Sunday 28 April 2013

3rd Literature Review
 
My journey through the Actors Temple
 
 
 
 
The reason why I chose the Actors Temple as my 3rd Observing/Learning Experience Review; is because through the meisner technique acting classes, you can see people revealing themselves and becoming happier/successful people both in their workplace and in their everyday lives.
 
When you are balanced within that's when all the magic happens.  

2nd Literature

A New You

By Nicola Cook

My initial thought when I was told that I had to decide the title of my inquiry, was to choose a subject that will benefit me and other performers into practically achieving what we have always dreamed off.

Immediately I knew that I had to focus on the deeper levels of meaning and understanding of myself because this is where it all starts. This book made me see the small changes I could make in order to see the biggest difference in my life. It talks about ways to develop the right mindset and the right skill set, so that the New You can finally rise and remain on the surface.

The main idea of this book is to really find out Who You Are, What you really Want and How to achieve it. The first chapter focuses on the areas in your life that are currently causing you the most stress and gives you an overall idea of How you’ve been handling your life until now. Then it gives you a meaningful reason that if you do not do whatever it is to fulfil your own needs First, then you won’t be very much use to others.

It explains how useful is to follow your INSTINCT and gives you ways of training this ‘muscle’ in order to remain in charge of yourself. It helps you understand that There Are ways to make a change in you and a way to do it is to learn to choose How to respond to your emotions.

A good question that the author raised is; ‘If time and money didn’t exist what would you be doing?’  Then it gives you the chance to divide your daily activities in three sections. The first one being ‘uniqueness’, the second being ‘stuff’ and the third being ‘energy zappers’. The most important out of these three elements is uniqueness (=activities you enjoy and love doing). They should take 70% of your daily activities in order for you to remain balanced and happy.

Choose to be more productive > Focus on your uniqueness > Your life will be more fulfilling > Successful

If you ever feel stuck, ask yourself: ‘What other way is there of doing this?’

One way of making what you want Reality, is to create and repeat positive mantras and locate them in the present form.

For example if you want to build up your self-esteem, here is a good mantra: ‘‘I have all the confidence I need within me right now’’

The only choice you ever have is how you choose to behave in response to the things that happen to you. Create a mantra that is directed towards your own behaviour and you will be in control of the changes that happen around you.

Nothing happens in life before you believe it will happen.

Here is the secret of making something work in your life:

1.      Deep desire to make it work

2.      Faith and belief that it can work

3.      Hold the clear definite vision in your consciousness

4.      See it working step by step without one doubt or disbelief

 

Another method to make what you want Reality, is to visualise it. Take 20 minutes every day and visualise yourself achieving what you want. Decide to use visualisation to focus on your goals and what you want out of life, even if you do not yet know how you will achieve it.

The more you believe you have already achieved your goals; the more your focus will uncover the methods you need to use to reach them!

It all happens because you first believe you can and you have faith in your own power to create it.

So become the leader, take control now and experience your goals before they happen!

 

Task 6c

1st Literature Review
 
Motivation and Productivity in the Workplace
By Carla Valencia
 
This was a very interesting article that highlighted the possible reasons of low motivation of employees and suggestions of targeting this issue.
 
I decided to use this article even though it doesn't speak exclusively about performers. The reason why I chose it is because through the arguments,facts and opinions raised, I can still relate to the overall view of the issue in the Performing Arts and I can also compare the similarities and differences within the two workplaces.
  • Motivation emerges, in current theories, out of needs, values, goals, intentions, and expectation.
  • Managing motivation is a requirement for productivity.
  • Although motivation is an important determinator of individual performance, it is not the only factor. Such variables as ability, experience, and environment also influence performance.  
 This proposed research is needed to improve employees' performance at the workplace, to retain employees and to help companies establish a good image.
 
If you think about it in the performing arts business, is about improving our performing skills, retaining our skills and establishing a good image in the industry. Therefore there is no difference from any other type of job, our target is success.
 
Research Questions
  1. Is money enough to motivate employees?
  2. Why do employers not recognise all their employees at the same level?
  3. What specifically will motivate employees to perform at their peak?  
  4. How can employers implement or improve incentive systems in the workplace?
  5. How does motivation impact an employee's productivity?
  6. How do employees respond to different incentives?
  7. Why can't every employee perform at his or her best?
  8. Do employees lose enthusiasm about the company, and therefore become less motivated?
 
