Michael Fassbender by Nino Munoz for GQ 2012-000

Yes You Are (good enough)!

by Acting AdviceUncategorized

In the HBO documentary, Casting By, the late casting director Marion Dougherty, talks about how it didn’t really matter to her if actors bombed auditions. Or sucked. Or weren’t great all the time. What mattered is that she saw something in them and knew that eventually there would be a role that would come along to match the essence of that particular person. She should know as she discovered all kinds of talent from Al Pacino and Jon Voight to Glenn Close and Diane Lane. All of these varied and different human beings whose careers she helped start certainly are originals. That’s the common denominator. (And also that she always trusted her gut about people.)

And it sort of raises the question . . . What is talent? Does everyone have it? What is “it”?

From a scientific standpoint; yes, we all possess innate, inner talent. We all have vast resources of potential and possibility within us waiting to be uncovered and utilized. The process for actors (and for all people, really) is about discovering, cultivating, nurturing, harnessing, and finally expressing that talent. And that takes work. Technique is simply a vehicle for letting your talent be expressed. Emotionally, instinctually, physically. And talent is simply how you do what you do.

Ultimately, it’s you.

Your approach, your style, your intuition, your physiology, your tendencies, your physicality, your hopes and fears, your blood and guts, your passion and pain. What you bring to a role is unlike anyone else. It doesn’t mean it’s necessarily better – but it is uniquely yours, because of the unique life that you are living. And that’s all you’ve got. Ever. This one life.

Talent, then, becomes about unapologetically bringing yourself to the work (and being shown how to do that). And the only way you’re going to do that and get there (besides having great casting directors ultimately see that quality) is by giving yourself permission. You simply have to stop doing it for other people. For acceptance. For someone to love you. Or get you. Or acknowledge you. Or validate you.

It’s tough because we live in a world where we’re constantly seeking validation through the external: Facebook acknowledgments, twitter mentions, casting callbacks and agency acceptance.

Michael Fassbinder had a watershed moment in his career when he finally decided that he was “good enough”.

He most certainly is.

And so are you.

You’re good enough to get the job and have an agent and be on a show and get paid for your work and have an amazing career. You’re good enough to lead by example and inspire others and tell your own unique story and trust that people will want to listen. You’re good enough to stop second-guessing everything or stop doubting yourself continuously or listen to the advice of hundreds of other people or take thousands of different classes feeling like you’re always in search of “something missing”. You’re good enough to be loved and be happy and have your dreams come true and not always feel like you have to have it all figured out and still be okay with being a continuous work-in-progress.

That’s talent. That’s good enough.

In fact . . . it’s outstanding.

 

Thanks to Anthony Meindl for this wonderful article.  Please check out his website – its just filled with informative and inspiring articles like this one.

Constantine Stanislavski

What the Hell is Method Acting

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I have to admit, when I went to acting school a 100 or so years ago, we were taught about Stanislavsky.  We were told about Lee Strasberg, Stella Adler and Uta Hagen… I think Sanford Meisner might have been mentioned as well, but it wasn’t Method acting as we think of it today.  We did have the magical “what if” which has carried me though many years, situations and scenes and I still use it today.  But maybe I should take a sec and explain what “method” is because, even though actors are loath to admit it, there’s a lot of confusion surrounding the subject.    It is nothing more than a technique, or rather different techniques like sense memory and affective memory, that enable an actor to express feelings and actions authentically and as if they were happening in real time.  It began with Stanislavsky who had several epiphanies when he was still a student in acting school in Moscow.  There he developed exercises that help in creating authentic seeming situations and characters. He called this his “System” and wrote all about his experiences and the exercises he created in his book “An Actor Prepares“, which every actor should definitely read.

In the 1930’s he moved to New York and, along with Lee Strasberg he formed the Group Theater.  About 10 years later, Strasberg formed the Actors’ Studio.  It was Strasberg who actually coined the phrase “Method” to distinguish how what he did was different to what Constantine Stanislavsky was doing.  What he actually said was something along the lines of, “Constantine does that but “my method” is this… That got shortened to Method which later became Method Acting to distinguish it from Classical Acting techniques.  The basic difference between the two is that Method acting focuses on bringing internal situations out while Classical acting techniques are much more physical, or external in nature.

