Following a 3 day intensive seminar for the Association of theater pedagogues of the Hessen area, I compiled this short manual for the participants as reference material.

1. +The language of
images:
film. theater
Maria Leonida
maria@karposontheweb.org
www.karposontheweb.org
www.marialeonida.com
11-13 March
2016
Kassel

2. + Links for further practice with or without
students (with eng subtitles)
 Video tutorial on framing and how to use a camera
 Video tutorial on using mikrophones and recording sound

3. +
The workshop:
DAY 1

4. + Warm up 1: getting to know each other with a
collective story about our journey to the
workshop
 In circle, we share our names by throwing a bottle to one
another filled with only 1/3 of water.
 The bottle throw , which offers the effort to be exact, and think
of body concentration, while we hear the discreet but arousing
sound of water, goes on.
 Second time we exchange images and/or sounds that each can
recall from the specific route to the workshop.
 The trainer organises these elements in groups (tracks) :
characters, locations, actions, sounds.
 These elements, may develop to a collective documentary or
fiction story.

5. +
Step 1: looking through a frame

6. +
1. Portraits
 In pairs, get to know each other and shoot 2 pictures for each:
 1. a close up: focus on characteristics of face and feelings
2. a wide shot: focus on setting, background, body position
 Who directs? Subject and photographer collaborate in directing
the final shot.
 Present the photos to the group. Show them first , then present
yourselves

7. +
step 2:
create a sound scape

8. +
Create an exterior soundscape
inside a room_1
 An open air market:
1. Participants each take the role of stall sellers. Each decides
on a short phrase that he/she will sell his products with
2. Try different positions of the microphone in relation to the
source of the sounds
3. Our aim is to realise the depth and perspective of sound
4. https://soundcloud.com/karpos-1/invitingsellerswav

9. +
Create an exterior soundscape
inside a room_2: a train station
1. Participants brainstorm on who might be and what happens
in a train station.
2. They imagine the respective sounds and organise a linear
narrative but with multiple tracks. Rehearse with various
objects and self made sounds. Try different positions of the
microphone in relation to the source of the sounds.
3. Our aim is to realise the depth, perspective and narrative
ability of sound. Listen to these 2 different versions.
4. https://soundcloud.com/karpos-1/train-station-01-group-1
5. https://soundcloud.com/karpos-1/small-mysterious-stationwav

10. +
DAY 2

11. + Warm up 2: the detail
 Walk loosely around and observe the others, looking for interesting details
in the clothes or body of someone else.
 Pick up silently a favorite detail.
 On clapping hands of the trainer each one has to go close to focus with
his eyes on his chosen detail. Eyes should be at a distance of 30-40 cm
as if we were holding a camera. Let the bodies follow their “details”.
 Clap and everybody freeze.
 Notice the body structures of the group: there is a line created by the body
of photographer, his eyes, the detail, and the body of the subject.
 Choose another detail . Finally choose one which requires that the camera
is on a completely different level of height.

12. +
2. One item, two ways of looking at
it
 Everybody chooses a small object from his bag (no smaller
than a lighter).
 Walk around and present a still image using the object:
1. As it is used in everyday life
2. As we would never come across it in such a way in real life
(propose a surrealistic use).

13. +
One item, three (more) ways of
looking at it
 Make a group interpretation with the same object, both a
theatrical still image and a photographic still image
 As a cause for (2 or more) people to meet
As a fairy tale hero/character
As the object of a commercial
 Notice how each medium, allows for certain choices
Notice the importance of background and point of view

14. +
Film: engagement and alienation
Extracts:
Brother Lumieres, first clips
Exit from the factory (3 versions), feeding the baby, farse in the
garden
Djiga Vertov –Man with a movie camera (1929)
J. L. Godard –Breathless, 1960,

15. +
Engaging in a bigger
project
Focusing on themes and formal elements

16. +
Step 3: create a video & theater
performance

17. +
Create a script for a short video and
theatre performance (percentage of each at own
will)
 By using at least one of each category of the following:
 Themes from the selected clips we saw:
waking up, chase, thief and atmosphere of a train station
 Form elements from the selected clips:
close up, elliptic narrative, point of view

18. +
Reviewing original
brainstorming and plan

19. +
Development-shooting-rehearsal-
editing
During this process we had to:
 discuss and come back to the script/ original idea for purpose
of clarity.
 think of introduction and finale (characters, setting: who , what
etc)
 “cut” excessive material which did not add to the concept
 clear the movement of actors and density of performance
 make better connections of images and sounds in relation to
our purpose

20. + It was a great pleasure!
I will soon upload an article about our workshop on
www.marialeonida.com from my point of view and will inform
you.