After 2009 : LUL ...

You Must See the Character Before You Can Be the Character. -KF- Summary "Style is not, as is sometimes assumed, the opposite of realism. Neither is it necessarily characterized by an expansiveness or broadness in acting. Style is the angle from which reality is observed. It is an attribute of all creative activity-not just of period or classic plays. The search for the specific content and reality of a play leads to style. The search for style in itself or in the traditions of the past often leads to empty forms." [S] Questions Stanislavsky: «Create your own method. Don't depend slavishly on mine. Make up something that will work for you! But keep breaking traditions, I beg you». Notes The Possessed Pygmalion 2005 * Shaw * online * There are several Chekhov's one-act comedies I use for class projects in my acting-directing projects (finals): Wedding, On the High Road, Proposal, Bear. [public domain] Michael Chekhov IDEAL ARTIST Imagine some ideal artist who has decided to devote himself to a single, large purpose in life; to elevate and entertain the public by a high form of art; to expound the hidden, spiritual beauties in the writings of poetic geniuses. . . . His whole life will be consecrated to this high cultural mission. Another type of artist may use his personal success to convey his own ideas and feelings to the masses. Great people may have a variety of high purposes. In their cases the super-objective of any one production will be merely a step in the fulfillment of an important life purpose, . . . a supreme-objective. --An Actor Prepares * Stanislavsky 2006: Beckett Year! 2006: ...

Acting Styles

AActing (Advanced Acting) [1] ACTING STYLE(S) -- Your final class in Acting!

Class I. Introduction. Course orientation. Walk though Slb. Preview of subjects. What is ACTING THREE? Aims: DIRECTING FOR ACTOR Class Structure: 90 min for 12 actors. New Material -- lecture (20 min). Review (10 min). Exercises (30 min). Presentations (25). Summary (5 min). Class project!

Home work. Journals (after, before each class and on weekend)

Grades explained.

Self-introductions. Name, I. Oral Resume format (see Students directory).

Monologues assigned: breakdown. Analysis. Cold Reading and Auditions. (See 3 Sisters for Chekhov's monologues). Also, WWWilde for scenes from "The Importance of Being Earnest" (and use the texts online -- Hamlet, Cyrano, 12th Night).

Actor is always in between. Between Text and Performance. Between Text and Audience. Between...
Acting is a mediation. Actor is a process of mediating many texts (mostly subconsciencely). Semiotics (science of signs). Acting is mediating. Between known and unknown, existing and not born yet.

* What is Acting? (Write in your journals your answer).

Actor -- a performer who "developed in himself the art of inner and outer mimicry and incarnation" (Richard Boleslavsky on Stanislavsky System). Reading: "Living the Part" pp. 510-512.

Initiator, leader and organizer of the material (the actor and medium are one and the same thing). (Biomechanics)

Acting 3: Systems and Methods. Phychological Realism (From inside out -- Method) and YOUR STYLE.

Physical characterization -- Biomechanics.

Voice and movement.
Rehearsal Methods and Actor's Home Work.

Audition portfolio. Select Presentations in class (instead of introduction)

Drama Monologue. Fist Assignment.

Text into Performance. "Actor's Text" concept. (THR 121 and THR 221 reviewed).

Have a very good reason for everything you do. -- Laurence Olivier

PS: Audience -- Public, second actor's ego is made up of those who witness the event through dramatic (emotional, intellectual) participation.

HOME WORK: Resume, Drama Monologue, Journal (Questions to answer, list)

NB

Take notes in class!

Next: vakhtangov

The subject is tricky: "Brando Style" = consitency in his own techniques? NTL, we do talk about styles of Mozart and El Greco!

What does constitute actor' style?

"Man (individual) is a style." (Valery?)

Different characters by the actor-artist = different stories by the same writer.

Do we really consider actors as artist, author?

That is the question.

We could be a century or two away from this moment.

Acting is the oldest and the less known of all arts...

"Your Style" -- that is the target.

Or "stylish"...

Stylistic organization in literature.

"Period Styles" = conceptual view of the world, perception -- and therefore expression.

Maybe film acting references are better way to explain the [individual] styles in acting?

Kurosawa, Rashomon

Should I expend the Film Analysis to "Directors and Acting Styles"?

Cast page: good directors like to work with the same actors. It makes sense = creating the style of directing through the cast.

Good actors like "their" genres. Like preferences in playwrights. The taste is style.

"He has no style," we say. What do we mean?

Very radical judgment of "individuality"! No formed message, no knowledge of oneself.

"Style over substance"...

I am in troubled waters, but this is what makes an actor a star...

Butoh

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Eisenstein: "Anti-Actor" concept in Film