s student for nearly forty years now, and a trained dancer herself, the author, Tulsi Badrinath, chronicles the story of his brilliant life in dance with the insight of one who understands each nuance of it. Weaving her own life-long passion for Bharata Natyam with his remarkable story, she brings to light the difficulties faced by a male dancer in establishing himself in what was thought to be a somewhat unrespectable profession, and tells the compelling story of his life with empathy and understanding. Writing of his years in Kalakshetra and his departure from it; of the deep love that blossomed between him and his wife, Shanta, and the incredible dance partnership they forged, making them famous as The Dhananjayans; of his international collaborations with Ravi Shankar; and of his ability, as guru and teacher, to impart his passion for dance to his disciples, she explores her own understanding of what the dance, and her guru, have meant to her. Interspersing this remarkable tale of guru and shishya with the stories of other young male dancers in the realm of Bharata Natyam, she pays tribute to their extraordinary commitment, their talent and their courage.
Master of the Game: Steve Ross and the Creation of Time Warner
by Connie BruckFrom the best-selling author of The Predators' Ball comes the story of the most flamboyant businessman and dealmaker of his generation, Steve Ross. When Steven Spielberg first heard Steve Ross tell his life story, it was such a dramatic rags-to-riches narrative that he thought it was a movie. In a career that started in Brooklyn and spanned Wall Street, Hollywood, and the Mafia, Steve Ross took his father-in-law's funeral business and a parking lot company and grew them into the largest media and entertainment company in the world, Time Warner. In the upper strata of American business that Ross reached before his death, he was an anomaly. Outrageous, glamorous, charismatic, he presided over an enterprise that was more medieval fiefdom than corporate bureaucracy. He negotiated his enormous and complicated deals, from movies and records to cable and publishing, with shrewdness and brilliance. He rewarded his favorite aides and sidekicks extravagantly; he courted Hollywood stars like Barbra Streisand and Steven Spielberg with luxurious gifts; he charmed and outsmarted his rivals. Ross used whateveror whomever - it took to romance someone into making a deal. He saved himself and let his best friend, Jay Emmett, take the fall in the government's Westchester Premier Theatre investigation. While Atari was hemorrhaging money in the early '80s, Ross announced a stock buy-in to boost the price, and then sold off his own stock for a gross of more than $20 million before announcing the company's failure. The principles upon which Ross built his domain would not be taught in any business school, and many of his peers were convinced that Ross's ways would lead to his, and his company's undoing. But it was those very attributes - combined with mathematical wizardry and vision (or what one friend called "the ability to see around corners") - that enabled Ross to best most adversaries, outnegotiate every dealmaker, confound his critics, and ultimately create the Time Warner empire.
Master Singers: Advice From the Stage
by Donald George Lucy MauroThe book provides vocalists making the transition from student to professional with advice on matters ranging from technique and its practical application for effective stage projection to the practicalities of the business of professional singing.
Masterclass: Teach Yourself
by Lesley BownMasterclass: Write Great Comedy will reveal to both beginners and experienced writers the distinctive features that mark out comedy from other forms of creative writing. Having identified these, it will help you then to unlock your inner anarchist, and explore the different elements of comedy, using a combination of practical exercises, insight and creative inspiration. Whatever your preferred comic genre, you will find guidance on everything from wordplay and visual humour to plots, comedy characters and different styles. A section on performance will help you to hone stand-up skills, while chapters on stage and screen will give techniques and tips on how to craft a sitcom or create a sketch show. Finally, there is a uniquely frank but useful section on the realities of the markets, and the actualities of going it alone with self-publishing and self-promotion - or the tools you need to successfully pitch an idea or comic manuscript.
