MOGADISHU Portfolio - Jay Ansah

Jay's MOGADISHU Portfolio

Forms

23. Project Proposal Form

21. Bibliography

20. Evaluating Sound Prep

1. About Mogadishu & The Playwright

19. Evaluating Sound

Evaluation

Sound design

Character creation

CONTEXT

22. Candidate Authentication Form

18. Evaluating Creation

17. Evaluating Performance

16. Evaluation Notice

11. Final Stages of becoming Firat

10. Social Context - Firat

15. The Learning Curve

14. Sound Design Problems

13. Sound Design Production

12. Sound Design Introduction

9. Historical Context - Firat

8. Cultural Context - Firat

7. Character Review

6. Character Inspiration

5. Character Profile

4. Character Development

3. Why Firat is for me

2. Character Analysis

index

Adam: The white teacher who is accused of racism. Jason: A black student who falsely accuses Amanda of racially motivated assault. Becky: Adam's daughter, who is deeply provoked into hating Jason. Firat: A student who is beat up by Jason in the beginning of the play Dee: The girlfriend of Jason who is torn between her loyalty to him and her own sense of right and wrong. Jordan: Another student who gets involved in the conflict. Chuggs: A student and friend of Jason. Saif: A student who is part of Jason's group. Ben: A student who is also part of Jason's group. Peter: Adam's husband, who supports her through the ordeal.

Vivienne Franzmann, a British playwright and former teacher, wrote "Mogadishu," which premiered in 2011. This was her first play, and it delves into issues like racism and bullying within the school system. The story is about a teacher who is wrongfully accused of racism by a student. Franzmann's experience as a teacher brings a real and relatable depth to the play, offering an honest look at the struggles faced in inner-city schools. Her background gives the story a genuine feel, making it resonate deeply with audiences.

About the playwright

"Mogadishu" is a powerful play by Vivienne Franzmann that dives into the intense environment of a British inner-city school. It all starts when Amanda, a white teacher, gets attacked by Jason, a black student. Trying to be kind, Amanda decides not to report him, hoping to save him from expulsion. But her good deed backfires spectacularly. Jason twists the story, falsely accusing Amanda of racial abuse to save his own skin. This sparks a whirlwind of lies, tensions, and conflict, pushing the school community to its breaking point. The play tackles tough issues like race, authority, and the tricky relationships between students and teachers, making for a gripping and thought-provoking experience.

About Mogadishu

In my past, I've always let my imagination run wild when creating characters. But now, I'm facing a new challenge. I not only have to conjure up Firat in my mind, but I also have to build him from the ground up. This means diving into Nigerian culture, even though I'm Ghanaian, and really grasping the differences in educational norms between Nigeria and the UK. It's not just about imagination anymore; it's about understanding Firat as a person, with his own background and experiences. It's a journey that requires empathy and research to do justice to his character.

What methods will you implement to bring this character to life?

How much of a challenge will this be?

Character Analysis

To transform Firat into a Nigerian character, several key elements need to be considered; shaping his identity within the context of Nigerian culture. Firstly, his backstory would be reimagined, likely influenced by Nigeria's historical and social landscape, perhaps involving regional conflicts or societal challenges specific to the country. His cultural background would play a pivotal role, with traditions, values, and societal norms unique to Nigeria informing his character's development. Language and dialect would need adjustment to reflect Nigerian speech patterns and linguistic nuances, ensuring authenticity in his dialogue. Additionally, Firat's physical appearance and mannerisms would be adapted to align with Nigerian cultural norms, including considerations of attire, grooming, and body language. Socioeconomic factors would also shape his character, with his upbringing, access to resources, and socio-economic status reflecting the realities of life in Nigeria. Religious and spiritual beliefs, prevalent in Nigerian society, would further influence Firat's worldview and motivations, adding depth to his character. Finally, regional influences from Nigeria's diverse ethnic groups would contribute to Firat's identity, enriching his portrayal with cultural diversity and authenticity. By carefully integrating these elements, Firat's character can be transformed into a compelling Nigerian figure, resonating with audiences through his relatable experiences and cultural context.

