Diploma in Perfor

Performing &
Production Arts
Unit 8 Project Proposal

Candidate Henry Simmons

Name
Candidate 4450696858
Number
Pathway Acting

Project Title It Snows

Section 1: Review
BTA has really pushed me to grow as a performer. It has taught me a range of acting methods and theatrical
tools from a range of talented practitioners who we have had the privilege to learn from.
Back in September of 2021 we started our journey by learning about the Verbatim technique which taught
us the art of constructing theatre using word-for-word interviews with real people. This pushed me to learn to truly
listen to someone else’s voice so that I could try to mimic it. This was the first time I had ever tried to do a new
accent and it was a really fun challenge as I had always been nervous that I wouldn’t be able to do another accent.
We then learned about set and costume design. We each gave a presentation on our own interpretations of
what the 4.48 Psychosis set and costumes should look like, then we had to pitch our ideas. This unit gave us
an insight into the behind the scenes production. I’ve always been a very visual person and I love to imagine and
plan what I think scenes should look like so this was a great opportunity to test my skills. I had great fun coming up
with ideas for this pitch which led me to believe that I might one day be interested in directing as I’d love the
opportunity to see my vision come to life.
After Christmas we started our scratch performances, this was by far the hardest, most challenging and
stressful thing we had done to date. The objective was to create, write and devise, in groups of six, a 5-10 minute
play. Through this unit I learned a variety of skills from, script writing, directing, voice control, the Laban technique
and how to make production schedules and risk assessments. Despite the challenges, this was a really rewarding
project. It pushed me and at times I thought it wouldn’t come together, but it was so rewarding when it did. The
biggest lesson I learned was to not be afraid to scrap ideas if things weren’t working and start again from scratch.
Along side this unit we also did our duologues, which was one of my favourite tasks this year as it gave us the
opportunity to act out one of our favourite scenes from either a movie, a tv show or a play. I am particularly proud of
the Marriage Story scene I did with Lissi as it really pushed my acting abilities. I feel it may have been the best
performance I’ve ever done.
The start of this BTA course really pushed me as an actor and theatre maker, and I feel like I’ve learned a
lot of usable skills which will help me when looking for acting jobs.
My longer term aspirations include both acting and film directing. I love acting and I’m so glad to be on this
course and I’m feeling like when I finish the course I will have the necessary skills to feel confident in going to
auditions. My immediate goal is to get myself an agent. However, my intention is to go to university for film
production. I love telling stories and I want to have the skills to be involved in every part of the creative process from
acting, to script writing, to cinematography, to editing and directing. A film maker once told me that the more skills I
have, the more chance I’ll have to get my work out there - so I intend to learn as much as I can!

Section 2: Project Concept

 The FMP I will be performing in is It Snows by Bryony Lavery. The script is about a small British town in 2007 where
there’s conflict between the lads and the girls, between the parents and the kids, and between the mums and the dads. Plus
something strange is going on with the weird kid in the window across the street. The two leading characters, Cameron and
Caitlin, have to find their own ways through all the mess. And then it snows - and the snow changes everything! The story is
about growing up, finding meaning and connection.
While Caitlin Amoretti explores her world through mime, my character, Cameron Huntley, explores his world through
photography. I will really need to think about my character analysis and what the purpose of the photography is for Cameron.
One of the biggest challenges in staging this performance will be in conveying to the audience the magic of the freshly
fallen snow. In rehearsals we have generated a variety of ideas, from using white fabric like a parachute to create the illusion of
snow, to using white Chinese lanterns for snowballs. I think some upbeat music would add to the scene but I think the most
important elements will be the choreography and acting as the actors will really have to demonstrate their sense of excitement.
This scene will require a group effort by the actors to choreograph with help from our movement director, plus all the
backstage and technical teams to plan the sound, the lighting, etc..
Section 3: Evaluation
I will reflect on and evaluate my work and ongoing activity through weekly reflection videos. I have already found that
these videos have been really helpful as they force me to stop and consider what I’m doing and why. Otherwise I could be at risk
of charging along without really considering what I’m doing.
I will annotate my script as we go along making note of what decisions are made each day in rehearsals and any
character decisions I make. I will note my cues, when I walk on and off stage, any actions I need to perform and my character’s
moods, emotions and what drives him to do what he does.
I will also make notes every evening regarding what we’ve done that day. This is where I can note if changes have been
made to the annotations. This will help me remember what we’ve done when I come to do the reflection videos.
I also intend to take photos in rehearsals to help me remember what we’ve done each day and I will also be able to use
them for my website.
I know from previous experience that when working in groups, especially with friends, it’s very easy to get distracted
and start chatting so we will need to encourage each other to stay focused.
Proposed Research Sources and Bibliography (Harvard Format)
Bibliography

