Shia LaBeouf once commented on the fact that he felt he was a "lonely dude", a feeling that might not be shared by a large number in the acting community. The implication in this statement is that loneliness is a price that is paid by actors. In 2006, he told The Washington Post that a true actor must be "brokenhearted". More likely than not, there were many actors who took offense to his assertion. Of course, there are those actors who would agree with his assertion as the concept of the "suffering artist" has become so popular.
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. Is there a way for an actor to truly embrace and succeed in a role without becoming overly invested in the emotional turmoil involved?
Distortion is a necessary part of dealing with stereotypes and character identities. Meisner training, along with other acting methods, consider distortion to be a necessary skill. All actors distort the truth, from those who are involved in dramatic films to those that perform on reality shows. If a distortion of the truth is done particularly well, it can actually make the actor see himself more clearly. This is, in reality, the job of the actor.
The Meisner technique teaches that stereotypes are personalities that have been distorted. They do play a large role when it comes to creating a character. It is essential, however, that stereotypes not be allowed to dominate the entire role. Even a seemingly "cartoon-like" character who appears to be the definition of a stereotype must have layers of personality that add complexity. The best actors will create characters that have opposing layers, such as a tragic figure with a great sense of comedic timing.
A partial use of stereotypes can help the audience to better understand your character, at least on a superficial level that can be fleshed out later on in the performance. Later on, the character must be given complexity or the audience will become disenchanted and bored. If the writer has written a particular character as a stereotype for a reason, this must be followed carefully in order to create a genuine performance.
Many actors are known for their sensitivity to the human condition. Actors are people just like everyone else and can suffer just like we can. Suffering, however, does not need to occur for an actor to succeed in his craft. Success comes, instead, from continued study, passion, and dedication.
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. Is there a way for an actor to truly embrace and succeed in a role without becoming overly invested in the emotional turmoil involved?
Distortion is a necessary part of dealing with stereotypes and character identities. Meisner training, along with other acting methods, consider distortion to be a necessary skill. All actors distort the truth, from those who are involved in dramatic films to those that perform on reality shows. If a distortion of the truth is done particularly well, it can actually make the actor see himself more clearly. This is, in reality, the job of the actor.
The Meisner technique teaches that stereotypes are personalities that have been distorted. They do play a large role when it comes to creating a character. It is essential, however, that stereotypes not be allowed to dominate the entire role. Even a seemingly "cartoon-like" character who appears to be the definition of a stereotype must have layers of personality that add complexity. The best actors will create characters that have opposing layers, such as a tragic figure with a great sense of comedic timing.
A partial use of stereotypes can help the audience to better understand your character, at least on a superficial level that can be fleshed out later on in the performance. Later on, the character must be given complexity or the audience will become disenchanted and bored. If the writer has written a particular character as a stereotype for a reason, this must be followed carefully in order to create a genuine performance.
Many actors are known for their sensitivity to the human condition. Actors are people just like everyone else and can suffer just like we can. Suffering, however, does not need to occur for an actor to succeed in his craft. Success comes, instead, from continued study, passion, and dedication.
About the Author:
The Maggie Flanigan Studio provides quality meisner instruction. Find out more about commercial acting class in nyc by visiting the studio website.
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