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Uta Hagen Exercise Questions
Written Assignment Format
(To be completed for each exercise and turned in prior to the presentation)
I. Objective
Very simply, this is what you want in the exercise. Think in terms of needs; the more dynamic and essential the need, the more fuel you'll have to make your story interesting and compelling. There should be two objectives: one that is a long-term, overriding objective, the other should reflect a short term objective that you will attempt to accomplish over the course of the exercise that will help you move closer to achieving the larger objective. This section can -- and should -- be stated in two sentence: "I want to _____________. In order to get this, I have to _______________."
II. Obstacles
What is in the way of you getting what you want? There are two segments to this that should be clearly and explicitly identified: internal andexternal. External refers to all of the things outside of yourself that keep you from achieving your objective. Internal refers to those things inside of you that get in your way. Internal obstacles are usually best thought of in terms of fear, i.e., what you are afraid will happen if you achieve your objective. All obstacles work toward creating tension and conflict, which are essential to an interesting story.
III. The Scenario
This is a beat-by-beat account of the story you are telling. Tell it in the first person, present tense, making it as active as you possibly can. In other words, this story is happening to you and it is happening now. Your scenario should begin prior to the start of the exercise and continue past the end point of your exercise. In writing the scenario, the more detailed you are, the better, but make sure that all of the details contribute in a significant way to the telling of the story. While there are many ways to tell a story, your story should, in some way, address the following questions:
1. WHO AM I?
For the Uta Hagen exercises, you will always be yourself. But in life, you are always different, depending on the very specific circumstances that you're engaged in. Who are you this time? What is your present state of being? How do you perceive your self? What are you wearing and how does that affect how you perceive yourself?
2. WHAT ARE THE CIRCUMSTANCES?
Basically, this is everything that affects the story that you are telling. Be very thorough and specific in your exploration of the circumstances that surround the story you are telling. Explore questions such as
• What time is it? (The year, the season, the day? At what time does your selected life begin?)
• Where are you? For the Hagen exercises, your story should always take place in doors in a room that you are very familiar with, preferably a room in your house, apartment or dorm.
• What surrounds you? (The immediate landscape? The weather? The condition of the place and the nature of the objects in it?)
• What are the immediate circumstances? (What has just happened prior to the start of your story? What do you expect or plan to happen next and later on?)
3. WHAT ARE YOUR RELATIONSHIPS?
These include everything that surrounds you, including the people who affect the story that you're telling. It also includes your relationship to the circumstances, the place and the objects that you connect with during the course of your story.
4. WHAT DO YOU DO TO GET WHAT YOU WANT?
This is probably the most important aspect of your storytelling, for these are the actions that drive you toward achieving your objectives. This is what you do, moment by moment, in pursuit of your objective. It should also take into account how you adjust to what happens as you pursue your objective.
An Excellent Example of the Uta Hagen Exercise Questions
Finding Occupation While Waiting
A. Objective:
I want to have mom make me coffee in order to keep myself awake so I can study for my French exam. I need to stay awake because I really want to do well on my test, since it is one third of my grade. I want to do well not only because I really enjoy the class, but I also respect the teacher, and I don t want to give her a bad impression.
B. The Obstacles
1. My exam is tomorrow morning, and I know it will take me two hours to study. Therefore I don't have a lot of time before I need to take my test. However, my mom is upstairs busy with something, so I have to wait before I can get my coffeee.
2. I am very tired and irritable, which makes me less willing to be patient. I know I can make coffee myself, but I just didn't want to go to the trouble. I need the coffee but I'm not sure if my patience will last.
C. The Scenario
1. Who am I?
I am a sophomore in high school who doesn't think French is that important. I have a hectic schedule and consequently tend to give up my sleep in order to get things done. I don't get stressed about work, but at the same time, it means something to me when I can do well on a test or a paper. I am a good student, so I feel capable, but I also know that my mind can't always reign supreme over my body; fatigue can definitely threaten my performance. To deal with this problem, I am a huge caffeine addict, almost to the point that without coffee, I feel less confident about what I can do. I am usually a pretty laid-back person, but sometimes my schedule makes me feel like I have to rush and be very efficient with every moment.
