Pass the Mouse
Hello it’s me again… that’s Zara!
On Tuesday we had Mia for dance, we did lots of warm-ups with our feet – it was a very energetic warm-up this time. Then we walked around the space and rolled our shoulders for 8 counts, it was fun and everybody enjoyed it I think.
Then we worked on our Of Mice & Men workshop, we had to think of games and somebody came up with Pass the Mouse, because it’s based on Of Mice & Men. Then we did freeze frames thinking about things that you did naughty when you were a kid, because sometimes Lennie acts like a kid in the play. I said when I was a kid I broke my mum’s vase; we did a freeze frame then had to say one line, I said sorry mum. The workshop will be for students and we will be going into schools.
Today we’ve been looking at the Of Mice & Men blog – we left replies and stuff about the 360 tour. The blog is really good, I like the picture of the set and all the people in the audience when the schools came.
I also watched a video of Jez when he went to Leeds to do a track for Of Mice & Men. I thought the song was good and it really goes with the show, it’s called I Fly Away – the song is very American like Country and Western.
“Chris said we all looked like starfish!”
Hello it’s Zara again! Monday we were working on little parts of the Of Mice & Men script, it’s the scene when Lennie comes in with a mouse stroking it and George throws it away. It’s for a workshop that I think we’re taking around schools we’re doing it in pairs and I’m working with Alison.
We rehearsed again in the afternoon, watching each other and gave each other notes and stuff.
Thursday was dance class with Mia, we did warm-ups then practiced a new dance that Mia came up with, she shows us first and then we copy her. Then it was Of Mice & Men again, it gets much better every time we do it.
On Tuesday night it was graduation for Making Theatre, everyone was excited about it and Alison went, because she was on Making Theatre last year and now she’s Acting Company apprentice.
Wednesday in Rachel’s class we did a lot of rolling on the floor, I think everybody enjoyed it. It’s been good for me it’s made me more flexible… Chris said we all looked like starfish!
We haven’t seen any Of Mice & Men rehearsal yet, but I’m looking forward to seeing it in rehearsal and then seeing the proper performance.
Tech & media project
Hi JoAnne here, this week we’ve been working with Mike Leigh Cooper. Mike is good with tech stuff -- I call him a tech guy like Dave!
Mike came in on Tuesday and he explained what he does, which is lots of different online and technical stuff. First he asked us about media stuff we like, and about Irresistible and Denis.
He split us into 3 groups and we all had different stuff to do. One group was doing Irresistible, they had to look for a projector on the internet. The other group had to find pictures of Denis working with us. The third group were like the backstage group who took pictures of the other groups working.
Once we had the pictures we made sound effects to go with them which we would use to make iMovies with photos and sounds. Brian was the voiceover to say what we were doing. We used Jess’ dress to make a bird flapping it’s wings and Euan stamped around.
First off Mike did a bit of a run through showing us how to use iMovie to put the pictures and sounds together to make like a film with moving photos and sound playing over the top of it. Then we all worked in small groups on different computers and made them ourselves.
I thought it was quite interesting to work with Mike and find out what technical stuff he used.
This afternoon is fun and games for the end of term party. Then we”ll be back in 2011… which is weird! Happy Christmas and new year.
Bye, Jo
Dynamite
Yesterday, we resumed work on dynamite (which I consider to be a very catchy tune), and after going through all the moves again, put an end on the sequence.
The staff at Mind the Gap then watched it, and one person mentioned that we were very convincing, they wouldn’t want to bump into us on the street if they didn’t know us better!
What we did last week at Mind the Gap
This is JoAnne Haines from Making just letting you know what we did last week at Mind the Gap. We did some work on the computer last Wednesday afternoon. We worked with Steve from Llama he showed us our new blog for Making Theatre. So we try out the blog it was very interesting to try out something new, because if we do the some thing every day it would get a bit boring. But we do not do the same thing every day. 
