I've always liked the idea of acting. In my head it seems so easy, understanding and breaking things down usually isn't a problem for me. However, when it comes to producing it on stage, I have no idea what I'm doing. I just kind of read the lines and see what happens. Sometimes it works. I find when I think about the lines it's more unnatural and uncomfortable. I never realize what I'm doing or how I did until afterwards when I get feedback. I don't think I've done too terribly in anything so far, or at least that's what I'm led to believe. We'll see. I think it also depends on the scene and the character. Today it worked out in my favor. I got a character I could relate. However, if I were given Ms. Mendoza, I probably would've crumbled. I don't like to be loud.
I've found acting to be fun. I think acting is a great skill to have even if you're not pursuing it as a career. I think it's useful to know how to act, because it can only help in certain situations. I also believe that it helps you to see when others are acting. It's kind of a funny thing. I've already started to notice it in, just a tiny bit.
Overall I think acting was the best workshop for me. I can't believe I learned as much as I did in just a week. I like it.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Define
Constantin Stanislavski- 1863-1938, was a Russian actor and theater director who was part of the socialist realism movement. He came up with a "system" made up of 3 branches: magic if, motivation and objectives. He believed that if an actor was to follow this "system", they would successfully create any experience any desired emotion. One earlier technique used for the system involved a "round the table analysis," which was a process in which the actors and director literally sat around a table and put their thoughts and characters on the script until a clear understanding was formed. He also associated with method acting, particularly the concept of Emotional Memory. This teaches actors to draw from emotions for a character from past experiences and remembrances of the actor. In 1897, Stanislavski created the Moscow Art Theatre.
I take from this that Stanislavski's methods were based on the actor feeling the part as opposed to acting the part. He believed that if the actor could put himself in the character's shoes, that he would be golden. I could see this working to a certain extent, however, if an actor is given a role that they have not experienced in real life, than what would they do?
Michael Chekhov- 1891-1955, was a Russian-American actor, director, author and theater practitioner. Was a student of Constantin Stanislavski who later on found Chekhov's work to be a betrayal of his principles. Much like Stanislavski, Chekhov explored the question of how to access the unconscious creative self through indirect non-analytical means. Chekhov taught a range of movement dynamics such as molding, floating, flying, and radiating that actors use to find the physical core of the character. His techniques seemed more external, though they were meant to lead the actor to a rich internal life.
His technique seems similar to Stanislayski's "system", but the difference is that Chekhov uses physical movements to get the same result. I believe this is probably more effective because it's easier to become a character when you prep yourself, meaning you can build yourself up for it. As opposed to recalling a memory that one never had in order to play a role.
Lee Strasberg- 1901-1982, was an American actor, director and acting teacher. He is considered "the father of method acting." He co-founded the Group Theatre in 1931, which was hailed as "America's first true theatrical collective." In 1951, he became director of the non-profit Actors Studio in New York City which is considered "the nation's most prestigious acting school.
Strasberg also founded the The Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute and Film Institute in New York City and in Hollywood to teach. He required that an actor, when preparing for a role, dig into not only the character's life in the play, but also, "Far more importantly, into the character's life before the curtain rises. In rehearsal, the character's prehistory, perhaps going back to childhood, is discussed and even acted out. The play became the climax of the character's existence."
This I could see working. This helps the actor really become the character by having him create his own connection with the character. Essentially, an actor is imagining what this character's past, present and future is going to be like, they're just branching off from the script.
Robert (Bobby) Lewis- 1901-1997, was an American actor, director, teacher, author and founder of the influential Actors Studio in NYC. He was an early advocate of the Stanislavski system. His theory revolved around the idea that there are many branches of an actor's preparation for a role. He believed that Stanislavski intended that the actor prepare internally and externally, rather than only relying on internal techniques such as affective memory. In the 1970's he was the head of the Yale Acting and Directing Departments. Lewis made a point that there was a "generation of mumblers", whose acting conveyed the truth of the actor but not necessarily the truth of the character on the stage.
This is exactly what I was thinking. One couldn't act based solely on their past experiences.
Stella Adler-1901-1992, was an American actress, acting teacher and founder of Stella Adler Studio of Acting in Los Angeles. She was the only American actor to study with Stanislavski. Adler once said: 'Drawing on the emotions I experienced, for example, when my mother died to create a role, is sick and schizophrenic. If that is acting, I don't want to do it.' She later dismissed Stanislavski's theory, as did he, and came to the conclusion that instead of an actor having to experience the actual circumstances of a character, they must at least know something about the circumstances. For example: if a movie is about horseback riding than the actor must know something about horseback riding.