For example, in Scene 10. We hear from Firat once again and this time we get some insight on his though processes. Especially where he repeatedley says 'I cannot' and 'No.' and stays persistent with his ideas and beliefs so much so that it aggravates Becky. Becky retaliates with saying 'You f*cking selfish ar*ehole'. Firat then takes it upon himself to educate Becky by saying 'Why must you swear?... My sister tells me this girl tells Mr Bektas to eff off. This girl is eleven years old.' Here we can not only get that he has some morals, but that he was raised with discipline, and the ability to tell right from wrong without causing commotion.

Given the circumstance of my low-level understanding of the story as of now, MOGADISHU, It would make sense that I choose a character that doesn't speak too much but has enough depth to him that I can create a soul around his dialogue.

Reasons why Firat is for me.

Firat as a character is rather simple yet complex in many ways. His relationship with the majority of other characters in the show are rather standoffish. Firat is highly selective about what is able to derive his focus and energy. He is this way because of his cultural and childhood upbringing, that being his strict childhood, where he gets 'whack' if he does wrong, and how 'common' things like swearing are highly wrong in

Similarily, Nigerian parents are alike in the sense that they are a huge influence on Nigerian kids. 'As Nigeria continues to grow and develop, it is essential to understand the cultural values and practices that shape the way children are raised in the country. Nigerian parenting styles are heavily influenced by cultural beliefs and values that have been passed down from generation to generation. These beliefs and values shape the behavior of Nigerian parents and the way they raise their children.' (Nketchi,2024)

In Nigeria, the educational system runs on a tight ship. Students are expected to toe the line, with rules and routines dictating much of their day-to-day experience. This structured environment leaves little wiggle room for students to express themselves or take charge of their learning in the classroom. Instead of fostering curiosity and creativity, the focus is often on following the rules and conforming to expectations. While this approach may keep things orderly, it can sometimes make it hard for students to truly find their voice and explore their interests. It's like being in a well-organized but somewhat rigid system that doesn't always leave much space for individual growth and exploration. In Nigeria, the educational system runs on a tight ship. Students are expected to toe the line, with rules and routines dictating much of their day-to-day experience. This structured environment leaves little wiggle room for students to express themselves or take charge of their learning in the classroom. Instead of fostering curiosity and creativity, the focus is often on following the rules and conforming to expectations. While this approach may keep things orderly, it can sometimes make it hard for students to truly find their voice and explore their interests. It's like being in a well-organized but somewhat rigid system that doesn't always leave much space for individual growth and exploration.

Character Research/Development

Ideas I have to convey these traits through the actions and dialogue of Firat:

- Active Listening: I could demonstrate emotional intelligence by actively listening to others without interrupting or judging, (by showing it through my body language). The other characters will respond with their fiery responses, showing the contrast between Firat and others. - Conflict Resolution: Another way I could portray emotional intelligence is through the character's adeptness at resolving conflicts peacefully and diplomatically. Instead of reacting impulsively or defensively, they might remain calm and composed, seeking to understand the root cause of the conflict and finding mutually beneficial solutions. (Scene 1 when he repeatedly says sorry to Jason to get him to calm down). - Empathy and Perspective-Taking: I could show that Firat can exhibit emotional intelligence by consistently demonstrating empathy and the ability to see situations from different viewpoints (Scene 10 when he says to Becky 'You are not like the rest). They might offer support and comfort to those in distress, showing sensitivity to their feelings and demonstrating a willingness to consider diverse perspectives before making judgments or decisions. - Self-Regulation and Awareness: I could make Firat portray emotional intelligence by reflecting on his own emotions and regulating their responses accordingly. He might exhibit self-awareness by recognizing and acknowledging his feelings, but also possess the ability to manage them effectively, even in challenging situations.

How I am to portray this in my supposed Firat performance would include my ability to be versatile with his character. To be able to show that he is human too but has a higher level of emotional intelligence in comparison to others.

Take the first scene, for example. When Firat gets pushed and a fight erupts, he could've easily fought back to defend himself from Jason. But he doesn't. It speaks volumes about his self-control and respect. He doesn't waste his time with people who can't keep it together. And would easily choose to lose a few drops of blood than lose a pound of self-respect that he has.

As I mentioned before, Firat demonstrates numerous admirable qualities through his actions and words.

