Site Specific: Day 5


Today, we finally began to narrow down some of our ideas. I think this was desperately needed as the longer we continue without an idea, the less time we will have to create a piece and the more arguments will arise.


We began by splitting off into separate groups again and told to think of one very indie, quirky idea that we hadn't discussed before, based around an inside picture of Fort Amherst. The group I was in came up with the idea of a murder mystery style performance. We would invite the audience to the performance disguised as a drama awards evening and plan to take it in a new direction with a staged murder and a tour through the tunnels to get out. The ideas are as below.

As we rejoined as a class, we all pitched our ideas back to each other to create this brainstorm of all the ideas we had thought of so far. We then discussed which ideas would work well and what wouldn't. I think the main issue for the piece my group came up with is that some of the class were not keen on how we would merely be playing ourselves instead of a character. In addition, some were concerned that it would be too real for the audience and some of them may freak out or find it too much, although that was the effect we were going for, to make the event a near reality. The thing I am still finding difficult at the moment is how everyone seems to defend their own ideas and tries to run with them as much as they can, forgetting we are functioning as a company, also it became apparent to me today that we see the ideas we come up with as so rigid, and flaws are picked out all the time. The point in coming up with these ideas are not to be rigid, they are open to manipulation and adjustment, maybe even linking some different ideas together. I think once we settle on an idea we can develop it as at the moment it feels like we are trying to come up with such a rigid idea, or a complete idea that we have to stick with. However, we did discuss how some ideas can link into each other, but at the moment I think it is important to remember that we can always change the details of an idea once we have picked it. The base of the idea will be there but it will change as we develop it.


I think once we get to Fort Amherst and are able to see and feel the location an idea will be a little easier to come by. I think the important thing is to go with an open mind and not go with pre conceived ideas in our heads, as this will suppress the creative process considerably.