From JoAnne 
Photography project
Zara again, I’m going to tell you about Denis Darzacq a French photographer who is working with us for 2 weeks.
On Monday we researched his website and I found some pictures, one of them was a guy doing a star jump in a supermarket and he is in the air. We looked at videos as well, but didn’t understand them because they were in French!
On Tuesday, after break we went outside to a big grass bit opposite Mind the Gap. He got people to do some dance moves that we’d been doing in Mia’s class, then we connected with other people and he took pictures. Moving around on the grass we all got muddy shoes but it was fun.
He has been working with small groups who he took out to do stuff as well. He told us to wear bright colours for the pictures. There is a lady with him called Meinda, and she helps him and has been watching what we do. They’ve been in every dance class so far, he’s been observing but hasn’t taken any pictures of us dancing yet.
He’s a nice guy and kind of funny, but serious at the same time. I like having my picture taken and I’m looking forward to working with him more next week.
You can look at some of his pictures at:
Back from holiday…
Hello all, it’s Zara back after holidays. Monday was first day back after holidays, we worked with Joyce and did a game. We walked around the space and Joyce had a soft dog toy that she threw to me and I had to say what I did this holiday, then i threw it to the next person and they did the same.
Then we worked on our hobos again and we had to give ideas about where our hobos would be, like in a graveyard or under a bridge. This was working on our character more to understand them.
In the afternoon Joyce devised a little piece and when each one of us went into the middle and said a line about hobo life and what would hobos do.
Everyone has had a good holiday and we’re looking forward to next week, when a photographer is coming in to take pictures of us doing freeze-frames.
Interviews with I’m with Stupid experts
Interviews with I’m with Stupid experts
Hello again! I thought I’d introduce the egg-sperts to you all. So this is about what they were doing and what they were doing it for.
I asked them some simple questions and this is what they had to say…
Ben Pugh
E: Hello, I’m just going to ask you a few questions first of all what’s your name and what do you do?
B: My name’s Ben Pugh, I’m a Freelance Producer and I’m here at Mind the Gap being the Creative Producer for Mediabox.
E: And how did you get into what you do now?
B: I’ve always been interested in theatre started out working backstage and from being about 14 volunteered at Harrogate Theatre, doing anything and everything they’d let me! And then I worked up from there.
E: And what is it that you are doing for I’m with Stupid?
B: I’m responsible for making sure all the elements fit together, look good and work in the way they are supposed to.
E: Are you enjoying it?
B: Very much so, it’s really nice to work on projects with people who are so enthusiastic and passionate about making a quality product.
E: Finally, tell us one interesting fact about you.
B: Well, I’m not sure if this is interesting or not but I used to be a classically trained Cellist.
E: Thank you Ben, I’ll let you get back to the grindstone now
Interviews with experts – Will Simpson
Will Simpson
Will Simpson
E: As you know, I’m Ed – first of all hello. So who are you, and what do you do.
W: My name is Will and I’m a filmmaker, that involves editing and camera work on lots of different projects.
E: How long have you been doing what you do?
W: Erm, something in the region of 8 or 9 years.
E: How did you get into filmmaking?
W: I was always interested in the art of storytelling and way that film lets you say different things. And the first ever recorded film was in Leeds as well.
E: What exactly are you doing on this project?
W: Over the last two weeks I’ve been working with groups to film the scenarios and pieces they have rehearsed and then editing them for the 360.
E: what has made you laugh on this project?
W: I enjoyed the thing at the Mela, that made me laugh a lot… especially Crispin Duck of course!
E: Has anything made you get mad, or made you have an ‘aargh’ moment?
W: No, I’m pretty good at keeping my temper.
E: Last question, tell us one interesting face about yourself.
W: How do I know what’s interesting? What sort of interesting fact?
E: Everything is interesting to someone!
W: What did everyone else say?
E: That would be telling.
W: My debut as an actor, I’m not an actor, but my debut was as Mr Tumnus in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
E: Thanks Will, I’ll let you get back to editing now.
W: Thank you