Political Poster

P. Wintour and A. Sparrow. 25 February 2010 ‘‘You ruined my life’ - Gordon Brown’s rant at Tony Blair revealed’ The Guardian (Online),
Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2010/feb/25/gordon-brown-tony-blair-you-ruined-my-life (Accessed 7 April 2022)

O. Humphreys/Getty Images. 10 May 2007 ‘Tony Blair delivers his resignation speech at the Trimdon Labour Club in Sedgefield’ The
Guardian (Online) Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2007/may/10/tonyblair.labour (Accessed 8 April 2022)

M. Macleod/Guardian image. 31 August 2014 ‘Gordon Brown: 'You've got to look at what the SNP is proposing – cutting corporation tax for
the richest companies.’’ The Guardian (Online), Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/aug/31/gordon-brown-battle-for-
britain (Accessed 8 April 2022)

C. Furlong/Getty Images. 2010 ‘Balls, Ed’ Britannioca (Online), Available at: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ed-Balls (Accessed 8
April 2022)

P. Souza image. 6 December 2012 ‘Official portrait of Barack Obama in Oval Office’ Library of Congress (Online), Avaialbe
at: https://www.loc.gov/item/2017645540/ (Accessed 8 April 2022)

E. Draper image. 2003 ‘President Bush poses for his official portrait in the Roosevelt Room (blue tie) / Official portrait of President George W.
Bush.’ Library of Congress (Online), Available at: https://www.loc.gov/resource/ppbd.00371/ (Accessed 8 April 2022)

Historical Poster

BBC News. 31 December 2007 “Most Popular Stories of 2007,’ BBC News (Online), Available
at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7116765.stm (Accessed 7 April 2022)

BBC News. 4 May 2007 ‘Toddler Abducted during holiday’, BBC News (Online), Available
at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/leicestershire/6623127.stm (Accessed 7 April 2022)
Getty Images. 17 December 2007 ‘Kate and Gerry McCann’, The Sun (Online), Available
at: https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/9941816/madeleine-mccann-kate-gerry-brexit-uncertainty-delay-court-battle-amaral-cop/ (Accessed 8
April 2022)

Daily Mirror front page. 5 May 2007, Mirror (Online), Available at: https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/gallery/madeline-mccann-how-saga-
been-1863594 (Accessed 8 April 2022)

History.com Editors. 6 October 2017 ‘Climate Change History’, History (Online), Available at: https://www.history.com/topics/natural-
disasters-and-environment/history-of-climate-change (Accessed 7 April 2022)

M. Blake. 17 September 2007 ‘Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore and Joel Hyatt accept the award for Outstanding Creative Achievement in
Interactive Television during the 59th Primetime Emmy Awards in LA.’ Reuters (Online), Available at: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-
emmys-gore-sunday-idUSN1341763520070917 (Accessed 8 April 2007)

‘An Inconvenient Truth DVD Cover’. 2006, IMDB (Online) Available

at: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0497116/mediaviewer/rm2695729664/ (Accessed 8 April 2022)

K. Law image. 8 February 2007 ‘Peckham in the Snow - London, England’, Flickr (Online), Available
at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/kevenlaw/384129593/ (Accessed 8 April 2022)

Social Poster

Daily Mirror front page. 24 February 2007, Mirror (Online) Available at: https://www.mirror.co.uk/incoming/gallery/showbiz-and-royalty-
front-pages-1742883?service=responsive (Accessed 8 April 2022)

X17Online.com. 2008 ‘Britney had a very public breakdown in 2008’, Mirror (Online), Available at: https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-
news/heartbreaking-cause-britney-spears-harrowing-21687469 (Accessed 8 April 2022)

Rex image. 2007 ‘Selena Gomez’, Vogue.com (Online), Available at: https://www.vogue.com/article/selena-gomez-style-evolution (Accessed 8
April 2022)