A Masterclass in Dramatic Writing: Theater, Film, and Television
by Janet NeiprisA Masterclass in Dramatic Writing is an essential tool for professional teachers in academic programs training successful Playwrights, Screenwriters, and TV writers, as well as anyone who wants to write a completed dramatic script. You can become a successful dramatic writer within a group or by yourself. This focused and engaging book is organized as a one-semester course. The chapters guide the writer week-by-week and step-by-step resulting in the completion of a first draft and a rewrite of an original script. The fourteen chapters are each accompanied by Weekly Exercises and progressive Assignments. In this expanded and updated edition, Neipris integrates her widely used To Be A Playwright, into a master class for playwrights, screenwriters and TV writers. New Chapters include: THE MORAL RESPONSIBILITY OF THE WRITER ONE WRITER’S LIFE BEGINNINGS- WHERE IDEAS ORIGINATE COMEDY CHECKPOINTS ADAPTATION –FILM, THEATER, AND TELEVISION PUTTING IT TOGETHER -- CONSTRUCTING A FULL LENGTH SCRIPT LESSONS FROM MASTER TEACHERS AND STUDENTS Janet’s legacy as an educator, mentor, and artists is legendary. This book is a gift to the profession and the art. Brandon Jacobs-Jenkins
Masterful Stories: Lessons from Golden Age Radio
by John V PavlikThe early eras of radio storytelling have entered and continue to enter the public domain in large quantities, offering unprecedented access to the Golden Age of Radio. Author and Professor John Pavlik mines the best this age of radio has to offer in Masterful Stories, an examination of the masterpieces of audio storytelling. This book provides a chronological history of the best of the best from radio’s Golden Age, outlining a core set of principles and techniques that made these radio plays enduring examples of storytelling. It suggests that, by using these techniques, stories can engage audiences emotionally and intellectually. Grounded in a historical and theoretical understanding of radio drama, this volume illuminates the foundational works that proceeded popular modern shows such as Radiolab, The Moth, and Serial. Masterful Stories will be a powerful resource in both media history courses and courses teaching audio storytelling for modern radio and other audio formats, such as podcasting. It will appeal to audio fans looking to learn about and understand the early days of radio drama.
Mastering Chess Middlegames: Lectures From The All-Russian School Of Grandmasters
by Alexander PanchenkoThe book contains a collection of inspiring lessons on the most important middlegame topics: attack, defence, counterplay, realising the advantage, obstructing the plans of your opponent, the battle of the heavy pieces, and much more. In each chapter, Panchenko clearly identifies the various aspects of the topic, formulates easy-to-grasp rules, presents a large number of well-chosen examples and ends with a wealth of practical tests.
Mastering Creative Anxiety: 24 Lessons for Writers, Painters, Musicians, and Actors from America's Foremost Creativity Coach
by Eric MaiselIn his decades as a psychotherapist and creativity coach, Eric Maisel has found a common thread behind what often gets labeled “writer’s block,” “procrastination,” or “stage fright.” It’s the particular anxiety that, paradoxically, keeps creators from doing, completing, or sharing the work they are driven toward. This “creative anxiety” can take the form of avoiding the work, declaring it not good enough, or failing to market it — and it can cripple creators for decades, even lifetimes. But Maisel has learned what sets successful creators apart. He shares these strategies here, including artist-specific stress management; how to work despite bruised egos, day jobs, and other inevitable frustrations; and what not to do to deal with anxiety. Implementing these 24 lessons replaces the pain of not creating with the profound rewards of free artistic self-expression.
Mastering Monologues and Acting Sides: How to Audition Successfully for Both Traditional and New Media
by Janet WilcoxMastering Monologues and Acting Sides: How to Audition Successfully for Both Traditional and New Media is everything an actor needs to be ready for that perfect part, from webisodes to Shakespeare. Scripts, acting technique tips, and exercises keep a performer toned and ready, while industry experts give advice on how to audition professionally. Invaluable Internet listings keep you on top of changing trends, as well. Casting directors, agents, managers, and actors share insights on proper protocol for different performance settings, and practice is made simple with script excerpts and exercises to keep skills sharp for last minute auditions. Includes instructional CD.
Mastering Movement: The Life and Work of Rudolf Laban
by John HodgsonLike Picasso in painting, Stravinsky in music, or Stanislavski in theatre, Rudolf Laban (1879–1958) has been a seminal influence in contemporary arts. This is the first major study of Laban's movement theories and practice, exploring the ideas on mastering movement and giving the reader a practical understanding of balance and harmony in the human body – the core of Laban's thinking. John Hodgson looks at the different phases of Laban's life and writings to show that Laban's thoughts about human movement and its mastery and control are the building blocks for a practical understanding of how the human body can create both beauty and purity through movement.
