Why Sevana's Performance in 'Losing Patience' is a Model for Modern Jamaican Screen Acting

You can watch 'Losing Patience' in one sitting. I did, three times. The critically successful mini web series is in itself a modern expression of Caribbean experiences that relieves us from traditional socio-political stories and explores conflict within an individualized world. 'Losing Patience' is a fine collection of cinematography that wins the case for doing more with less in a production, with writer/director Teeqs at the helm. We follow the millennial protagonist as she navigates life and situations that make it challenging, set in Kingston, Jamaica.

The attention to the moment that the production was able to execute gave star Sevana, who portrays Renee Patience, the space to deliver layers of emotional being in her performance. The result is a timeless piece of storytelling relatable to a wider audience.

Scripted screen productions in Jamaica can often feel like an extension of theatre, in the way directors block and frame a scene, and how they direct talent. There's a different skillset needed to act for the stage versus for the screen, and the nuances often get lost. The camera allows the actor to play a deeper range of emotions and play with subtle facial expression and body language to convey the characters state of being. Similarly, the proximity to the microphone gives actors the opportunity to dig deep for dynamic ways of expressing excitement, hurt, anger, annoyance, joy without employing the extreme caricatures of those same emotions.

In Episode 1, the build up of frustration that Renee experiences triggers something in anyone who's come up against corporate red tape and antiquated systems to do a simple task. Her tone dances around the levels of forced professionalism, mild annoyance, trying to keep it together, and finally incredulous like the notes on a well arranged piece of sheet music. The audience isn't assaulted with a one note 7-minute session of the two women yelling at each other. After she's reprimanded by a coworker for having the phone on speaker, the frustration from that interaction feeds into her next words when she's finally taken off hold. She became the character and reacted as Renee.

In the following three episodes, we see more of Sevana's range as we get to know Renee. There's a lot of restraint involved in playing the moment and being comfortable with pause and silence rather than rushing through a character's feelings in a scene. For everything to come together, the actor also has to learn how to be directed while trusting themselves enough to make decisions for their character, and give the other actors in the scene the space to do the same.

This deep connection with a character's inner state is something more productions out of the Caribbean need to spend time to procure. Renee wouldn't be relatable across borders without the combination of Teeqs' ability to write with direction and the final edit in mind and Sevana's commitment to become the character on camera.

I wait without abandon for a Season 2 of 'Losing Patience', until then, I'll binge it for a fourth time.