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3 Fundamental tips for actors. 3 Absolute Don'ts

genre intentions obstacles Mar 06, 2019

3 Absolute Don'ts

1. Don’t play the obstacle - overcome the obstacle

 Inexperienced actors play emotions rather than intentions.

When an actor reads in a script the phrase "sadly", or "fearfully" they play the emotion not the intention

Solution

Always play the active verb -  the intention - (to charm, to attack, to soothe, to berate, to nullify, to stifle) - anytime you are playing the RESULT of an emotion you are not in action.

Always think about what you are DOING to the other person in the scene. What do you want from them?

  • To gain their respect?
  • To get their love?
  • Their admiration?
  • To get them to grovel?
  • To feel your pain?
  • what...?
  • No stop, specifically...what?

2. Don’t play the fear

Again - it's physically impossible to play any kind of emotional" state" - it does not transmit to the other person.

It is not active. It is not intentional.

The feeling transmits itself yes...

but it is because you are actively trying to hide or control the fear, to AVOID showing the fact that you are terrified out of your mind..

Characters (like people ha ha x) often are trying to fight against the fear, they are trying to control the fear, to stop the fear, not to show the fear.

Hide or control the fear.

3. Don't play drunk.

Drunks don’t "act drunk", they try to "act sober".

If you have ever experienced that feeling of your head spinning because u drank too much and you are standing in front of your stern looking parents...the best solution is to try to be as sober as possible.

NOW we, the audience know....

Like your parents did...

You're drunk as a skunk!

x Nick

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