Too many times when actors sign up for a class, the teacher or casting director becomes a GURU. They're going to teach you the way to do it and if you don't get their method right, it's on you, you're the disappointment. You end up confused and artistically bankrupt. But they blame you, you are the failure.
You were this open artist and now you've thrown everything away, all that you know, all the things you do well.
You've compromised your strengths and your joy to take the Guru's method.
Don't get married to the method.
I see it in acting schools too. If their method does not work the actor is labeled NO TALENT. It becomes the actors fault,
the actor gets kicked out of the program, having wasted thousands of dollars.
That's BS. And it makes me mad because actors get hurt by the proclamations that these so called GURUs make.
Have you heard these:
"You're a character actor, you'll never play the lead"
"you'll work a lot when you're older"
"you're acting is too big for the camera"
"you're very theatrical"
These kinds of statements create deep ARTISTIC WOUNDS.
They create belief systems that can completely block an artists path to greatness.
When not dealt with in a caring, loving, supportive environment, these soul crushing wounds last for years,
decades, and in some actors, it lasts a lifetime.
I see this in so many of the actors that come to me. Breaks my heart.
Here's what I know:
I've been in audition rooms and on sets for... a long time, and I can testify with certainty, no one cares about your process or your method.
When they say "action" they want to see the work.
Here's what I believe.
Each actor taking in years of training and working, develops their own method.
This method is based on how they are wired and what works for them. It's a little bit of everything.
This method is uniquely you. It doesn't fit into a book, it doesn't fit into a program, it doesn't fit into any Guru's idea of how you do what you do.
Do you baby.
It's your magic potion. Have you got yours yet? If not, I can help. If so, I damn sure ain't gonna take it away.
Actors must carry a safe place within themselves to take a risk.
The permission to do your art to the best of your ability and pursue excellence is yours for the taking.
It is not given. YOU TAKE IT.
I support you in that journey.
I will always offer you more tools to add to what you do well.
Now, let's assume you know how to act. Your method supports you. But what may not be working are your choices.
You make safe choices, you make rash choices, you make uninformed choices,
maybe you make choices based on your limited personal experience and reject what the character does. "I wouldn't react like that!"
"But you do Blanche, but you do!"
The inspired choice must support the story the writer is choosing to tell.
Repeat: how the actor accesses their inner life and connects to the material and makes it real for themselves could be a myriad of ways.
However the choice or action has to be born of the script.
What I am going to be focused on in this coaching is scene analysis.
So that you make choices that help tell the story.
I will breakdown a scene and show you how to
excavate the best choices while giving you plenty of room to bring essence to the role.
Sign up to get the script. If you haven't already, read the whole script.
It's the same script from last week. I'm going to challenge you to take on a more difficult scene. Choose from scenes 6 or 8. I'll break the scene down and watch some tapes to see how you measure up.
Put yourself on tape. Upload to youtube or vimeo and have the link ready if you want to be chosen for feedback during the
free coaching session live on Friday, January 22, 2pm eastern time.
Register here for next weeks call.
I hope you find this helpful. I hope I see you on the call.