A lot has happened in the field of acting since the 1930’s.  Method continues to evolve with many famous teachers putting their own special twist on it.  Personally, I think this is great.  We’re not all the same so why should the same techniques work for everyone?  At the moment, the two most famous contemporary teachers are Susan Batson and Larry Moss both of whom focus quite a lot of attention of affective memory.  Personally, I like this approach, though I feel like if you only use this kind of preparation you can’t really incorporate another character – you are only really ever bringing parts of yourself out into the open.  It works for me but I also like to combine parts of Classical acting techniques like learning how to use the body in different ways as well.  I find changes in external movements, postures, rhythms, and vocalizations affect how I feel on the inside and add layers and textures to my characterization that internal preparation alone couldn’t achieve.  Basically these external changes allow me to use my internal work to create someone totally new.

That’s why starting this October, the Atelier will be featuring coaches who specialize in teaching this combination of internal and external preparation.  The first coach is Sarah Perry who will be here next month to teach Movement for Actors.  After that we have Paul Miller who has developed a workshop that teaches how to incorporate Animal Work into performance and characterization (I actually wrote a post about the actors that use this technique some time ago).  Lastly, starting in January, Giles Foreman will be here to teach a four week block (spread out over 8 months, one a month every other month, to allow time to assimilate the techniques) called the Psychology of Movement and Character Analysis.

 

Movement for Actors with Sarah Perry

Interview with Sarah Perry

by Acting AdviceActing Techniques
A lot of actors, especially those who only focus on method acting, don’t realize how important movement is to building a character.  Unfortunately, this means they’re missing out on huge opportunities to create something unique and completely different from themselves.  In this interview, I asked Sarah Perry, who will be here next month to teach actors how to use their bodies to incorporate a character fully, a few questions…
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1.  How did you get your start as a movement coach? 

It was really a process that evolved, I can’t precisely remember when it actually started. I have always been passionate about acting, movement and teaching and the three just naturally combined over the years. I had great teachers who inspired and encouraged me to teach, and fortunately I had people who were crazy enough to want to listen to me. I love to share and I love to learn and I love being part of a creative process. I’d like to think that my enthusiasm and passion for my craft gave me my start – the rest came from building contacts and working very hard at what I love to do.

2.  You recently worked as a movement coach on Jupiter Ascending.  Can you tell me how your experience on that film was different than some of the other jobs you had?  What’s Channing Tatum really like (and is he as adorable in person as he is on the big screen)?  🙂
Yes, everyone was adorable! 😉 Ha Ha. As you can appreciate,  I am contracted  not to speak about the film until after its release, so it is hard to be specific. However, I was confronted with some exciting new challenges and the three months were definitely filled with lots of research, problem solving, creativity and fun! This was perhaps the biggest production that I have worked on to date, for that length of time. It was an amazing experience – can’t wait to see it – released July 2014!!
3.  What are some of the most common problems you see among actors who haven’t had movement training?

I think the most common problem among actors who haven’t had any movement training is the fact that they don’t realise or think that they need any training. Its like with everything – until you delve into a topic orpractice, you don’t realise what you don’t know and what’s out there to help you in your chosen craft. In my opinion actors without movement training are often quite unaware of the power of their body as a tool. I see many actors often adopting cliche gestures and postures which are contrived as opposed to organic and free. You really do notice those actors who are aware of their body and free from tensions, habits and they are generally much more engaging to watch.

4.  How does movement training help actors to incorporate their characters?

We all move differently, we all stand differently and behave in different ways, understanding the body and movement in more detail allows us to discover more readily these subtle and powerful differences – which may have been overlooked had one had no training or at least had the space to explore and discover. If a character has a certain illness or condition or are in a particular emotional state, it is great to consider the body in terms of this and how we can truthfully convey the appropriate storytelling through our physicality as well as intention and voice.

