This is a little about his thoughts he recently shared in a posting... Enjoy...
How often do actors read a script and say, "I know what I'd do in this situation", or "This part is exactly like me". We have learned in classes to 'pull from our personal experiences' and to 'act natural', but I believe too many actors are misinterpreting or misunderstanding what is meant bythese statements. When actors begin the study of acting, there may be an emphasis on 'getting them in touch with their feelings'.
We hear things like 'how do you feel' or 'what did it feel like when.' But that is before they start to developcharacters. Unfortunately, many actors stop studying before they developthe ability to become someone else who has a completely different view oflife and, therefore, a completely different set of beliefs, values and feelings associated with any particular situation.It's true that we should 'be ourselves' at times (like when meeting an agentor entering an audition), but to assume that the character would behave like we do in a particular situation is a gross misunderstanding.
Here are some thoughts on the subject that may help.
Premise #1: Effective Storytelling relies on establishing Drama
Premise #2: Drama is a direct result of Characters in Conflict
Premise #3: It is our (the actor's) nature in Everyday Life to try to avoid Conflict THEREFORE:
If Storytelling relies on Drama, Drama is a result of characters being in Conflict and real people (other than sociopaths) try to avoidconflict in their lives, BEING YOURSELF will NEVER create the conflict and drama necessary to tell stories!
Granted, characters are not ALWAYS at a fever-pitched emotional level inevery scene, but they ARE always at a higher level than you or I would be ifwe were in the same situation.
The key to playing a scene is NOT to 'be yourself', but rather to 'do what you WISH you could do' if you were in that situation with that character's history and beliefs. How often do we see the guy in a scene stand up to the bully or bad guy?
And don't we always say to ourselves, "Boy, I wish I could do that!"? Of course, our hero then gets the snot beaten out of him for having such a'smart mouth', and we (the audience) learn that keeping a civil tongue and mild temper is much better for our survival. In life, we may WANT to take a swing at the person flirting with our spouse, but we don't dare do it because we consider the consequences before acting.
Characters DON'T THINK about consequences. Or if they do, they do not have the self-control that we do in real life. Even when characters know theyare doing something they will regret later, they do not have the control tokeep from doing it.
In real life, our self control and the ability to avoidconflict is the key to our survival... as much as they may try, CHARACTERS LACK our self control, and that keeps them in conflict. and keeps us interested in their fate throughout the story.
So, when you get that initial gut feeling that you know 'exactly what thecharacter would think, feel and do', take another look. Imagine how someonewho is not NEARLY as stable as you are would react in that situation. thenthink of another character that would be even LESS able to handle it.
Now,THAT'S the character we want to see.
THAT character will have conflict.
THAT character will be INTERESTING!
And finding THAT character takes training, time and talent.
See you on the set!
Ken Grant
Ken Grant - A Sensible Approach to Acting KVG Acting
407 291 3640 office
407 758 7755 cell
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