Jean-Louis Rodrigue and Kristof Konrad offer movement and acting coaching for feature films, operas, and theatrical productions. Their work merges the author’s text, the character’s physical life, and the plot’s circumstances into a deeply striking interpretation.
From rehearsals and pre-production through shooting to dubbing and editing; be it animal, alien, period, or character roles, their unique talent for breathing life into characters and assisting with the incorporation of special character costumes is internationally recognized in the film, theater and music industry.
FEATURE FILMS: COLLABORATION WITH THE DIRECTOR AND CAST.
The acting and movement specialist’s purpose is to collaborate with the Director to make the Director’s job easier, to fully grasp the Director’s vision and understand the creative need. This is achieved by preparing the actors, making them more available, more flexible actors. Actors who are clear about their interpretations of their characters, who are calm, easy to direct, and ready to adapt to changing directorial requirements. This includes both work on the part itself and for the general development of the actor, such as elimination of mannerisms and bad habits to acquiring better posture, movement coordination, and improved voice production.
PERIOD MOVEMENT
In the feature film THE AFFAIR OF THE NECKLACE, Jean-Louis trained Academy Award winner Hilary Swank to move and embody, in a believable way, Countess Valois De La Motte, carrying out her plans at Versailles during 1785. As a specialist in 17th & 18th century period movement (French & English), Jean-Louis focused on assisting Hilary and the other leading actors penetrate the period manners as deeply as they penetrate their acting roles.
ANIMAL MOVEMENT AND MORPHOLOGY
Working closely with Director Simon Wells and the Stan Winston Studio, Jean-Louis collaborated in creating the threatening movements of the Hunter and Spy Morlocks for Dreamworks’ feature film, THE TIME MACHINE. The heavy and elaborate creature costumes prevented the actors from moving in a believable way. Jean-Louis’ acting and movement coaching solved the movement problems and literally helped the Winston designers in improving the creature costumes. This work was essential in bringing to life the highly efficient and aggressive hunter quality of the Morlock creatures.
In preparing Patricia Arquette for her role of Lila in HUMAN NATURE, Jean-Louis had to help her experience greater freedom and coordination in her own body. The character being more animal than human, Jean-Louis’ goal was to assist Patricia experiment and discover the different shapes, rhythms, and sounds of the role so she could ultimately move and react as an animal in the wild.
MUSIC - VOCAL AND INSTRUMENTAL
There are many causes for the problems musicians encounter in performance. Jean-Louis and Kristof’s coaching offers original and far reaching solutions through personal training sessions, and specific project coaching. Sessions include practical work on the specific musical piece, vocally and/or with the instrument. Jean-Louis teaches at the UCLA Department of Music as well as being on the faculty at the Verbier Festival and Academy in Switzerland with Kristof. Jean-Louis has taught for the Los Angeles Philharmonic Institute, the New World Symphony, and the American Center for Music Theatre Training.
The services offered include solutions to the following problems:
- Misuse/Overuse Syndrome – Differentiating between misuse and overuse of the voice and improving the functioning of the musician in performance.
- Injuries and Pain – Addressing performance related medical problems. Dealing with stress and strain. Recovering balance and strength in the entire body.
- Breathing – Acquiring a sense of unity between breath, body, the instrument, and the music. The results are a deeper and clearer sound, an energized quality of performance and increased pleasure for the musician.
- Stage Fright – Understanding the causes of stage fright and eliminating its presence in performance.