Mastering Multi-Camera Techniques: From Pre-Production to Editing to Deliverable Masters
by Mitch JacobsonFrom a basic two-camera interview to an elaborate 26 camera HD concert film, this comprehensive guide presents a platform-agnostic approach to the essential techniques required to set up and edit a multi-camera project. Actual case studies are used to examine specific usages of multi-camera editing and include a variety of genres including concerts, talk shows, reality programming, sit-coms, documentaries for television, event videography and feature films. Other features include:* Advanced multi-camera techniques and specialty work-flows are examined for tapeless & large scale productions with examples from network TV shows, corporate media projects, event videography, and feature films. * New techniques for 3D projects, 2k/4k media management and color correction are revealed. * Technical breakdowns analyze system requirements for monitoring, hard drives & RAIDs, RAM, codecs and computer platforms. * Apple Final Cut Pro, Avid Media Composer, Adobe Premiere Pro and several other software programs are detailed.* Tables, charts, screen-grabs, photos, web-links, blogs, tech school lists and other resource tools for further study.* Unique interviews with the 'Masters of Multi-Cam' including EMMY and academy award-winning directors and editors who share their project notes and give insight to award-winning techniques.
Mastering Shakespeare: An Acting Class in Seven Scenes
by Scott KaiserWho says only the British can act Shakespeare? In this unique guide, a veteran acting coach shatters that myth with a boldly American approach to the Bard. Written in the form of a play, this volume's "characters" include a master teacher and 16 students grappling with the challenges of acting Shakespeare. Using actual speeches from 32 of Shakespeare's plays, each of the book's six "scenes" offer proven solutions to such acting problems as delivering spoken subtext, using physical actions to orchestrate a speech, creating images within a speech, dividing a speech into measures, and much more.
Mastering Stand-Up: The Complete Guide to Becoming a Successful Comedian
by Stephen RosenfieldThis entertaining and sharply written guide—for both beginners breaking into comedy and professionals seeking to improve their sets and advance their careers—examines the work of great comedians such as Louis C.K., Jerry Seinfeld, Eddie Izzard, Moms Mabley, Hannibal Buress, Sarah Silverman, Richard Pryor, and more as a means of illustrating the most important techniques of performing and writing stand-up.Here, Stephen Rosenfield lays out a clear plan for achieving success, candidly explaining what works, what doesn't, and why. Including a 12-item "Successful Comedian's To-Do List," Rosenfield states, "Get undeniably good at each of these and you can kiss your day job good-bye. You will be a pro."The New York Times heralded Stephen Rosenfield as "probably the best known comedy teacher in the country." His alumni include some of today's most prominent comedians and comedy writers, such as Lena Dunham, Jim Gaffigan, Eric Slovin, and Jessica Kirson. Rosenfield has directed, coached, and/or written for these and hundreds of other comedians. As a pioneer in the field of teaching comedy, he founded the American Comedy Institute, the premier stand-up comedy school in the United States, in 1989.
Mastering the Pitch: How to Effectively Pitch Your Ideas to Hollywood
by Scott KirkpatrickTold from the perspective of a Hollywood executive with nearly 20 years’ experience professionally pitching and distributing film/TV projects, Mastering the Pitch reveals all the nuanced details of the pitching process. Readers will gain valuable insights into how the Hollywood system operates, improve their professional pitching skills and gain a competitive edge in getting their ideas from concept to greenlight. This book covers: how projects are packaged and developed before a pitch; how a pitch presentation happens in a real-world setting; the core concepts required to pitch each genre type; how professional companies actually acquire a pitched project; the legal workflows and financial details required to put a deal together; examples of pitch documents, presentation materials and how these elements should be designed; how to build your personal brand so that you’re seen by Hollywood decision makers as someone capable of delivering great projects; and how you should speak to professionals about the business viability of your projects Mastering the Pitch is a valuable crossover text, designed to help both students and veteran film/TV producers alike hone their pitching and presentation skills.
