He has worked as an actor in Germany in numerous productions including in Hamburg, Frankfurt and Berlin. He has performed in Budapest, London, Stockholm and in New York.

His theater directing credits include the most recent reworking of Eugene O'Neill's 'Long Day's Journey Into Night': Eugene's Ghosts (The Actors' Ensemble, New York 2009), Between Worlds (US Premiere, Chekhov Theatre Ensemble, Off-Off Broadway, New York City, 2005), For The Pleasure of Seeing Her Again (The Actors’ Ensemble, New York, 2004), Oscar und die Dame in Rosa (WerkBühne Berlin, Germany, 2004), Monsieur Ibrahim und die Blumen des Koran (WerkBühne Berlin, Germany, 2003), Waiting for Godot (The Actors’ Ensemble, New York, 2003 and Adelaide Fringe Festival, Australia 2004), I have Never Been Here (The Actors’ Ensemble, Off-Off Broadway, New York City, 2001) and Uncle Ethan Ripley (The Actors’ Ensemble, New York, 2001).

Recently he directed Beautiful Hills of Brooklyn starring Joanna Merlin, Executive Producer Bob Balaban. The film won "Best Short Film" at the Big Apple Film Festival in New York City as well as the Audience Awards for "Best Short" at the Beverly Hills HD Film Festival in Los Angeles and the Washington DC Independent Film Festival. The film was part of the Short Film Corner at the Cannes Film Festival 2009 in France.

Ragnar is teaching in the Graduate Acting Programs of Columbia University and The New School in New York City. Past teaching includes Brooklyn College, Sarah Lawrence College, Marymount Manhattan College, Michael Howard Studio, Michael Chekhov Acting Studio, Actors Movement Studio, The Linklater Center, as well as workshops in Italy, Japan and the US.

He is a board member of MICHA (the Michael Chekhov Association) and teaches regularly at International Conferences in Europe and the United States. He served as co-artistic director for "Master Classes in the Michael Chekhov Technique", MICHA's DVD series, published by Routledge in 2007.

Private Coaching Sessions
   By Appointment

  

The Michael Chekhov Technique
The Actor’s Presence
Monologues
Scene Work
On Camera

More Information

 

 

FILMMAKING for ACTORS

 

       Workshop in UPSTATE NY

       (Hudson, Columbia County)

           with Ragnar Freidank

               &Martin Anderson

                    July 2010

 

Watch Trailer [quicktime]

 

 

WORKSHOP DETAILS

Dates:
July 2010

 

Times:

1. Weekend:
THUR (7/8) evening:arrival in Hudson, NY for INITIAL MEETING (&dinner in Hudson),
FRI (7/9) all day: shooting
SAT (7/10) all day: shooting
SUN (7/11) all day: shooting; evening: WRAP-UP (&dinner in Hudson);

depart for NYC / OR: stay an extra night
MON (7/12) morning: everyone departs for NYC

WED – FRI: viewing of individual footage online

2. Weekend:
SAT (7/17): individual 3-hour editing sessions
SUN (7/18): individual 3-hour editing sessions
MON (7/19): individual 3-hour editing session
TUE (7/20): individual 3-hour editing session

WED (7/21) 7-9PM: screening of short films

Location:
Hudson & Columbia County, NY

The workshop fee includes:

* ACOOMODATION in a single room for 3 (optional 4) nights
* BREAKFAST supply for 3 (or 4) mornings
* FILMING SESSIONS (3 whole days)
* ONE EDITING SESSION (3 hours one-on-one)
* YOUR OWN FOOTAGE, viewed online or downloaded (by you only)
* SCREENING SESSION (for the group only)
* ALL MATERIALS including one DVD of your film
* OWNERSHIP OF YOUR WORK (your film and images of you can never be used without your explicit consent)

TOTAL Cost:

$620

($310 non-refundable deposit due at sign up to guarantee your space,

 $310 due at first day of shooting, on July 8th)

Space is LIMITED TO 6 ACTORS.


Inquiries:
Email troublesanddreams@gmail.com

 

DESCRIPTION

The innovations in digital filmmaking in recent years have not just lowered the cost of shooting movies, they have virtually collapsed those costs. Professional quality filmmaking tools are more affordable, portable and simpler to use than ever.

Filmmaking is often called a "director's medium," and indeed there are many examples of directors taking advantage of these leaps in technology to make films that express their individual vision for little money.

What, however, could this revolution mean for the ACTOR? What opportunities, both in expression and collaboration, have been created for the actor by freeing the filmmaking process from the burden of great financial expense?

For the first time, perhaps, it is practically possible to have an actor-centric filmmaking process, with actors informing and guiding rehearsing, shooting, editing, scoring, even the projecting of their film. This workshop will work with such processes, and explore other opportunities in 6 sessions over the course of 2 months.

HOW IT WILL WORK

JUNE/ JULY

After signing up, you will have access to an online platform where you can:
* share material, questions and intentions
* set up personal meetings with other actors
* form partnerships to work on scenes
* opt to work individually

THURSDAY, JULY 8TH

After an individuel train ride with AMTRAK to Hudson, NY we will

* have our first evening session during a DINNER and a MEET & GREET with everyone

FRI, SAT, SUN, JULY 9TH-11TH

The following 3 (or oprional: 4) nights everybody will

* stay in a single room, including breakfast in the COUNTRY SIDE.

Over the course of the same 3 days (a long weekend) we will:
* work on individual material or scenes on up to 6 different locations in Columbia County, NY
* shoot the scenes on professional quality digital video

WED, THUR, FRI, JULY 14TH-16TH

During the days that follow you will have time to:
* watch your footage online on a secure server
* mark your footage for your work with the editor
* download your footage onto your own computer for future use

SAT, SUN, MON, TUE, JULY 17TH-20TH

Over the course of the following 4 days (Sat, Sun, Mon, Tues) we will:
* have individual editing sessions for each scene/piece (total: 3 hours/actor), with the actors participating if they choose
* Add in any music the actor is drawn to
* Add in any voice-over or additional sounds
* Incorporate other footage, including footage shot by the actor, if so inspired

WEDNESDAY, JULY 21ST

On Wednesday we will:
* Project all the mini-films for the group
* Give participants a copy of their work

Every actor will be involved in the whole filming process and actors can bring in any material they want included in their clips. Material can be any text: scenes, monologues, original material or entirely improvised - or something else we can't imagine!

Inquiries/ Sign Up:
Email troublesanddreams@gmail.com

 

 

CHASING SHADOWS, DREAMS & DAVID LYNCH

4-Day-Acting-Intensive

Exploring Voice, Character & the Camera

co-taught by
SUSAN MAIN, Designated Linklater Voice Teacher &

RAGNAR FREIDANK, Michael Chekhov Acting Teacher

August 12-15, 2010 in Midtown, New York City
 
During any given moment we often experience conflicting voices and/or impulses. As actors we put pressure on ourselves to be honest/authentic/truthful but how do we know which voice or impulse is the “right” one to follow?
We would like to offer the possibility that CREATIVE ENERGY can lie in the OBSTACLES we run from, the very things we say NO to. During this journey into the wild imagination of David Lynch’s screenplays, we will deconstruct our perceived realities, play with obstacles that arise and follow them to a place of creative freedom...

Download the full workshop description HERE

Fee: $560         Space is limited.

  

For more Information/ To sign up, email Salomé Krell