From the performer's point of view these could be similar questions that might rise; especially after graduating as is more likely to worry about when you'll get your first job, and how you'll support yourself financially. 
Another issue is that some performers stay in the same mindset that they had before graduating. Of course teachers we'll have their favourites and there will always be those students that get to be the lead in every show. GET OVER IT you graduated! See it as a tough process you had to go through in order to become stronger and more determined. Now you'll be able to handle rejection much easier in the real business than if you were that ''favourite'' student.
 
Research done in both psychology and business literature over the past three decades has recorded that motivation varies as a function of different factors in the work environment, including evaluation expectation, actual performance feedback, reward, autonomy, and the nature of the work itself.
 
When employees have high autonomy, receive feedback about their performance, and have an important, identifiable piece of work to do which requires skill variety, they may experience feelings of happiness and therefore intrinsic motivation to keep performing well (Hackmam & Oldham, 1980).
 
Herzberg's (1966) motivator-hygiene theory has been one of the most influential in recent decades. Basically, the theory divides motivating factors into two categories: Motivator factors, which have something to do with the work itself, and Hygiene factors, which have something to do with the surrounding context.
Motivator factors include such things as responsible work, independence in doing the work, and satisfaction arising from the completion of challenging tasks. Hygiene factors include pay, security, and general working conditions. According to Frederick Herzberg, hygiene factor operate primarily as de-motivators if they are not sufficient. He suggests that workers are most satisfied and most productive when their jobs are rich in the motivator factor. When the work is interesting, he suggests can be accomplished by the job enrichment.
 
One psychological view suggests that very high levels of intrinsic motivation are marked by such strong interest and involvement in the work, and by such a perfect match of task complexity with skill level, that people experience some kind of psychological "flow," a sense of merging with the activity they are doing (Csikszentmihalyi 1975).
 Individuals are intrinsically motivated when they seek enjoyment, interest, satisfaction of curiosity, self-expression, or personal challenge in the work. Individuals are extrinsically motivated when they engage in the work in order to obtain some goal that is apart from work itself.
 
The behavior of people in their jobs is more than play on words. Herzberg said that two different kinds of human beings are involved here. One set of needs is the built-in drive to avoid pain from the environment and the all the learned drives that become conditioned to the basic biological needs. For example, hunger, a basic biological drive makes its necessary to earn money, and then money becomes a specific drive. The other set of needs relates to that unique human characteristic, the ability to achieve and, through achievement, experience psychological growth.
  
Psychologist A. H. Maslow was a University professor and a frequent contributor to professional journals organized human needs on five general levels in his book called Motivation and Personality. In ascending order these are:
  • Physiological needs such as food, water, sex, and shelter.
  • Safety needs such as protection
  • Social needs such as belonging, and acceptance.
  • Ego needs such as achievement, status, and appreciation.
  • Self-actualization needs such as the need to realize one's potential.
  •  
 
 
 
 
 
   

 

 



Task 6b


As I mentioned earlier, the tools I want to use for my inquiry are:
 a) Focus group
b) Surveys/Questionnaires

My inquiry focuses on a psychological and deep level of understanding. For me is important to know what recent graduates are struggling with within their career; why they struggle and how they target it in order to maintain their focus and determination towards their dream.
My first thought is to create a group with 5-6 recent graduates from Performing Art Colleges. This will give me the opportunity to maintain communication with them and also be able to look back on any discussions and reflect.

One of the big benefits of a Focus group is that its members can answer my queries in their own space and time. This way they won’t feel pressured and they’ll be able to give me accurate and meaningful answers. For me is really important to emphasise the privacy and security within the group. Not all members will feel comfortable talking about a subject in front of other members of the group, so giving the option of private answers and securing its content from the public is vital.

 
One of the reasons I decided to choose Surveys and Questionnaires as my second tool, is because they give me the ability to gather a range of data and results. The tricky part is to make sure my questions are written precisely and are always linked to what I’d like to achieve from my audience referring to my inquiry.

 
The reason why I didn’t choose Observation as my tool is because I am aware that everyone is an individual and it wouldn’t be possible to gather meaningful information in such a short amount of time.

Although observing a dance class or an audition might be useful as I could see the reactions of the graduates during these events, I still feel that I won’t be able to understand the true meaning behind their behaviour, as it’s the point before and after these events that true feelings are usually being expressed and exposed.