Name/Nickname: Firat Adebayo Age: 16 Gender: Male Nationality: Nigerian DOB: 22nd August 2007 Race: Black Height: 6'0

To the right we have Oscar Isaac's Moon Knight. A multi-personality based anti-hero. This character is so complex that Oscar Isaac himself said that he had 'put everything into it' and that 'it's like my baby'. Despite his humourous mannerisms, its quite clear that the power put behind Moon Knight came from a raw place, and that it quite literally took everything to create this character.

VERSATILITY

To the right here, we can see Oscar Isaac's 'Miguel O' Hara'. This being a whole other cinematic universe, goes to show just how versatile Osaac really is. This characters depth spans way farther than Poe's. Miguel in the film 'Across the spider-verse, (ATSV)', Miguel goes so far to the point where he chest slams a teenager who is going through a crisis, into a moving outer-planetary train. Eyebrows were raised in this scene, because us as the audience knew that Miguel getting mad was bad news, for everyone. In the following scene, Miguel can be seen 'clawing' at a teleportation device used by the same teenager who was trying to get away from him. The ferocity in Miguels voice here shows more than just versatility. The fact that this was purely voice-acted goes to show just how much power I can put behind Firat when I get into his character. Not saying I'm Oscar, but I am someone who knows their reach.

To the left you can see Oscar Isaac's 'Poe Dameron'. The point I am trying to make is that this character has his own identity, an identity seperate from the actor or the actor's other roles. If star wars fans were to see this character die, they wouldn't say 'oh well, just another side character gone', they'd genuinly be distraught. The point I'm trying to make is, is that Oscar Isaac brought this character to life and gave him a soul, and through his performance, sucessfully did that.

INSPIRATION

Finally, I would then go on to adding a finishing touch onto the sound design of the show. And pinpointing focus onto certain key characters including Firat. Sounds of solemn but also of solitude. Only to amplify the effect of Firat onstage.

Next, I'd use Strasberg's beloved method acting to actually become this character the second I potentially get the role. As of right now, I'm learning to be assertive but respective, in the sense that I can get my point across without sounding obnoxious as this is a trait I've been told that I have, and I don't want that for my life. So in knowing this I've already shifted my very being towards Firat's profile.

First I would put some research intro other characters that are like Firat in certain ways. For example: Yoda (Self-awareness), Happy Gilmore (Self-regulation), Erin Brockovich (Motivation), Deanna Troi (Empathy) and Alex 'Hitch' Hitchens (Social Skills, although in this case; the lack of it). These characters all get their way through the things that they say, and they are fully aware of the consequences behind certain things that they say. Something I'll need for Firat.

As I've demonstrated, Firat needs whoever is to perform him to put their all into it. And as I've also demonstrated, I can be very dedicated to a mission when it arises. Firat needs someone who understands what it means to be emotionally intelligent, and I know I'm the last person you want to cast for this role and that talk is cheap, but let this presentation bring some insight on my dedication to this intruiging character.

How will I accomplish the succesful creation of Firat?

For this role, 'you'd need someone like me. And there's no one like me'

Whether I'm physically transforming myself or diving into research, I know that fully committing to Firat's portrayal is a must. But you know what? I'm ready for it. Firat's character gives me the chance to completely lose myself in a role, to make him feel like a living, breathing person on screen, and to hopefully leave audiences moved by the authenticity and depth of my performance.

Firat feels like an exciting challenge just waiting for me, an actor who loves to dive deep into method acting. He's such a fascinating mix of complexity, with layers drawn from his unique background and a rollercoaster of emotions. From moments of intense fear to incredible resilience, Firat's journey demands that I can tap into a wide range of feelings to bring him to life authentically. And his cultural background? That adds even more depth, making it essential for me to really understand where he's coming from to portray him convincingly. Method acting is my go-to here; it's the key to unlocking all of Firat's intricacies in a way that feels real.

CULTURAL CONTEXT - firat

Mogadishu, being set in a relatively modern British inner-city school, reflects the real-life challenges these institutions faced, particularly in the early 2000s. Schools during this period dealt with racial tension, violence, and heavy academic expectations. As Britain became more diverse, schools saw a mix of cultures and backgrounds, sometimes leading to misunderstandings and prejudices. The play captures these dynamics, showing how integration and cultural identity issues play out in a school environment. It addresses the growing concern about school violence and its impact on students and staff, resonating with societal anxieties about student safety. The story also delves into the pressures on teachers, who had to manage complex social issues while ensuring academic success. The narrative highlights the precarious nature of the teaching profession, where educators had to balance high expectations with the need to support and understand their students. Mentioned by Aditya Chakrabortty in her article on racism in the education system, she says “There’s a hidden epidemic of racism in UK schools — but it’s finally coming to light”. Like I said, Vivienne showed this through Mogadishu.

