Friday, June 29, 2012

Acting Workshops in Los Angeles- Being Vulnerable

By Kirk Baltz


When it comes to acting, great abilities cannot be formed overnight. Instead, significant effort and training are required to form an individual skilled in his or her craft. One of the most necessary and yet difficult components of great acting is learning to rip past the facade that covers the actors themselves and the characters they create to reveal the true identities within.

Each person and character alike is multi-faceted as opposed to being one-dimensional and static. These dimensions consist of the individual or character's public persona, his or her deep-seated fears and vulnerabilities, and the tragic flaw. Training with an acting coach can both aid the actor in discovering these dimensions in himself as well as allow him to utilize these personal traits to create very real characters.

According to the works of Carl Jung, humans form their exterior or public personas as a means of exuding a feeling of strength and stability to the world so as to conceal weaknesses buried within. This persona is exemplified in all areas of our lives, from how we move to the way we speak and interact with others. Characters also have personas that they create to protect their true selves from the rest of the world and actors must learn to utilize their own personas to create those of their characters.

It is not uncommon for public personas to be initially viewed as an individual's true identity as many are highly skilled in using this creation to mask their deeper selves. The root of a person's character is grounded in their growth and development from childhood. Acting classes are designed to instruct actors in identifying these difficulties in themselves so as to form multi-dimensional characters that audiences can relate to on a personal level.

That which affects us in childhood remains a part of our lives until the day we die, whether we allow it to surface or not. Both actors and the characters they create form their public personas as a means of defending themselves from these insecurities. Covering up these vulnerabilities under a shield of stability is our means of appearing strong rather than helpless to others.

In order to become an exceptional actor, a student must learn to remove the superficial exterior of both his and his character's public persona in order to uncover the true self. Quality coaches work to train actors in communicating the sacred and intimate core of a person's soul and being.

Every member of the audience has both a public persona as well as a deeper substance that has worked to create the exterior. Regardless of whether or not they are aware of this fact, creating a dimensional character will never fail to hit a chord with the watcher. The exceptional actor is one who is able to create such a character.




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