F. Harrison/Getty Images. 2007, Buzzfeed (Online), Available at: https://www.buzzfeed.com/samstryker/insane-2007-outfits (Assessed 8 April
2022)

Rihanna. Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded (album cover) 2007, Spotify (Online), Available
at: https://open.spotify.com/track/49FYlytm3dAAraYgpoJZux (Accessed 8 April 2022)

Flame Flynet image. 2007. ‘Paris Hilton on Yacht’ Huffpost.com (Online), Available at: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/paris-hilton-
boyfriend_n_3706694 (Accessed 8 April 2022)

Boat International image. ‘Yacht’, Boat International (Online), Available at: https://www.boatinternational.com/yachts/yacht-design/eight-
ways-to-design-perfect-yacht--27033. (Accessed 8 April 2022)

YouTube opening page image. 23 November 2007. BMC (Online), Available at: https://blogs.biomedcentral.com/bmcblog/2007/11/23/biomed-
central-youtube-channel-debuts/ (Accessed 8 April 2022)

Bieber Fan. 9 May 2013. ‘Justin bieber 2007-2013’, YouTube (Online), Available at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFvAe076qr4 (Accessed 8
April 2022)

Science of Snow

Met Office. “How Snow Forms” Met Office (Online), Available at: https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/learn-about/weather/types-of-
weather/snow/how-does-snow-form (Accessed 15 march 2022)
Project Action Plan and Timetable

Week Date Week Activity / What you are intending to do - Resources / What you will need to do it -
Beginning including independent study including access to workshops

