Acting

Nota:

• > Talent and training essential (sing/dance) > Everything wideshot > Rehearsals 3-4 weeks > Memorization skills required > Perform well each performance

Nota:

• > Photographic charisma/personality key > Often uses close-ups > Rehearsals few/none > Memorization not as important  > Allowed to fail - Takes and cuts

Nota:

• "Speak the speech, I pray you, as I pronounced it to you, trippingly on the tongue... Nor do not saw the air too much with your hand... Suit the action to the word, not the word to the action..." 

Nota:

• Thespis: considered first actor around 555 BC. > Women: appear in licensed, legitimate theaters during the restoration period (1662, during Charles II rein), but regarded as prostitutes. Some accepted into high society were mistresses of the King (ie. Nell Gwynn). > Not until later in the 18th/19th century were actors becoming more celebrated.

Nota:

• > Talent > Good timing  > Desire  > "Thick skin" > Good imagination > Potential energy ("it" factor) > Strong power of observation > Emotional/intellectual commitment > Great concentration, focus, and discipline

1. Universities

   Nota:

   • (BA/BFA/MFA) degrees > NYC/LA/Chicago - Acting schools/studios - Conservatories >strive to become: - Triple threat: act, sing, and dance - Quadruple threat: act, sing, dance, and play an instrument
2. Training the Body

   Nota:

   • > Dance > Period styles movement > Fencing and stage combat  > Circus and gymnastics techniques  > Yoga > Martial arts/tai chi
3. Training the Mind

   Nota:

   • > Memorization skills > Imagination  > Levels of empathy > Keen awareness of surroundings and others > Analyze info. quickly
4. Training the Voice

   Nota:

   • > Breathing/relaxation techniques > Vocal technique in pitch, volume (projection), diction, and resonance > Dialects > IPA: international phonetic alphabet - pronounce get not git > Singing > Avoid vocal fry 

Nota:

• 1863-1938 > Actor, Director, Co-founder of Moscow Art Theater in Russia > Involved in both stylized and non-realistic techniques and modern approaches to acting  > Stressed ensemble playing 

1. His Books

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   • An actor prepares Building a character  Creating a role

1. Stella Adler

   Nota:

   • Conservatory of Acting (NYC)
2. Sanford Meisher

   Nota:

   • Neighborhood Playhouse (NYC)
3. Lee Strasberg

   Nota:

   • The Actor's Studio
4. Acting Techniques

   Nota:

   • > Gestural acting  > Concentration and observation  > Substitution > Imagery > Emotional recall > Sense memory > Magic "if"
   1. Expressing Emotions

      Nota:

      • Outside-In: technical approach Inside-Out: emotional memory For creating character: use of props and costumes 
   2. Characterization

      Nota:

      • > Given circumstances  > Super-objective (overall goal) > Objective (goal per scene) > Beat (a change in circumstance) > Public vs. Personal Image (how others see us vs. how we see ourselves) > Inner conflict  > Motivation (why we do what we do)
5. Acting Unions

   Nota:

   • AEA: Actors equity association  SAG: Screen actors guild AFTRA: American federation of television and radio artists  > Merged in 2012 SAG-AFTRA > Union vs. Non-union acting work

Nota:

• > Ingenue- young female 18-25 > Juvenile- young male 18-25 > Young leading man/lady: >25-early 30s > Leading man/lady: older 30s-early 40s > Heavy: Villain  > Femme Fatale: female, sexual, dangerous > Straight or confidant: friendly, attentive, willing to help (ie. best friend roles)

Nota:

• > Agents > Casting notices (EPA, chorus calls, open or "cattle calls") > Sides > Cold readings  > Prepared monologue > Improvisations > Sing/dance > callback list