PROJECTS AND CLIENTS
MOV Format (320 x 240) | 7:14 duration | 16.30 MB
| FILM AND TELEVISION | |
|---|---|
| BEE SEASON | JULIETTE BINOCHE / FOX-SEARCH. DIR. SCOTT McGEE-DAVID SIEGEL |
| THE SYRINGA TREE | PAMELA GIEN / TRIO NETWORK DIR. LARRY MOSS |
| SEABISCUIT | ELIZABETH BANKS / UNIVERSAL DIR. GARY ROSS |
| THE TIME MACHINE | SAMANTHA MUMBA/ DREAMWORKS DIR. SIMON WELLS |
| THE AFFAIR OF THE NECKLACE | HILARY SWANK AND CAST / WARNER BROS. DIR. CHARLES SHYER |
| HUMAN NATURE | PATRICIA ARQUETTE / FINE LINE DIR. MICHEL GONDRY |
| THE CAT’S MEOW | KIRSTEN DUNST / LIONS GATE FILMS DIR. PETER BOGDANOVICH |
| PARTNERS | TATE DONOVAN / FOX TELEVISION DIR. MULTIPLE |
| HBO COMEDY HALF-HOUR | WENDY LIEBMAN / HBO DIR. TROY MILLER |
| IT’S PAT | JULIA SWEENEY / TOUCHSTONE DIR. ADAM BERNSTEIN |
| LITTLE BUDDHA | KEANU REEVES / MIRAMAX DIR. BERNARDO BERTOLUCCI |
| FREAKED | KEANU REEVES / 20TH CENTURY FOX DIR. ALEX WINTER |
| PASSION FISH | MARY MCDONNELL / COLUMBIA DIR. JOHN SAYLES |
| THEATER | |
| RUNT OF THE LITTER (2008) | BO EASON / 37 Arts Theatre, NYC DIR. LARRY MOSS |
| THE BACCHAE | CAST/ GETTY VILLA DIR. GULU MONTEIRO |
| KA | CAST / CIRQUE DU SOLEIL DIR. ROBERT LE PAGE |
| NINE PARTS OF DESIRE | HEATHER RAFFO / GEFFEN Playhouse DIR. JOANNA SETTLE |
| SUGAR | DAISY WHITE / EDGEMAR CENTER DIR. LARRY MOSS |
| GRETTY GOOD TIME | ANN STOCKING / FALCON THEATRE DIR. JOHN REGALBUTO |
| RUNT OF THE LITTER | BO EASON / MCC THEATER, NEW YORK DIR. LARRY MOSS |
| THE SYRINGA TREE | PAMELA GIEN/ PLAYHOUSE 91, N.Y. DIR. LARRY MOSS |
| THE SYRINGA TREE | PAMELA GIEN-CAST/ NATIONAL TOUR DIR. LARRY MOSS |
| THE CRYPTOGRAM & THE OLD NEIGHBORHOOD |
CHRISTINE DUNFORD / GEFFEN DIR. MICHAEL BLOOM |
| SKYLIGHT | SALLY MURPHY/ STEPPENWOLF DIR. MIKE NUSSBAUM |
| THE TRIUMPH OF ISABELLA | CAST/ GEFFEN PLAYHOUSE DIR. JOHN ACHORN |
| THE PRODIGIOUS SNOB | CAST/ UCLA LITTLE THEATRE DIR. ELLEN GEER |
| SCENES FROM AN EXECUTION | NATALIJA NOGULICH/ MARK TAPER FORUM DIR. ROBERT ALLAN ACKERMAN |
| LA NOUVELLE EXPERIENCE *Collaborated with Debra Brown |
CAST/ CIRQUE DU SOLEIL DIR. FRANCO DRAGONE |
| ACCOMPLICE | NATALIJA NOGULICH/ BROADWAY DIR. RUPERT HOLMES |
| MUSIC | |
| KCRW | Anne Litt |
| ALCINA | Catherine Naglestad /S.F. Opera |
| VERBIER FESTIVAL & ACADEMY | Dir. Martin T:son Engstroem |
| UBS VERBIER FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA | Dir. James Levine |
| BLOOD RED CHERRY | Jann Arden/Universal Music |
| LOS ANGELES PHILHARMONIC INSTITUTE | Los Angeles Music Center |
| NEW WORLD SYMPHONY | Dir. Michael Tilson Thomas |
| GREAT WOODS CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS |
Wheaton College, Mass. Dir. Michael Tilson Thomas |
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Jean-Louis Rodrigue
Tel. 310-209-9023
Jeanlouisr1@yahoo.com
PHOTO CREDITS
"Human Nature"
Bruce Birmelin, Courtesy of New Line Films, Copyright 2001
"The Affair of the Necklace"
Murray Close, Courtesy of Warner Bros., Copyright 2001
"The Time Machine"
Andrew Cooper, Courtesy of Dreamworks, Copyright 2002
"The Cat's Meow"
Richard Foreman Jr., Courtesy of Lions Gate Films, Copyright 2001
"Seabiscuit"
Francois Duhamel, Courtesy of Universal Studios, Copyright 2002