 
Regarding the tool of Interview, it would have been a helpful way of research if I was concentrating on a specific type of individual. Here I have to do with many emotions, behaviours and reactions of people. In the end of my research I will be analyzing and researching these behaviours in order to present long term solutions that will lead to successful/happy performers. An interview could be interesting in order to ‘’investigate’’ in a deep level and meaning the inner thoughts of the graduate, but it wouldn’t be a practical and efficient way to gather a variety of information.        

Tuesday 23 April 2013

Task 5d

As I want to emphasise on recent graduates and their approach towards the Performing Arts Profession; I thought that the best tools to use for this subject are:

1) Focus Group
2) Survey

The ethical dimensions I should be applying for the above tools are:

Focus Group

  • I should introduce and inform the people in the group about the subject I'm planing to talk about and the reasons why I chose those people to be involved
  • Make clear what I want them to do and explain in what way it will be beneficial for them to be involved in the group
  • Give them a form of agreement saying that the information given by them, won't be displayed publicly without their permission
  • Inform them that if they don't feel comfortable talking about a subject in front of other members of the group, they can send me their answers privately
Survey
  • Display my questions clearly to avoid any misunderstanding
  • Respect the privacy of others, give them the choice to remain anonymous or to choose how to answer
  • Avoid plagiarism, be straight forward and precise in what I want to achieve through my questions

Task 5c

My final enquiry is: How can *recent graduates from Performing Art Colleges maintain their confidence, commitment and motivation in regards to their profession in the Performing Arts Industry

* 1-2 years after graduation  

Reading the Reader based on Professional Ethics, made me think a lot about the approach I had in my profession since graduation, and how this affected my development as a Performer.

My main concern in my profession is to be employed and to be able to perform without having to do secondary jobs.
As soon as I graduated I decided to become a member in several casting websites in order to get as much experience as possible. Although it was a great way to build up my CV I felt that I didn't always get rewarded for my effort. Being paid in your Profession is a must and not something that should be argued; getting paid for your work means that you are being respected and rewarded for your commitment. Although I did some unpaid jobs I didn't regret it; I still learnt and achieved a lot as a performer and I also expanded my contacts.

What we should remember though, is to grab opportunities that come in our way but to also think how much effort, time and money we put in our training.

If I had to see this subject in an ethical point of view, then I would say that in most cases of displayed unpaid work on official websites, the employer doesn't have ethos or respect towards the performer.
Of course this doesn't apply to every company or employer but If they don't work for free why should I?

Is not a coincidence that most performers end up doing every day jobs in order to support themselves and have a decent living.
I believe that If we as performers and especially graduates react and stop accepting unpaid or low paid jobs in the Industry, then we will see a change from the side of the employer; Action-Reaction. Colleges/Teachers should speak to students about the ethics within the industry, as well as give advice, in order to avoid dissapointment and exploitation later on in their careers.

Is not going to be easy but it's possible!

   



  

Friday 19 April 2013

Task 5b

Just like you wouldn't sign a contract before reading the agreement, you wouldn't turn up to an audition without being prepared. Although preparing your song,monologue etc is important, you also need to do your research about other factors before attending an audition.

What I mean is; not all websites or agents are aware of how reliable their clients are, no one sais that you are safe if you are about to go to a venue for a casting; or If you are about to do a photoshoot for example; who tells you where the pictures will be displayed and what rights the owner holds?

In order to protect yourself from any physical or long term career harm, here are some ethic codes you should apply:

  • Check that the source of information that you found out about the audition is safe and reliable.
  • Make sure you check out any links or personal information that the website,agent or friend gave you before attending the casting.
  • Inform your agent if you have any concerns about the venue or the person holding the casting and ask the agency to send someone to check first that is safe, before attending there by yourself. 
  • When you arrive at the casting ask any questions you might have about the contract.
  • BEFORE you sign a contract/agreement form READ the codes they apply to you and DON'T sign it if you don't agree with something written.
  • They need to get permission from you if they are about to record you. They don't have the right to expose the recording without your agreement first.
  • Never do any (extra) work that you haven't signed up for. If they pay you for that extra work and you do agree to do it, make sure you sign another form of agreement first.
  • Always keep a copy of the contract you signed up for, If you ever need to defend yourself  you'll have a form of evidence!     
Here is a sourse from a professional modeling website but can apply to any form of art within the Performing Arts Industry.
http://www.ukmodels.co.uk/advice/parent-information.aspx