"Why don't you make like a tree, and get the f.f.f.f.. uck outta here!" Doc- Boondock Saints
I know this isn't a very thought provoking quote but I think it' s amusing.
So today I learned a lot about capturing and portraying emotion and whether it's easier as an actor to be empathetic to the character your embodying or to develop your own emotion. This way you can layer yourself over the character. I believe this is an American way of acting someone called it method acting .I'm not quite sure which is the best way to go for me as an actor. But I'm a very empathetic person so I think I will be able to capture emotion just by "feeling" for the character. This is going to be very useful for my monologue, which I've been looking into. I really want to do an emotional piece. I'm not sure which one yet any suggestions?
I also bought some awesome books today!
Audition: by Michael Shurtleff.
This ones a book required for my class. But the crazy thing is I already had it, but the info makes way more sense when you are actually implementing the principals and actually getting explanations from class lessons.
The Power of the Actor: The Chubbuck Technique. By Ivana Chubbuck
It’s an L.A Times Best Seller; I hope this is a good one!
How to be a Working Actor: The insiders guide to finding jobs in Theater, Film and Television. By Meri Lyn Henry and Lynne Rogers.
Okay I know I’m a little ahead of myself but It talks a lot about auditions and other insider info from agents to unions it’s very informative.
How to Stop Acting: By Harold Guskin
This one’s my FAVORITE. Written by Glenn Close’s and Chris Kline’s
Acting coach and he discusses how to react to lines instead of reciting. Now this sounds like a “duh” concept. But he goes in depth with his tips, tricks and methods.
Hopefully these books are going to benefit my acting and if anyone has any other books or reading to suggest I would GREATLY appreciate them
MEGHAN
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You know me I have no clue about anything acting wise so I don't have any books to recommend. But I think you are on a good path sounds like you have some good books and your classes so you are on the right path. I hope to see you on the screen someday woman!!!
ReplyDeleteWell.. if you want my personal opinion, I would stay pretty clear of Strasberg's "method acting". The reason being; many techniques derive from Stanislavski, the "Method" is one of them. However, the method uses an older version of Stanislavski which still has "emotional recall", an element of acting that Stanislavski himself and most that were inspired by him were pretty quick to remove from his technique. Why? Two things.. Number one, using your own emotional memory to enhance the character inevitably creates a strong link between you and your character, making the character's past less distinguishable from your own, hence, less of the character more of the actor.
ReplyDeleteNumber two: when using your own emotions in a character you are adding traits to your own psyche.. you are also strengthening the elements of yourself that triggers those emotions.. in other words, the more depressed characters you play, the more you program your own mind to be depressed. (want to see an example, Heath Ledger.. great acting at the cost of his own mental health)
I am not condemning the method completely, method actors are usually extremely good at being in the moment.. but that can be said about most Stanislavski based techniques so why not go for one that uses imagination rather than emotional recall. Imagination is a very powerful thing, it may involve a little bit more homework, but the acting gets better and you are not risking your mental health.
I studies something called "The science of acting" which I found to be an extraordinary technique (It's a new up and coming one, based on a re-development of Stanislavski) at the moment it is only tought in London, but there is a book coming out next year.
the school's site is www.asad.org.uk I am sure they will announce the book when it comes out.