2. What are the circumstances?
What time is it?
It is 9:30 pm on a Friday in November, 2000.
Where am I?
I am in my dining room at home; I'm sitting at the table.
What surrounds me?
In front of me is the table, a large room with a wooden floor. The cat, Fluffy, is under the table. There is a big window across from me. Behind and to my left is a door to the basement. To my left is a wall with an ugly painting that my sister did. I hate the picture, I hate her. Right behind me is a china cabinet with my mother's "good china" in it. Outside the weather is slightly chilly, so inside the is warm. The TV is on in the next room and I can hear Comedy Central and people laughing.
What are the immediate circumstances?
I have spent most of the night in the library studying for this exam. The exam is worth one third of my grade; moreover, I really admire my instructor, and I really want to do well to show him that I'm interested and that I'm capab le. The test will cover A LOT of information so I spent the whole time in the library reading over all of our material, making notes basically, cramming. I drank a lot of coffee to keep myself awake, and also my nervous energy and determination kept me going. I took a short nap to revive myself around 4pm but overall I am physically drained.
D. What are my relationships?
1. My mom is upstairs and I want her to make me coffee. I don't know what she is doing and I'm not sure I should interrupt her. My sister is watching Comedy Central in the living room. She is the one who painted the awful picture. I'd like her to turn the TV off or at least down A LOT. I want coffee. I want my mom to make it. The cat is by my feet and I think about picking her up.
2. I'm wearing "scrubs" and think maybe I should throw on something else to be warmer. There are pajamas that I like that my grandma gave me last Christmas. They are warm and remind me of her. I think about putting them on.
3. There is the text book, a pen with too many chew marks in it and my note cards.
E. What do I do to get what I want?
the SCENARIO I call up to my mom. I m eager to get my coffee, not only to keep myself awake but also because I've been thinking about it. Just the idea of drinking coffee gives me a little more energy. But I am still pretty tired. My brain seems like it is going to explode with information, and my body is dragging from lack of sleep. I log on to AIM to see if my mom is there so I can ask her on IM if she'd make me coffee. I am tempted to check facebook. Do I have time for this? I check the clock on the computer. I don t have very much time before I have to start taking my test. Arg! I just want to get this test over with but at the same time, I want to do really well. And in order to do really well, I need t o be awake. I open my eyes really wide and tell myself I'm awake. I'm awake. I go into the kitchen, grab my mug put it on the table. I start the coffee. It feels nice not to have stopped writing. My muscles are kind of sore from fatigue. I rub my fingers as I look for the coffee. I am already getting irritated. I stop myself a little, knowing it is mostly due to the fact that I am tired and I feel nervous about this test. I rub my face. I'm not tired. Wake up! I start going over some things in my head about the test. What did is that vocab word? What was the irregular verb? I stare into space as I think hard. What if I don't remember everything I stayed up studying? What if I fail? Ok, this line of thought is just making me feel paranoid. I open the fridge. I stare at the contents of the fridge. There are so many things in there. It's incredible. There's something in there at looks good. There's something in there that looks old. I rub my eyes; they feel dry from being awake and it almost feels like I m straining them just to see. All I know is that I m going to take a nap after this test is over! sheesh. I bang my cup against my leg in an effort to keep myself stimulate. What is going on?. I feel slightly pacified by the coffee smell. I pull my hands into the sleeves of my sweatshirt. It s so comfortable and soft. It makes me feel a little sleepy. No, no! I have to stay alert. This test is important! How long is this taking? I check the clock. Can I afford to stand here and wait much longer? I need to get back and study! I realize I've left the fridge door open. I shut it with my foot. I want to stay alert so I take off my sweatshirt and tie it around my waist. It's still rather warm in the so I don t feel cold. I look at the design on my mug, tracing the pattern with my finger. ! It feels like every moment is lasting an eternity! I check the clock again. I shift my weight because it feels like my body is getting cramped up. And I continue to wait.