Sansford Meisner- 1905-1997, was an American actor and acting teacher who created the "Meisner technique" based off of Stanislavski's "system." An example of what would happen between 2 actors in a class: "They were given a single line of dialogue, told to turn away, and instructed not to do or say anything until something happened to make them say the words (one of the fundamental principles of the Meisner technique). The first student’s line came when Meisner approached him from behind and gave him a strong pinch on the back, inspiring him to jump away and yelp his line in pain. The other student’s line came when Meisner reached around and slipped his hand into her blouse. Her line came out as a giggle as she moved away from his touch." The goal of the technique was to "live truthfully under imaginary circumstances." He is also known for his repetition exercise, where actors are where one person spontaneously makes a comment based on his or her partner, and the comment is repeated back and forth between the two actors in the same manner, until it changes on its own. The goal is always to react truthfully, allowing the repetition to change naturally rather than manipulation. Sanford Meisner and his life partner James Carville founded the Meisner/Carville School of Acting on the Caribbean island Bequia in 1983.
I take from this that Stanislavski's methods were based on the actor feeling the part as opposed to acting the part. He believed that if the actor could put himself in the character's shoes, that he would be golden. I could see this working to a certain extent, however, if an actor is given a role that they have not experienced in real life, than what would they do?
Michael Chekhov- 1891-1955, was a Russian-American actor, director, author and theater practitioner. Was a student of Constantin Stanislavski who later on found Chekhov's work to be a betrayal of his principles. Much like Stanislavski, Chekhov explored the question of how to access the unconscious creative self through indirect non-analytical means. Chekhov taught a range of movement dynamics such as molding, floating, flying, and radiating that actors use to find the physical core of the character. His techniques seemed more external, though they were meant to lead the actor to a rich internal life.
His technique seems similar to Stanislayski's "system", but the difference is that Chekhov uses physical movements to get the same result. I believe this is probably more effective because it's easier to become a character when you prep yourself, meaning you can build yourself up for it. As opposed to recalling a memory that one never had in order to play a role.
Lee Strasberg- 1901-1982, was an American actor, director and acting teacher. He is considered "the father of method acting." He co-founded the Group Theatre in 1931, which was hailed as "America's first true theatrical collective." In 1951, he became director of the non-profit Actors Studio in New York City which is considered "the nation's most prestigious acting school.
Strasberg also founded the The Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute and Film Institute in New York City and in Hollywood to teach. He required that an actor, when preparing for a role, dig into not only the character's life in the play, but also, "Far more importantly, into the character's life before the curtain rises. In rehearsal, the character's prehistory, perhaps going back to childhood, is discussed and even acted out. The play became the climax of the character's existence."
This I could see working. This helps the actor really become the character by having him create his own connection with the character. Essentially, an actor is imagining what this character's past, present and future is going to be like, they're just branching off from the script.
Robert (Bobby) Lewis- 1901-1997, was an American actor, director, teacher, author and founder of the influential Actors Studio in NYC. He was an early advocate of the Stanislavski system. His theory revolved around the idea that there are many branches of an actor's preparation for a role. He believed that Stanislavski intended that the actor prepare internally and externally, rather than only relying on internal techniques such as affective memory. In the 1970's he was the head of the Yale Acting and Directing Departments. Lewis made a point that there was a "generation of mumblers", whose acting conveyed the truth of the actor but not necessarily the truth of the character on the stage.
This is exactly what I was thinking. One couldn't act based solely on their past experiences.
Stella Adler-1901-1992, was an American actress, acting teacher and founder of Stella Adler Studio of Acting in Los Angeles. She was the only American actor to study with Stanislavski. Adler once said: 'Drawing on the emotions I experienced, for example, when my mother died to create a role, is sick and schizophrenic. If that is acting, I don't want to do it.' She later dismissed Stanislavski's theory, as did he, and came to the conclusion that instead of an actor having to experience the actual circumstances of a character, they must at least know something about the circumstances. For example: if a movie is about horseback riding than the actor must know something about horseback riding.
Sansford Meisner- 1905-1997, was an American actor and acting teacher who created the "Meisner technique" based off of Stanislavski's "system." An example of what would happen between 2 actors in a class: "They were given a single line of dialogue, told to turn away, and instructed not to do or say anything until something happened to make them say the words (one of the fundamental principles of the Meisner technique). The first student’s line came when Meisner approached him from behind and gave him a strong pinch on the back, inspiring him to jump away and yelp his line in pain. The other student’s line came when Meisner reached around and slipped his hand into her blouse. Her line came out as a giggle as she moved away from his touch." The goal of the technique was to "live truthfully under imaginary circumstances." He is also known for his repetition exercise, where actors are where one person spontaneously makes a comment based on his or her partner, and the comment is repeated back and forth between the two actors in the same manner, until it changes on its own. The goal is always to react truthfully, allowing the repetition to change naturally rather than manipulation. Sanford Meisner and his life partner James Carville founded the Meisner/Carville School of Acting on the Caribbean island Bequia in 1983.
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