SilkyShine

Lights. Camera. Action. Three simple words that bring such a large bout of nerves. On the 18th of October, each person in our Drama class was to choose a script for a commercial and told we’d be presenting them on the 21st. It seemed easy enough. I chose ‘SilkyShine Shampoo and Conditioner’ as my product. I memorized my lines as advised, repeating them over and over until I was saying them in my sleep. Next I had to get my product. It consisted of a shampoo bottle with the old label peeled off, and my very own “SilkyShine” label placed on. I had my lines, and now I also had my product. I needed my costume: to go with the hair product theme, I chose a light, breezy summer dress in a lovely shade of purple. I’d need the splash of color if we were performing in front of the black curtains – the last thing I wanted was to blend into them. All that was left now was the actual performance.

One of the twelfth graders from the Acting Academy class came in to film our commercials, and we were set. As luck would have it, we were presenting from the bottom of the list up – that meant I was first! No pressure, right? Wrong. My old hard-fought stage fright returned twice as hard. My first take seemed horrible from my point of view: I knew I was speeding through the lines faster than a racecar. I was supported and advised to take a deep breath, and so I did. It definitely helped. My previous experience in dealing with things unpleasant to me helped to cap the lid on my negative emotions and project my positive. My second take was okay from my point of view and although my friends told me it was good, I personally believe I could have done much better.

This experience definitely proves that acting is not easy. It can be extremely hard to step out into the lights and perform because you have that inner voice telling you that you’re setting yourself up for failure and embarrassment. Maybe I’ll never get over the nerves; maybe the first few moments will always be like that for me. Either way, I got out there and I did what I could do, and that for me, is something to be unfailingly proud of.

Halloween Haunt at Wonderland

Weeks before Thanksgiving weekend, I had been anticipating an outrageously fun event formerly called Fear Fest yet currently named Halloween Haunt. My sister and I picked and chose many things: whom to go with, which attractions to attend (for lack of time), etc. However, on the day of, our careful planning got thrown to the wind: our cousins had bailed, we already had purchased our tickets, and we still couldn’t agree on what all to fit into our seemingly short schedule. Very last minute indeed, we each got a friend on board, and geared up for what would be apparently the thrill of our fall 2010 so far. Stopping for only a Starbucks on the way to be our fuel and energy, we made it in record time.

Now, here I was, expecting to get scared out of my wits, and having fun while at it. However, I did not expect myself to be observing the “monsters” (aka dressed up park employees) as they did their thing. So wrapped up I had been in planning this event, it simply hadn’t occurred to me earlier that I could witness and learn from this terrifying yet exhilarating experience. I went on rides as is the regular routine at amusement parks, but I also interacted with the monsters. I closely watched the couple of mimes (they couldn’t talk for their throats had been ripped out) that sat with us during the length of time it took my friend to devour a funnel cake. I engaged them in (one-sided) conversation simply to see how they acted and reacted, their mannerisms and peculiarities. I continued this with the other monsters that were in various haunted houses and/or roaming the grounds.

I was impressed by how well many of them were able to be so convincing. For all of Thanksgiving Day, I could not rid this experience from my mind. They had been so realistic that their freaky façade managed to thoroughly enthrall me. I can definitely say that it was an excellent experience that I both enjoyed and learned from. I also am positive I will be going again, be it once more this month or next year, it doesn’t really matter. I’m simply sure that this experience delighted me as a person and as an actor...

Yours in eternity,

Faye Night

Enigma vs. Prolific

When someone says “branding”, the common thought that comes to mind is the physical type of branding you would do with a hot poker. Yet for our class, it meant something else: the creation of a production company.

First, we were divided into two separate units; we were on our own, yet ultimately together. The process took place over approximately two weeks. We needed positions, a name, company colors, a mission statement, a vision statement, a website, and a presentation for all the above. The positions were figured out on the first day, however the search for the rest bore us no fruit. We were off to a slow start, indeed. Though it seemed that the presentation date was so far away, we knew all too well how little time we truly had. This must have hit home as, the next day, we finally got the company colors settled, and our company name with it: we would be Enigma Productions. We had also decided on who would write the mission and vision statements and who was to be in charge of the website.

Things seemed to be going considerably well; that should have been enough to foreshadow the trouble to come. Our group had been lucky to gain people with strong personalities and a wealth of ideas, yet we were only creating one production company and so only limited ideas could be chosen. For several days after, our group was at heads, causing some unrest. I made my choices and with them I stayed strong, waiting uneasily for this tempest to pass. However we handled the situation, whatever the out come might have been, we banded together to rescue Enigma from the destruction we ourselves had wrought. The rest of the time was simply structured chaos as we rushed to pick up the pieces. We had burned much in our conflicts, yet from the ashes of our destruction, like a newborn phoenix, rose Enigma Productions.

The eight of October arrived, and from 7 to 9 am, we tied up last minute threads. We were weary, yet we stood strong; we gave it all our best. In the end, we did not win, but standing away from the compulsion of the moment, I remember an old saying: “It’s not whether you win or you lose. It’s about how you played the game.” And so fifteen simple words sum up these weeks: we had good times and bad, yet we all played with our hearts and souls and in the end, that’s what really counts.

Love and other sports like it,

Faye Night

Dramatis Personae

Hi there! I am Faye Imara Night. Allow me to bring you to the dark side. I’m currently a student, actor, writer, and poet at Fletcher’s Meadow Secondary School. I have the honor of being in a special acting class taught by an amazingly extraordinary teacher/humanitarian and a few grade 12 helpers. Under their guidance and tutelage I’ll be working to reach my full potential.

Drama and books have been my two safe havens throughout my life – the good times and the bad. Yet here, in this year, I will truly commence on my path to pursue acting as more than just a needed escape. As I tentatively walk out into the world, drop my shields, and learn to take chances, with you I will share my experiences; my joys and pains, prides and shames. Take my hand and accompany me on this journey without a single backward glance. As I often like to say: Laissez les bon temps roulez…