HISTORICAL CONTEXT - FIRAT

Firat is a multifaceted character. On the one hand, he is driven by a singular goal: to make his parents proud. This is evident in Scene 5, where he overreacts to his father's reaction to the broken glasses, treating it as a much more severe incident. However, his complexity is further revealed in Scene 10, where his focus shifts to Becky. After receiving affection from her, Firat becomes determined to impress her and protect her from Jason, even overcoming his fear to confront Jason and speak to Ms. Henderson. Firat is a straightforward character with a singular goal: to make his parents proud. This is shown in Scene 5, where he overreacts to his father's response to broken glasses, treating it like a major crisis. In Scene 10, Firat's complexity emerges when he develops feelings for Becky. After she shows affection, he becomes determined to impress and protect her from Jason, even confronting him and talking to Ms. Henderson. With Becky, Firat is warm and open, making jokes and trying to keep her happy. This shows a side of him that is not just academic and nerdy. In Scene 18, Firat stands up to Jason, saying "No" and staring him in the eyes. Initially seeing Jason as a distraction, he realizes after being beaten up and having his glasses broken that Jason is genuinely bad. Firat's interactions with Dee are different. He respects her, sensing she isn't always willing to follow Jason's commands. This cultural understanding influences Firat to hold his tongue around her, reflecting the Nigerian context where men traditionally hold power over women.

sOCIAL CONTEXT - FIRAT

Choosing Firat was just the beginning of the journey. What came next was the challenge of breathing life into him, transforming him from mere words on a page into a character with depth, intentions, and feelings. In my pursuit to develop Firat, I found inspiration in other deuteragonists who had left a lasting impact on audiences despite not always being in the spotlight. Take Bumblebee from Transformers, for instance. Despite being voiceless, Bumblebee is a character with remarkable depth, his intentions and emotions conveyed through his actions and expressions. Similarly, there's Leopold Fitz, played by the incredible Ian De Caestecker, from Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Fitz faced the challenge of a head injury that robbed him of his ability to form full sentences. However, despite this limitation, Fitz's character remained rich and engaging. He conveyed an immense amount of emotion through his physicality and the way he communicated with other characters. Studying these characters helped me understand how to infuse Firat with the complexity and depth that would make him come alive on the page. Through exploring their journeys, I learned valuable lessons about character development and storytelling that I applied to Firat's evolution, allowing him to become more than just a character in a script, but a living, breathing presence within the story.

Final steps of creating Firat.

SOUND DESIGN

Embarking on this task from day one, all the way through to its culmination, the idea of tackling sound design filled me with an overwhelming sense of uncertainty. It made me question if sound design was truly my calling. Navigating through this unfamiliar territory, I grappled with the challenge of effectively communicating with the director. Despite my best efforts, I found it hard to articulate my thoughts and concerns. As the pressure mounted, I could feel my confidence waning, and my performance suffered as a result. However, in the face of these difficulties, I refused to give up. Even when a last-minute change was needed due to my earlier missteps, I pushed through and managed to see the project to completion. This experience taught me a lot about myself - not just my technical skills, but also my ability to bounce back from setbacks and adapt to unforeseen circumstances.

This show really pushed me to my limits when it came to sound design. It was unlike anything I'd tackled before, and I think a big part of that was the music genre I had to work with. See, the music for this show was all from 2011, which was a bit of a departure for me. I'm used to listening to songs from the last three years, mostly stuff from the Americas. So, diving into this different style and era was a real challenge. At first, I struggled to find my groove. Adapting to this new musical landscape wasn't easy. But, as I immersed myself in the sounds of 2011, something clicked. It was tough, sure, but it was also incredibly rewarding. This experience pushed me out of my comfort zone and forced me to grow as a sound designer. It was a real learning curve, but I came out the other side with a whole new perspective on sound design.

