The actorss3.amazonaws.com/isuma.attachments/5_the_actors.pdf · 2018-06-11 · lines. Then, the...
Transcript of The actorss3.amazonaws.com/isuma.attachments/5_the_actors.pdf · 2018-06-11 · lines. Then, the...
TheactorsConversationwithJonFrantzonOctober18th,2017ByGabrielaGámez
Filmset,screenshotfromten-minutesegmentonHaidalanguageandEdgeoftheKnifeairedonCBCNationalNovember1st,2017http://www.cbc.ca/news/thenational/first-haida-language-film-offers-rare-powerful-glimpse-of-haida-people-1.4383384?autoplay=trueActingwassomethingthemajorityoftheactorsparticipatingintheEdgeoftheKnifehadneverdonebefore.TheirfirsttrainingwastoreceivetheirownMP3playertorehearseeachactors’lines.Then,theactorswentona2-weeklanguageworkshopwiththeHaidaelderstoperfecttheirHaidalanguage.Justimaginethat…thesepeoplenotonlyhadneveractedbefore,buttheyalsodidnotspeaktheHaidalanguagepreviously,theylearnedbothskillsforthefilm–it’sahugeachievementforeachoftheactors.Theactorsalsohadanactingcoach–CowboySmithx,aBlackfootfilmmakerfromthePiikaniNationandKainaiNationinSouthernAlberta–whogavethemweekendworkshopsfocusedonacting.CowboySmithxwasabletoguidetheactorsonhowtoconnectemotionallywiththeircultureintotheirperformance.Hisapproachwastogivethemconfidence,forthemtoembodytheircharacter.TheactorsalsohadavoiceworkshopwithTrishAllen,avoicecoachwhofocusedongivingthemconfidenceintheirvoiceandmovement–andbelievetheyareintherole.Thisremindedmeoftheacting-styleofInuitonIsuma’sfilms.IknowfromNormanCohnthatoneofthesecretsofhowgenuine,authenticandpowerfultheperformancesare,isbecauseInuitbelieveinreincarnationandsomeofthemareactingastheirancestors,sotheyareactingthemselves.WhenIaskedJonifHaidabelievedinreincarnation,hesaidtheydid,andactuallyit
wasoneofthethemesidentifiedveryearlyoninthefilmdevelopment–alotofpeoplewantedtoseereincarnationdepictedinthefilm.Whenweweretalkingaboutthis,Jonmentionedtherewasastrongsenseofspiritualitythroughoutthewholefilm.Howthefactthatthefilmwasshotontraditionallandhadaneffectoneverybody’sperformance–itgottheactorsintoazonetoembodyandfeelreincarnated.Theactingcoachwaskeytothisprocessbecauseheshowedtheactorshowtogetoutofthisstatewhenevertheystoppedacting–spirituallyandemotionally.InthecharactercalledAdeana,awomanwhohasaveryemotionalroletoplayashersondiesandsheisinalovetriangle.Whenshecries,youcanseethosearerealtears.Onset,therewasalsoClintCarleton,amovementcoach.Clintworkedwiththeactorsindividually,workingouttheirmoves.Somehadtobeveryanimalisticbecauseforinstance,onecharacterturnsintoawildmanandashetransformsandevolveshebecomesmoreandmorewild.Sothemovementcoachhelpedtheactorunderstandhowtoworkthistransformationandbecomethiscreature.