Coaching/Directing
We will interact with lawyers, clients and witnesses to develop a sympathetic and forceful presentation to judge, jury, negotiation partners, etc.
A legal case, at its core, is a story, and storytelling is a structured art that draws upon specific facts to touch upon universal themes that move decision-makers as human beings – even as they operate within legal strictures.
We will work closely with you to shape a compelling narrative arc, based upon the admissible evidence available to you, and then assist you and your witnesses in presenting the story in the most authentic and persuasive manner, using established acting techniques developed by great instructors of the craft, such as Konstantin Stanislavski and Michael Chekhov.
Role Play
Our team of professional actors will assume the roles of litigants, witnesses, attorneys and judges, in mock trials, deposition prep, transcript readings and more informal practice sessions. We will learn as much as we can about the various players – from their major life events right down to their idiosyncratic gestures, if known – and literally get into character, as if we were playing a role on stage. What sets Legal Fictions apart in playing our roles is our ability to draw upon our combined experiences in the legal and theatrical worlds.
Improvisation/Teambuilding
As an attorney, you need to react quickly and with creative ingenuity. We will conduct interactive improvisation sessions (“improvs”) where lawyers engage in unscripted scenarios. For the improvs, we will work both with non-legal, everyday scenarios to build skills, and we will then apply those skills to hypotheticals that could take place within the courtroom or boardroom. The improvs promise to be fun, and ultimately practical!
Scene Study
A special feature of ‘Legal Fictions.’ We will work together on recreating scenes from top level films and theater plays involving lawyers and/or legal themes, and which touch on important philosophical questions, on the level of Anatomy of a Fall (Justine Triet), Red (Krzysztof Kieslowski), and God of Carnage (Yasmina Reza). This Program is based on the scene study work conducted by Nelson Farber and other directors at ‘Directors Collective NYC.‘
Here’s how it works. Generally, we will pick a two-person scene (although monologues and multi-player scenes are also possible) of about two pages. The attorney-actors will first perform the scene, so as to give their initial impression of the material. Nelson (or a member of his team), will then provide direction to bring out a wide range of possibilities as to how the scene could be played, based upon multiple factors, such as the characters’ objectives, atmosphere, etc.
The heart of the analysis is what is known as “beat” work – a very close analysis of what is happening between the players – both on the surface and in the subtext – on a line-by-line basis. We will do several run-throughs of the scene, trying different approaches. Those who do not want to act can also try their hands at directing the scene under our guidance.
Scene study is personally rewarding and fun, and contributes to team building. It will also help you in your practice skills, in going step by step, detail by detail, to make sure that no circumstance of your case is overlooked or given insufficient attention – just as if your case were a “script.”
Make Your Own Play or Movie!
Another special feature of Legal Fictions. Lawyers have lots of great stories to tell. Ever think, wow, this story belongs on a screen or a stage!? We will assist you in turning this wild idea into a reality, beginning with story development, script writing, casting and production.
We will build on the experience of Legal Fictions founder Nelson Farber’s fictionalizing a version of his legal experiences into the medium length film, Song of Solomon. Alternatively, some of your experiences may provide the material for a documentary format, which we can also develop and produce for you.
We recognize that there often will be issues regarding confidentiality and privacy in developing such a production. We will work with you to develop fictionalized versions, where necessary, that sidestep thorny legal and ethical requirements.
Pricing
The services we offer are highly individualized and differentiated, and are thus priced on a project-by-project basis. Please contact us, and we will be happy to discuss how we can best meet your needs, while working within your budget.