Unit 3 - Character
Module 1: Ways Into the Work
Lesson 3 - Objectives & Obstacles

Introduction:
The purpose of this lesson is to reinforce the understanding of objectives and expand the students' application of the concept.

Objectives:
- to use improvisation to explore characters and situations
- to become confident at communicating character through movement and gesture
- to become confident at blocking improvised or scripted scenes
- to demonstrate an ability to portray a character's motivation within a scene
- to reinforce previously developed dramatic abilities and understandings

Resources:
(pdf) Objectives in Acting, (pdf) Actable Verbs (extensive list), a variety of script selections for analysis - (pdf) "Angels" 1 act play is one example; Improvisation Scenario examples.

CELs:
C, CCT, PSVS

Components:
Creative/Productive, Critical/Responsive

---

 

Activities:

Activity 1 - Learning Concepts:

General Handout: "Objectives in Acting" and "Actable Verbs"
Use the handouts to begin review about objectives and obstacles. Talk about famous characters from plays you have read (or even movies) and determine what their objectives and obstacles are for particular scenes. For example: Willy Loman, Death of a Salesman, talking to his boss about being "retired" from his job; or Hamlet in the "to be, or not to be" soliloquy. Look at script selections and identify objectives and obstacles as a group.
If you feel the class has a good grasp of objectives and obstacles form unit 1 and reviewing, discuss the advanced notes. (10-15 min.)

Advanced Background Notes (Optional):
Discuss the concept of a beat as a class.
Acting is doing, it involves verbs and action. The smallest unit of conflict is called a "beat". We can break scenes into beats to better understand the play. Information for the character comes from the text. The director and actor must first understand the script, which allows them to interpret the beats in interesting ways. (5 min.)

A beat should have 4 elements:

Activity 2 - Warm Up:
Begin thinking of motivation in terms of an objective as an action - verbs. Ask students to begin moving about the room in a random pattern. As they walk they are listen to the verbs called out and to respond accordingly. Use the "Actable Verbs" list. For example: the instructions are "I want to comfort (or other verb)", "I want to threaten", or "I want to beg". etc. (3-5 min.)

Once they seem to understand the concept of objectives, have them move into 2 groups - the groups will be given different verbs, privately, and then allowed to move and interact with one another. For example: one group is given the verb "to threaten" and the other group is given the verb "to tease". What happens in the interactions? Keep changing the verbs and watch how relationships change. (5 -8 min.)

Activity 3 - Improvisation Exercise:
Students take turns doing improvised scenes in partners, in which the group provides each with an objective and an obstacle - they also need to give a context for a scene. (Allow 1 minute for the scene.)

The above exercise can be played many times as students explore ways into character. An alternative is to set up three containers: 1 - situations, 2 - objectives, 3 - obstacles. Let students choose randomly from the containers.

Sample Improvisation scenarios (pdf).

Activity 4 - Advanced Improve Exercise (optional):
Ask students to work with a partner to create a scene which shows the 4 elements of a "beat". The audience should be able to identify the elements in the scene. ( 5-10 min., plus performance time)

Activity 5 - Extended Exercise (optional):
Ask students to work with a partner and develop a scene in which the objectives change at least twice for each person. Why do "wants" change in a scene? How can a scene be developed to show these changes. Allow the partners to work on who their characters are, their relationship to one another, where the scene takes place and why. (15 min. plus performance time)