Masters of FX: Behind the Scenes with Geniuses of Visual and Special Effects
by Ian FailesIt would be rare these days to find a film that did not in some way depend on the magic of visual effects, from the raging computer-generated dinosaurs in Steven Spielberg's Jurassic Park, to the fantastical worlds of Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, and the photoreal tiger and ocean in Ang Lee's Life of Pi. Through interviews with 16 of the leading effects pioneers from around the world (see list below), author Ian Failes explores the making of some of the most memorable film sequences ever produced, showcasing the shift from practical to digital magic with original behind-the-scenes imagery, shot breakdowns, and detailed explanations of some of the secrets behind the making of cinema's most extraordinary creations. Visual effects artists and films discussed include: Dennis Muren (Star Wars: Episodes IV–VI; Terminator 2: Judgment Day; Jurassic Park; A.I. Artificial Intelligence; War of the Worlds) Bill Westenhofer (Babe: Pig in the City; Cats & Dogs; The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe; The Golden Compass; Life of Pi) Joe Letteri (The Lord of the Rings trilogy; King Kong; Avatar; Planet of the Apes; The Hobbit trilogy) Rob Legato (Apollo 13; Titanic; The Aviator; Hugo) Paul Franklin (Pitch Black; Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight trilogy; Inception; Interstellar) Richard Edlund (Star Wars: Episodes IV–VI; Raiders of the Lost Ark; Ghostbusters; Multiplicity); Edson Williams (X-Men: The Last Stand; The Curious Case of Benjamin Button; The Social Network; Captain America films) Karen Goulekas (Godzilla; The Day After Tomorrow; 10,000 BC; Green Lantern); Chris Corbould (Golden Eye; Die Another Day; Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight trilogy; Inception); Ian Hunter (The X-Files; The Dark Knight; The Dark Knight Rises; Inception; Interstellar) John Rosengrant (Terminator films; Jurassic Park; Iron Man films; Real Steel)
Masters of Light: Conversations with Contemporary Cinematographers
by Dennis Schaefer Larry SalvatoThrough conversations held with fifteen of the most accomplished contemporary cinematographers, the authors explore the working world of the person who controls the visual look and style of a film.
Masters of Light
by Dennis Schaefer Larry Salvato John BaileyThrough conversations held with fifteen of the most accomplished contemporary cinematographers, the authors explore the working world of the person who controls the visual look and style of a film. This reissue includes a new foreword by cinematographer John Bailey and a new preface by the authors, which bring this classic guide to cinematography, in print for more than twenty-five years, into the twenty-first century.
Masters of Mystery: The Strange Friendship of Arthur Conan Doyle & Harry Houdini
by Christopher SandfordRenowned mystery author Arthur Conan Doyle and famous illusionist Harry Houdini first met in 1920, during the magician's tour of England. At the time, Conan Doyle had given up his lucrative writing career, killing off Sherlock Holmes in the process, in order to concentrate on his increasingly manic interest in Spiritualism. Houdini, who regularly conducted séances in an attempt to reach his late mother, was also infatuated with the idea of what he called a "living afterlife," though his enthusiasm came to be tempered by his ability to expose fraudulent mediums, many of whom employed crude variations of his own well-known illusions. Using previously unpublished material on the murky relationship between Houdini and Conan Doyle, this sometimes macabre, sometimes comic tale tells the fascinating story of the relationship between two of the most loved figures of the 20th century and their pursuit of magic and lost loved ones.
Masters of the Soviet Cinema: Crippled Creative Biographies (Routledge Library Editions: Cinema)
by Herbert MarshallEisenstein, Pudovkin, Dovzhenko, Vertov: these Soviet film directors are acknowledged to be among the greatest in the history of cinematography. To Eisenstein we owe such films as Battleship Potemkin and October; to Pudovkin Mother and The End of St Petersburg; to Dovzhenko Earth and Zvenigora; and to Vertov The Man With a Movie Camera and The Three Songs of Lenin. Herbert Marshall knew each of them personally, both as artists and as friends, and shared their cinema world when he was a student at the GIK (The Moscow State Institute of Cinematography) in the heady years following the Revolution into the period of the first Five Year Plan. His material is culled from personal recollections, diaries, notes, unpublished and published biographies, letters, press cuttings, articles and books in various languages, but mainly from Soviet sources and the Soviet cinema world. Taking the subjects one by one, this indispensible book discusses their major films including an account of their creation and reception in the USSR and abroad. It shows the tragedy of these four Soviet artists who were lucky enough not to be arrested or deprived of their limited freedom, yet who nevertheless ended up with ‘crippled creative biographies’. The author then examines the changed viewpoint in the climate of 1983 when the book was originally published.