8. Scene Workshop: Part 1: SECOND REHEARSAL

Although production of Queen of Katwe wrapped in 2015, Mira has recreated a scene workshop exclusively for MasterClass. Young actress Madina Nalwanga reprises her role as chess prodigy Phiona Mutesi, and veteran Ugandan actor Philip Luswata plays the role of chess coach Robert Katende (originally played by David Oyelowo). In cinema, rehearsals often involve not only the actors, but the cinematographer as well. So Miles Goodall, an additional photographer for Queen of Katwe, is also participating with his camera.

The scene takes place in Russia, following Phiona’s defeat at an international chess championship. Devastated, Phiona has fled the arena and her coach finds her outside, weeping. As you watch each stage of this scene workshop, take note of Mira’s directorial approach and think about how you envision your own style for working with actors.

Before rehearsals begin, make sure that you have spent quality time getting to know your actors, engaging in exercises with them, and building a relationship of trust. This is especially true for young, first-time performers. Begin by talking together about each character’s motivations and feelings (although you should save the real emotional work for later). Next, work out the movement of the performers through space, and concurrently experiment with the placement and framing of the camera in relation to the performers. This process of ‘blocking’ is essentially an act of choreography, where every action is motivated by something the characters think, feel, want, or need. It is simultaneously an act of composition, where appropriate frames and camera angles are chosen so as to accentuate the emotional themes of the story.

For your first scene rehearsal, your actors should have their lines memorized. Work with them to discover what motivates each moment. There are a number of individual ‘beats’ in any given scene where one emotion shifts to another, and the dramatic action shifts in response. Find those beats, and work with your actors to understand their progression. Inexperienced actors may need to be reminded to say the lines as if they are grappling with their feelings, and don’t know what they’re going to say next.

The underlying emotions of the character are what should motivate each line of dialogue, not the simple fact that “this is what the script says next.” Achieving that authenticity requires an exploration of internal feelings and processes, and it isthe director’s task to facilitate the discovery of those emotions.