ALICE LEVINE:'I'm Alice Levine, and I'm most definitely not an actress. But I've been asked to perform, for one night only, in War Horse on the West End. I have no idea what I'm doing.'
ALICE LEVINE:Oh Lord.
ALICE LEVINE:'So I have to learn everything I can before I take to the stage.'
ALICE LEVINE:Go War Horse!
ALICE LEVINE:'And today I'm learning about the role of the director.'
ALICE LEVINE:So apparently something that's really important when you're acting is to understand the role of the director, and to use their direction to improve your performance. I kind of thought they just said action and cut, but anyway. So I've come to the set of CBBC's Wolfblood to find out what they actually do. Come on.
CREW:Turning, quiet please.
ACTOR #1:I might have been wrong about Victoria.
ACTOR #2:So, she's one of the good guys? Yana? Really?
JACQUELINE BOATSWAIN:Use the satellite uplink, get me everything we have on Kincaid.
ACTOR #1:So now it looks like it was Alex Kincaid all along.
ACTOR #3:What does he want with werewolves?
ACTOR #1:Wolfbloods.
JOHN DOWER:In that scene, there's a danger that you come across so hard and so uncaring that…
ALICE LEVINE:'And I'm lucky enough to track down one of the cast, Jackie, who plays Victoria Sweeny.'
ACTOR #4:Just as powerful as you are now, Sweeny.
JACQUELINE BOATSWAIN:I don't think so.
ACTOR #4:It was always your weak spot.
ALICE LEVINE:Jackie, thanks so much for chatting to me and having a little snoop round.
ALICE LEVINE:Loving the set. I need to ask you about working with a director. That's what I need to learn about today, so I thought I'd pick your brains a little bit because obviously you do that all the time. What do you look for in a director? What makes a good director?
JACQUELINE BOATSWAIN:I think a good director is somebody that lets you know what it is they need from the character, and makes it really clear, makes it really simple.
ALICE LEVINE:So when you're talking to John, say at the beginning of the scene, because everything's shot out of sequence, so you're not necessarily working on the story as it's going to be shown, does he help you to find your time and place?
JACQUELINE BOATSWAIN:Yes, yes he does. He absolutely helps you, to remind you of the time of day, what has happened previously to that, what you're going to be doing, and so
JACQUELINE BOATSWAIN:where you are currently in that space.
ALICE LEVINE:I just need some advice about how to work with a director on that. How do I kind of use him to get the best performance.
JACQUELINE BOATSWAIN:Just literally listen to everything he says, and process it, and use it. Well, why don't you come downstairs and we're gonna do a scene in the cellar, so come downstairs and have a…
ALICE LEVINE:Are you sure?
JACQUELINE BOATSWAINYeah, yeah, yeah, have a look at me and my director, and how we work together.
ALICE LEVINE:Okay, yeah that would be great.
ALICE LEVINE:They're going for rehearsal now so I have to be quiet. But I can watch.
JOHN DOWER:Okay, here we go.
JOHN DOWER:Action.
ACTOR #3:The wolf did!
GROWLS
ACTOR #3:It was the wolf, and now it's gone.
JACQUELINE BOATSWAINDo what we have to.
JOHN DOWER:We're always seeing this hard side, I'm just trying to get some chinks.
ALICE LEVINE:'I've also managed to get a quick chat with director John Dower, to find out exactly what he does.'
ALICE LEVINE:Hi John. Sorry to interrupt.
JOHN DOWER:Hi. That's alright.
ALICE LEVINE:But thank you for letting me pick your brains. I just wondered if I could talk to you about directing. For those that don't know, what is your job?
JOHN DOWER:My job is to have a clear idea of the story we're telling,
JOHN DOWER:and to get everyone to help me to tell that story. And there isn't one way to direct, just as there isn't one way to act.
ALICE LEVINE:How do you bring a script to life and make sure that everyone is working toward the same end goal?
JOHN DOWER:By being a clear communicator.
ALICE LEVINE:I'm going to be playing Nurse Annie in War Horse, as my director for the moment,
JOHN DOWER:Yes?
ALICE LEVINE:what would you say I should go do now to prepare?
JOHN DOWER:Need to research the period,
JOHN DOWER:that the thing's set in, so the context. You need to research the character, so you understand clearly what your character's been through in their life.
ALICE LEVINE:Okay.
JOHN DOWER:What is it the character needs and wants, and then you'll understand how to play the scene, I think, more.
ALICE LEVINE:Okay, so I've got her background, I've got where she's going, and where she's at right now.
JOHN DOWER:Yeah. Historical context in, for example War Horse, is really important. You really need to know that background otherwise you will be lost.
ALICE LEVINE:Okay. Thank you so much, John. I think this is your five minute call.
JOHN DOWER:Good luck, good luck!
ALICE LEVINE:You better go, you've got things to direct!
ALICE LEVINE:So as usual, I've been left with loads to think about. When I'm creating the character of Nurse Annie, I need to think about the context, historically, but also what happened just before the scene that I'm doing.
ALICE LEVINE:Where are we doing? What does the scene have to deliver? What's my intention?
ALICE LEVINE:'Understand how a director shapes a performance, how to take direction,'
ALICE LEVINE:but most importantly, probably, is that I have to have a really, really good relationship with my director. That is super important.
Radio 1 presenter Alice Levine talks to Wolfblood actor Jacqueline Boatswain who plays Victoria Sweeney about how to get the most out of working with a director.
Jackie's advice is to listen very closely to instructions and to follow them.
Alice then speaks to the programme's director John Dower about what exactly he does. He explains that a director's role is to ensure the story is being told in the best way possible.
To prepare for her role in War Horse, John advises Alice to thoroughly research the historical context of her character, and to know what happens in her story both before and after a scene.
This short film is from the series Alice's Journey to Wonderland.
Teacher Notes
This could be used to introduce students to the idea of the director’s role.
The class could be split into groups with all groups given the same scene of a play they have been studying.
Each group’s director can direct the scene however they wish, and then the class comes together at the end to watch how the same scene can be played out differently.
Students could be encouraged to think about plays they have seen and how they, if they were the director, might have directed something to be done differently and why.
Students should also be encouraged to think about why it is so important to listen to their director when they are working together, and what could go wrong if they don’t.
Curriculum Notes
This clip will be useful for teaching Drama, particularly performance skills at Key Stage 4 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and National 4/5 in Scotland. It could also be useful for people of any age preparing for an acting role.
More from Alice's Journey to Wonderland
Developing a character (pt 1/8) video
Alice visits the set of soap opera Hollyoaks to find out how the actors there create their characters. She learns to think about her character's backstory and the influences that affect her.
Using your voice (pt 2/8) video
Alice takes a voice lesson from Ben Aldridge, star of BBC One's Our Girl to learn more about using her voice in performance.
Set and costume (pt 3/8) video
Alice visits the set of hit West End musical Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, to find out how the elaborate set was designed, and how set and costume help tell the story.
Improvisation techniques (pt 4/8) video
Alice visits the Comedy Store in London and learns some improvisation techniques from actor / comedian Isy Suttie (Dobby from Peep Show).
Working with multimedia (pt 5/8) video
Alice visits the set of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time to find out how working with multimedia can help her on her journey to become a West End actress.
Preparing for a role (pt 7/8) video
It's almost time for Alice Levine to make her West End debut in War Horse. She gets some last minute tips from lead actor James Backway and gets on her costume and makeup.
The big performance (pt 8/8) video
Alice is finally ready to rehearse for her West End debut in War Horse. She works through her lines and character with the director and other actors, before performing.