sOund design PRODUCTION

Looking back on past experiences, there's this familiar routine I had with creating a chart. It's like crafting a detailed map of tracks, deciding when and where they'd fit perfectly into the production. You know, the kind of chart you'd usually see displayed to your right. But this time around, things took a different turn. I was thrown into unfamiliar territory, having to pick songs from a genre that was completely new to me. It felt like starting from scratch, relearning the ropes of creating a sound sheet. Suddenly, it wasn't just about putting together audio for the show; it was also about diving headfirst into a genre I never thought I'd explore. It was like embarking on a musical adventure, discovering the ins and outs of this unfamiliar territory while trying to piece together the perfect soundtrack. So, yeah, this project wasn't just about ticking off boxes on a to-do list; it was about pushing boundaries and embracing the unknown, all while trying to craft something truly special.

sOund design problems

Alot of this process was a huge learning curve for me, and to be honest, the one thing that stuck with me the most was teaching myself how to pick up on things way faster. And one thing I picked up on the fastest was that I was the only one responsible for my mishaps. I made the mistake of not communicating to my Director about my progress with sound design. And now I know that I must take some time to look within myself and see why I made such a mistake. Now moving forward, I'm confident it wont happen again.

What i had learned from this

Like I had mentioned before, I found this specific sound sheet the most challenging of all the ones I had done prior. But the biggest change of them all, was the one that was out of my hands. This particular mistake was because of my own action, or rather, inaction. As shown quite a lot in the past, I can be a very distracted person and can even forget deadlines frequently. So much so that I left the sound sheet to be completed in the last 2 weeks from show day, which made it so that the Director had no other choice but to manually change the order of sounds and how frequently they play throughout the show. This all happened because of my inability to communicate to the Director and taking the sound design responsibility, entirely into my own hands which lead into miscommunication, which inevitably lead to the sound design downfall.

The learning curve

EVALUATIOn section

A week after playing Firat, I can confidently say that I am very proud of myself, to be able to not only hold an accent the entire show, but to hold a certain demeanour that fits Firat entirely. That scared by funny character, the one who is focused on one thing at a time. And the one who is most down to earth. I initially wanted to go for a more agressive Firat, as I could sense a lingering rage for Jason that Firat was holding back. But I decided to instead keep that for scene 18 alone, and keep the rest of the scenes Firat was in, relatively normal. I'm also impressed by how fast I was able to learn all my lines to Firat as I was working on 3 other productions at the same time of playing Firat. One being a short film called 'I Wish You Roses' and 'A Night In' and a CompanyThree show where I played a character called Miles. Due to the stress within the preperation time period, I decided to create my own script, one that had all my lines in one space for me to learn. As you can see to your right.

EVALUATIng performance

I changed Firat in many ways to fit the aura I gave off on stage. As we know, Firat gets bullied in the beginning of the play and my body does not fit the person of someone who is likely to get bullied. So I was told about this by my Director, and she said that I should hold myself even tighter in the first scene to show how scared Firat is through my body. And when I finally went on stage, I was hearing 'Aww' when I never get them, so I could tell something was working through my performance. And furthermore, I was also told to add a sense of fluidity within Firat. For example, in scene 5 where Firat walks in and talks to Ms. Henderson. I was told that it would work best if he was rambling on about the fight to Ms. Henderson as he walks in. Which gives off the same agitated vibe from Firat. Ultimately, I succesfully pulled off an entirely different character with little to no flaws through the creative input of my Director.

EVALUATIng performance

As I've stated before, the sound design was the biggest hurdle for me as an actor and sound manager. But looking back now I see that there were not as many lows as I thought, because the highs were quite high. Majority of the songs and audios used in the sound sheet were heavily read over and corrected in a way that made sense for each scene they were used. Jason for example had classical music which respectively complimented the audience's inability to fully comprehend him as a character, because as Mogadishu unfolds, we see a side to Jason brought out by his father that we don't see anywhere else. This level of intesive research was put into all the other songs and audios used in the sound sheet. I even went as far as to relate to the Bible in the audios. I made it so that the phone rang for 3 times to signify how the bird crowed three times before Jesus was crucified.

EVALUATIng sound

This paragraph is ready to hold stunning creativity, experiences and stories.

EVALUATIng sound

BIBLIOGRAPHY

https://smartparenting.ng/how-culture-influences-behavior/ - Nketchi Slide 5 https://amp.theguardian.com/education/2020/jul/23/reliving-experiences-of-racism-in-uk-education - Aditya Chakrabortty Slide 10