5.  What are three things actors can take away with them after attending one of your workshops?

-Understanding yourself through your body is not only important, but liberating and fun!
-Have some tools which enable you to make some quick physical character decisions, especially when in a casting.
-To get a deeper understanding of what you may need to personally work on -if you want to continue on your movement journey.
-To understand that we are all different and the body tells a powerful story, understanding why we can’t move in a certain way is just as important as being able to move in a certain way.

 

Thank you, Sarah!  Sarah’s 2 Day workshop is in October on the 19th and 20.

Annette Bening Says…

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So many of today’s films have tons of technology.  This can be extremely cost efficient (for instance when you use a blue or green screen to put you on the moon or any other exotic location) but it also means that more and more, everything is ruled by technology which puts huge demands on an actor’s concentration.  Annette Bening says “You have to be ready when they are”.  But how you get  yourself “there” before its time to shoot your scene will depend on what kind of actor you are.  Every one is different.  Some like to goof around with their co-stars while others need to stay in the “zone”, still another person my have to go off by themselves entirely.  The important thing is to know what works for you because when the moment comes you need to be ready to connect to everything that’s important: the other characters, your subtext and your objectives.

 “I remember hearing someone say, that good acting is more about taking off a mask than putting one on, and in movie acting, certainly that’s true. With the camera so close, you can see right down into your soul, hopefully. So being able to do that in a way is terrifying, and in another way, truly liberating. And I like that about it”.

Annette Bening

Do you have any special techniques that help you stay focused when technology is getting in your way?

Trusting the Actors

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Jonathan Demme, the Academy Award winning director of such iconic films as Silence of the Lambs, Beloved and Philadelphia has a simple philosophy when it comes to directing actors.

“I love putting the movie in the hands of the actors.  I am so in awe of what they do”.

If you’d like to know more about why this fascinating director has such high regard for what actors do, (not all directors feel this way) then check out his interview at Lincoln Center from 2012.

Jonathan Demme

Michael-Richards-17176430-1-402

To Improv or Not to Improv

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Some actor’s love improv and wouldn’t think of rehearsing a role without out incorporating it on at least some level into the backstory and or subtext of their character.  Personally, I think playing a scene “wrong,” meaning choosing an opposite subtext to what you think the script writer has written, can work beautifully and add an unexpected element of surprise and depth to a scene.  Other actor’s like Michael Richards, who played Kramer in Seinfeld says he would improvise physical business but never dialogue.

“Its my job to bring the character to the language”.

What do you think?  Do you use improve in your performances and if so, how?

 

beautiful-example-of-imagination-art-photos

Imagination Exercise

by Acting AdviceActing TechniquesUncategorized

As Actors its important to train your imagination to be as active and creative as possible. Actors with rich imaginations are able to free associate and connect to their impulses which leads to much more interesting and unpredictable choices and it is possible to train your imagination to be even better than it already is.  Here are two exercises that you can do to develop this all important tool.  The first is one you can anytime and anywhere and it can be as detailed as you have time for.

Childhood Home

  1. Sit down with your feet firmly planted on the ground and your hands on your thighs facing upwards then take a few deep breaths as you close your eyes and relax.
  2. Next, picture the front door to your childhood home as if you were standing in front of it.  What color is it?  What’s it made of?  What kind of handle does it have?  Where is the doorbell or knocker?  Is there a peephole?  Once you’ve got the door solidly visualized expand your view outwards to take in what’s around the door; windows, bushes, plants, doormat, etc.  Try and picture the front door in as much detail as possible.  When it starts to feel real you can enter the house.
  3. Once inside take a moment to acclimate yourself.  Do you hear anything?  Is there any particular smell in the air?  What’s under your feet and how does it feel?  Then, turn and face the wall on your left.  What do you see?  Study the wall from top to bottom taking in everything… architectural details, furniture, decorations then turn to the next wall and do it all over again.  Repeat this until you have recalled as much detail as you can then move on to the next room.
  4. Slowly move from room to room trying to recall more and more.  If you only have time for one room or even one wall as your on your way to an audition, it will be time well spent training your imagination.

