Shia LaBeouf once said that, as an actor, he was a "lonely dude" but there is little evidence that many other actors share this feeling. The implication in this statement is that loneliness is a price that is paid by actors. In an interview for The Washington Post, he stated that a real actor must be, at least to a certain extent, "brokenhearted". More likely than not, there were many actors who took offense to his assertion. There are, however, probably many individuals who took hold of his statement and adopted it as their own due to the common "suffering artist" stereotype.
As any good commercial acting class with teach you, a successful actor must consider human emotion and nature in any and every performance. However, an actor does not need to suffer in order to successfully perform in auditions and land meaningful roles. Therefore, how does an actor explore and develop characters withing becoming too emotionally invested?
Distortion is a necessary part of dealing with stereotypes and character identities. The Meisner technique, along with other schools of acting, teaches that distortion is absolutely necessary for actors. Not only is this needed in dramatic films but in reality shows as well. Distortion, if well executed, is actually able to reveal truths previously undiscovered by the actor about himself. This is the crux of an actor's job.
The Meisner technique teaches that stereotypes are personalities that have been distorted. Stereotypes play a significant role in developing characters. They cannot, however, be allowed to take over the entire personality. Even the simplest character must be more complex than a basic stereotype. For example, a good actor will be able to create a character who has a tragic aspect but also maintains a comical exterior.
Some stereotypical aspects of a character may be helpful in a performance as it will allow your audience to quickly gain at least a partial understanding of your character. Any character that does not demonstrate complexity at some point in the performance will quickly be dismissed as boring by the audience. Occasionally, the writer will use stereotypical characters as a device which means that the character must be carefully illustrated.
Many actors are known for their sensitivity to the human condition. Actors are not immune to suffering and can sustain illnesses and endure problems just like all the rest. Suffering, however, does not need to occur for an actor to succeed in his craft. In order to succeed, instead, an actor must remain focused, stay passionate, and continually improve on his skills.
As any good commercial acting class with teach you, a successful actor must consider human emotion and nature in any and every performance. However, an actor does not need to suffer in order to successfully perform in auditions and land meaningful roles. Therefore, how does an actor explore and develop characters withing becoming too emotionally invested?
Distortion is a necessary part of dealing with stereotypes and character identities. The Meisner technique, along with other schools of acting, teaches that distortion is absolutely necessary for actors. Not only is this needed in dramatic films but in reality shows as well. Distortion, if well executed, is actually able to reveal truths previously undiscovered by the actor about himself. This is the crux of an actor's job.
The Meisner technique teaches that stereotypes are personalities that have been distorted. Stereotypes play a significant role in developing characters. They cannot, however, be allowed to take over the entire personality. Even the simplest character must be more complex than a basic stereotype. For example, a good actor will be able to create a character who has a tragic aspect but also maintains a comical exterior.
Some stereotypical aspects of a character may be helpful in a performance as it will allow your audience to quickly gain at least a partial understanding of your character. Any character that does not demonstrate complexity at some point in the performance will quickly be dismissed as boring by the audience. Occasionally, the writer will use stereotypical characters as a device which means that the character must be carefully illustrated.
Many actors are known for their sensitivity to the human condition. Actors are not immune to suffering and can sustain illnesses and endure problems just like all the rest. Suffering, however, does not need to occur for an actor to succeed in his craft. In order to succeed, instead, an actor must remain focused, stay passionate, and continually improve on his skills.
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The Maggie Flanigan Studio provides quality acting classes in nyc. Find out more about commercial acting class by visiting the studio website.
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