How can you use blocking to create tension and conflict in a theatrical production?

2 How blocking affects tension and conflict?

Blocking can have a profound effect on tension and conflict in a scene, such as by creating physical distance between characters to indicate their relationships, emotions, power dynamics, and intentions. Levels, height, and depth can be used to create contrast, hierarchy, and focus. Movement, direction, and pace can create rhythm, energy, and mood to show changes in the situation or the characters. Gestures, facial expressions, and eye contact can communicate non-verbal cues, emotions, and subtext. Props, furniture, and scenery can also be used to create obstacles, opportunities, and symbolism.

3 How to use blocking to create tension and conflict?

In order to use blocking to create tension and conflict, you must consider the genre, style, tone, theme, message, purpose, plot, structure, sequence, characters, their personalities, motivations, goals, obstacles, audience perspective, engagement and feedback. These elements all influence the expectations, conventions and aesthetics of the play as well as the social impact and relevance of the blocking. Additionally, they determine the rising and falling action of the blocking as well as the climax and resolution. They also shape the interactions, reactions and transformations of the blocking while affecting its clarity, effectiveness and impact.

4 How to apply blocking principles and techniques?

To apply blocking principles and techniques, you must read and analyze the script to identify the main elements of tension and conflict in each scene and between each character. You should then sketch or map out the stage space, marking entrances, exits, levels, furniture, props, and scenery. Experiment with different blocking options to convey the tension and conflict in each scene and between each character. Record or document your blocking choices with symbols, abbreviations, or notes to indicate the positions, movements, and cues of the actors. Finally, rehearse and refine your blocking, making adjustments as needed based on feedback from the actors, director, and audience.

5 How to avoid common blocking mistakes?

To avoid common blocking mistakes, you need to be aware of potential pitfalls such as blocking too early or late, too much or little, too symmetrically or asymmetrically, too realistically or unrealistically, and too statically or dynamically. These mistakes can limit your creativity, flexibility, collaboration, and make your scenes too busy, boring, confusing, predictable, chaotic, unbalanced, literal, abstract, inconsistent, stiff, frantic or unnatural.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?