I
can sense that you want to be a better actor. I can also sense that
you're very excited to learn more about Act Intuitive , a blend
of the best of 20th century acting technique with 21st century
intuition. Was I right? I thought so!
That's why each issue of Acting Magic has what I
call two "little
t's" .
. .acting tips
and intuitive tricks . . . two little sections with
great ideas to increase both your your intuitive talents and your
skills as an actor. The big article, the "BIG T", gives you
some major TECHNIQUE clout to take your acting to the next
level. I'll also be bringing you some newsy spots about The Intuitive and the
Industry
from time to time. And some great internet acting links and news from all of my friends in the
Entertainment Industry. All so that you can Make Acting Magic!
Acting Tip: Sense Memory
Every year,
Lee Strasberg would show a scratchy silent film of the great pioneer
of acting realism, Eleanora Duse, to new students at the Strasberg
Institute. The life Duse created leapt off the screen. Lee loved
that old film because Duse did what he believed acting to be. She
reacted to imaginary stimuli and made it real. An actor's training,
he said, was about making "imaginary objects or stimuli real to
himself, as they would be in life, so that they will awaken the
proper sensory, emotional, or motor response."
Lee
called this training Sense Memory and considered it the
backbone of Method work. No other acting training I know creates an
inner life as well as Sense Memory. It can do two dynamic things for
you. First, it can give you an arsenal of tools to pop into a scene
to create reality. Second, it can make you more spontaneous. Sense
Memory may be the thing that separates a good performance from a
great one.
Lee said the body remembers everything. So he
created different exercises to help the body remember sights,
sounds, textures, overall sensations, and emotional experiences. For
an excellent explanation of Sense Memory and its basic exercises,
read On Method Acting, by Edward
Easty. These basic exercises take at least six months to a year to
learn. Then it takes an additional year or more to experiment with
their power in scenes. And a really good coach to guide you through
the process.
But all the time, energy,
and effort is worth it! Sense Memory can lift your acting to great heights.
For example, I have a "personal object", a medallion given
to me years ago by an old boyfriend. It takes two seconds for me to feel it
in my hand and two more seconds for the tears to
start flowing. I've had exactly the same response to this object for thirty
years. So I've used it in tons of roles because I know that I can
depend upon it. It caused torrents of tears in Our Town
when I uttered the beginning words to my second-act
monologue, "I don't know why on earth I should be crying!" And a
dramatic trickle at exactly the right moment during a poignant
moment in a pilot shoot. You can do that too!
You can also layer a bunch of Sense Memories
to add more colors to your acting reality. Phil, who's been studying
with me steadily for four years, did a monologue in class about
becoming a murderer. It chilled us all. When I asked him what he was
working on, he said he used two sensories to create the menacing
nature of the character. But, since Phil knew that these two
sensories would overcome him emotionally, he used two others to
counteract them so that he could act the scene. Another actor in the
class and I instantly turned, looked at each other, and raised our
eyebrows simultaneously in salute. We both knew that Phil understood
how to use the power and possibilities of Sense Memory. Phil
Patterson now has a substantial part in a big independent film. So
remember his name . Because you'll be hearing alot about him
soon.
Another benefit of Sense Memory is that it
amplifies your spontaneity. All that work tapping into your senses
allows you to connect more easily with emotion whenever you act.
Besides giving you the tools to create heightened reality, Sense
Memory opens the door to greater acting expression.
So .
. . I invite you try the first Sense Memory exercise called "the
morning beverage". Before you even attempt this exercise or any
other Sense Memory, you should relax. Sit in a chair and relax until
you can almost fall asleep with your head hanging over the back of
the chair. For more detailed relaxation instructions, please consult
the Easty book or the July issue of this E-zine, archived in the
Articles section at
www.actingintuitive.com. Simply
click on "Articles". and then on "Acting Magic July '03".
Recreate the experience that you have when
you drink whatever you have upon arising in the morning. It could be
water, coffee, orange juice . . . some people even drink Coke. Start
with the weight of the container, the feel of the sides, the rim,
the handle. If you've never done this type of work before, it might
be helpful to work with the actual container, then put it down and
see if you can feel the sensation of the container without it being
in your hand. Remember that this is not a pantomime. You're actually
seeing if your body can remember the sensation of the container.
Then fill the container with the appropriate imaginary liquid and
see if you can sense the wetness, the temperature, the way it feels
on your lips. Slow down and allow your body to have the experience
without forcing it.
The purpose of the exercise is to totally
feel the object without it being there. But if you feel any element
of it . . . and different people feel different things . . . you've
been successful at your first Sense Memory exercise. Congratulations!
Next
month , we'll talk about improvisation.
Until then, have fun drinking . . . and sensing . . . your "morning
beverage".
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Intuitive Trick: Finding your Space in the
Room
I'm
a sixties kid. And I've delved into all sorts of spiritual realms.
Because I'm sixties and spiritual, I'm fond of the writings of
Carlos Castaneda, another sixties spiritual kid. Castaneda was a
UCLA anthropology student who went to study with a Yaqui sorcerer
for a thesis project. And ended up predicting the sixties drug
culture.
Castaneda wrote many books. But I was
particularly taken with the story of his first contact with the
sorcerer, Don Juan. Don Juan gave Castaneda a task to accomplish
before he would teach him. Castaneda needed to find a spot on Don
Juan's porch where he could "feel happy and strong". Castaneda spent
the night experiencing the porch in many ways until he felt he had
chosen his safe place.
So . . . I invite you to explore your own
space in a different way today. Walk but also roll,
skip, crawl, jump, kneel, sit, and lie on it. Explore places in the
room that you might feel safe in and stay a few minutes. Then
explore places where you may not feel as safe. Sense the difference
between them. Are these safe and unsafe places in the light or dark?
In the middle of the floor or near a wall? On the floor or on
furniture? Take a few minutes to fully explore the space before you
settle on a safe place in the room. Then you might want to read or
do your relaxation and Sense Memory exercises in that place.
I've encouraged actors to find a comfortable
space in the workout room before they begin their workouts for years
. Something as simple finding that safe place sharpens your
intuitive senses by making you aware of how profoundly external
stimuli influence your internal climate.
Next Month,
we'll talk about
mindfulness.
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