- Acted out old memories of Script, notebook, pen, rehearsal space

14 March
th
playing in snow in groups.
- Walked around rehearsal space as
different adjectives “excited” or
“Suspicious”
- Explored walking round the rehearsal
space as collective nouns, for
example, "a hive of bookworms". Then
the other groups had to guess what we
were.
- Did a read through of the script for the
first time.
- Experimented acting out scenes in the
script in different genres. For example, a
documentary, weather forecast or a
horror story around a campfire.
- Warmed up - ball games. Script, notebook, pen, rehearsal space
21 of March
st
- Split each section of the script into units.
- In groups we were asked to analyse
certain sections of the script and find
some facts and questions, then we
shared it back to the other group.
- Wrote down any facts we found in the
script. For example, time period,
location, etc.
- Discussed if we should change the
genders or names of the groups. We
ended up deciding to keep the Lads and
Girls groups but any gender could play
the role.
- Warmed up Script, notebook, pen, rehearsal space
28 of March
th
- Played a game where we passed a click
around the room (snowball fight).
- Harry and I paired up and we had to
create some movement for getting
dressed into snow gear.
- Rehearsed mum’s and dad’s exits and
entrances.
- Discussed a variety of ways we could do
the snow sequences.
- Started rehearsing the dream sequences.
- Warmup (played contracts and budge). Script, notebook, pen, rehearsal space
4 of April
th
- Read through script and read the lines of
the character we had been casted as.
- Did a rough walk through of the entire
play.
- Did character work in groups (I was with
Kira and Louisa).
- Started blocking some scenes.
- Did some improve games in our
characters.
25 of April
th
- Met the entire creative team Script, notebook, pen, rehearsal space
- Warmed up with our movement
director Sophie.
- Started rehearsing the Hexagonal Shape
Dance. I’m not in the dance but I
stepped in for Gabriel as he wasn’t in
lesson.
- We rehearsed morning routines.
- Had costume fittings (I will admit I
initially disliked my outfit).
- Blocked Lad’s and Girl’s entrances
- Saw set design (I thought it looked
amazing).
26 of April
th
- Tutor with Kris and he told us to finish Script, notebook, pen, rehearsal space
all our theory work and to take rehearsal
photos.
- Blocked the dream sequences with
duvets and used it to create a cape and a
red carpet.
- Taught Gabriel the Hexagonal Shape
Dance.
- Louisa, Kira and I did some character
exercises that Dylan gave us.
27 of April
th
- Theory with Kris. Script, notebook, pen, rehearsal space
- Worked out a variety of different ways
we could use white fabric to create the
illusion of snow.
- Started to integrate Cameron and
Caitlins lines into the snow sequence.
- Blocked phone scene.
- Blocked snowball fight.
- Sat in the corridor with Kira working on
lines.
28 of April
th
- Just Kira and I got called in at 9. Script, notebook, pen, rehearsal space
- We warmed up and played coin
jousting.
- Blocked the ending scene of the play.
- Blocked texting scene.
- Stood in for Kira creating the DSI
Caitlin Amoretti scene.
29 of April
th
- Warm up and stretch. Script, notebook, pen, rehearsal space
- Recapped lads and girls entrances and
exits.
- Recapped parents entrances and exits.
- Ran lines with Kira and Louisa.
- Created Shiver dance with Kira and
Kate.
- Watched party scene dance.
3 of May
rd
- Tutor with Kris and we discussed Script, notebook, pen, rehearsal space
“Family Sex Show”.
- Warmed up and stretched with Sophie.
- Recapped unit 1.
- Showed Sophie the dream sequences we
had created and she gave us ideas on
ways we we could improve it.
- Worked on Shiver dance with Kira.
 - Worked on snowball fight and blocked
big snowball sequence.
- Kira and I worked more on the shiver
dance, trying to learn the timings.
4 of May
th
- Theory in the morning with Deb. Script, notebook, pen, auditorium
- Had our first rehearsal in the auditorium
and got to get a feel for the space.
- We blocked where we would be
standing for the lighting sequence.
- Played with ways we could use the snow
fabric in the space, like throwing them
off the balconies.
- Rehearsed the snowball fight and came
up with ideas of how we could hide the
snowballs.
- Showed Kate the new and improved
dream sequence.
- Worked on lines while the ensemble
did the Hexagonal Shape dance.
5 of May
th
- Just Kira and I got called in at 9. Script, notebook, pen, rehearsal space
- We warmed up.
- Worked on the shiver dance with music.
- Improvised the bus stop scene and
dancing home.
- Worked on the ending scenes once
Louisa arrived.
- At 11:15 when everyone was called in
we recapped unit 1.
- Rehearsed the snowball scene.
- Rehearsed the morning sequence.
- Rehearsed lads and girls entrances.
- Another costume fitting.
- Did our first full run of the show
minimal stops.
6 of May
th
- Emmie ran a warm up for the class. Script, notebook, pen, rehearsal space
- Dylan ran a vocal warm up.
- Kate gave us notes on the run through
we did the day before.
- We went over all the scenes that needed
looking at and worked on them.
- Rehearsed De, Lisha and Tamara’s
scene, working on the timing.
- Played character exercises to work on
physicality, such as walking round the
room in different scenarios, like in a
rush or scared.
- Played some improv games to see how
your characters would react in different
situations. For example, astronaut
training.
- Then we wrote diary entries for our
characters.
- Ran through the entire play again with
all the props this time.
9 of May
th
- Moved all props from the Auditorium to Script, notebook, pen, rehearsal space
the Roper Room.
- Stretch/warmup
- Played Buzzy Bee
- Played atmosphere game, where one
person had to leave the room, then
come back in and guess what the
atmosphere was. For example, anger,
scared.
- Then we got split into groups and we got
instructed to decide what the
atmosphere was for a section of the play.
- Then we shared back to the group and
we made a graph showing the emotional
tracking of the play.
- Got notes from the last run through.
- Then we worked on all the scenes that
needed improving.
- Played a new focus game where we
passed a clap around the circle.
- Then we did another full run of the
play.
10 of May
th
- Tech day!!! Script, notebook, pen, auditorium
- We spent the entire day going cue to
cue, working out the lighting and sound
for each section.
11 of May
th
- Arrived at 9 and got into costume. Script, notebook, pen, rehearsal space,
- Worked with Sophie in the Roper auditorium
Room on the Glitterball scene.
- Went back to Auditorium and worked
on tech notes.
- Got into costume.
- Watched the wardrobe tech rehearsal.
- Did first dress rehearsal with lighting and
sound.
12 of May
th
- Came in at 12 and got into costume. Script, notebook, pen, auditorium
- Kate gave us notes on the dress
rehearsal from the day before.
- Then the Wardrobe cast watched us
perform our second dress rehearsal.
- More notes from Kate.
- First performance!!!
13 of May
th
- Arrived at 5:00 and got into costume. Script, notebook, pen, auditorium
- Got notes from Kate.
- Final Performance!!!