Free Association

The next exercise is a useful tool in training yourself to reach beyond obvious initial choices. Sit down with your feet firmly planted on the ground and your hands on your thighs facing upwards then take a few deep breaths as you close your eyes and relax.

  1. Get yourself a timer, a pad of paper and a pen or pencil and a list of WORDS* then…
  2. Sit down with your feet firmly planted on the ground and your hands on your thighs facing upwards then take a few deep breaths as you close your eyes and relax.  Once you feel open and calm you can open your eyes and choose the first word on the list that jumps out at you.
  3. Then set your time to about 5 minutes and GO! Let your mind wander as you start writing down what you think of.  Once thought will lead to the next and with this exercise the most important thing is not to censor yourself.

Below is my free association starting with Rabbit Hole.  I gave myself 3 minutes.

Rabbit hole, alice in wonderland, cheshire cat, mad hatter, off with her head!, queen of hearts, hat trick, slight of hand, stab in the heart with an ice pick, bleeding from the inside out, jail, heroin, dark, bathroom, alone, LSD, looking from the inside out, trapped, pimples, alone, desisto, gestalt therapy, curtain of hair, hiding, hitchhiking, hitchhikers guide to the galaxy, lollipops, planets, earth girls are easy, geena davis, thelma and louis, brad pitt, abs, cowboy hat, smile, white teeth, zadie, books that won prizes, india, castration, beggars, curry, pink, color, tattoos, henna, dots, long hair, crystal gail, country music, riding in the car from the airport, the smell of the ocean, highway 60, coastal clouds, beach, my husband, books, umbrella, seagulls, stealing food, a film I made, washington square park, new york, hot sidewalks, cooking eggs on hot sidewalks, my father telling us not to play in the pile of dirt made by the construction workers then getting caught with dirt in our shoes, spanking, my father’s face, my purple schwinn bike, tassels on bike handles, liza grossman, lafayette park, making elephant puppet at friend’s school, walking across the railway tracks, pheasants flying, my mother’s brown suit with the matching cape and hat with a pheasant’s feather, custody fight, Huntington woods, the exorcist…

* Here’s a list of words you can use to get you started if your mind is drawing a blank.  Feel free to add to it change it or pitch it in the garbage.  The idea is to just pick one word and see where it takes you.

  • Cannibalism
  • movie
  • lamb
  • butterflies
  • mexico
  • house
  • spider
  • jungle
  • greenhouse
  • whales
  • predators
  • star trek
  • uniform
  • women’s lib

What Sean Penn Wants

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Sean Penn, in my opinion one of America’s leading actors, wants one thing from a director…  He is an actor who is not afraid to take risks.  I mean, did you see his brilliant work in the 2011 film This Must Be the Place?  He was fearless on so many levels – and it worked.

“What I want from a director is courage.  What I don’t want from a director is too much chatter.”

– Sean Penn

What makes you feel safe enough to take big risks?

 

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The Drama of the Gifted Child

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I first learned about this book when I read Truth by Susan Batson.  She makes studying this slim little journey in auto-psychoanalysis a pre-requisite to her working with any actor.  It was brought up again as a valuable tool for actors by Giles Foreman in his Instinct & Intimacy Masterclass.  The Drama of the Gifted Child: The Search for the True Self by Alice Miller is only 136 pages long but its truly profound in its revelations about what drives us as individuals.  Since we as actors have to first imagine how we would feel as another human being, we have to begin with an understanding of what our own motivations are and that’s what this book gives you.  It is invaluable when it comes to understanding  yourself and the person you are trying to create.  It also helps with creating a backstory, understanding objectives and super objectives and even shadow movements, those little ticks and gestures we all make that reveal our inner life.  Its a very readable little book that I highly recommend available in English or German.