Yeah, I was booked to go on that, but had to cancel as I am doing a night shoot on Friday night and Saturday night. What with working during the day on Friday, I kind of figured I wouldn't be able to make it the 48 hours without any sleep! (Or drugs! ;-))
Shame, am sure it would have been good. Never mind, next time!
I did Module 1 of the Meisner course at the Actors Temple a few weeks ago and have been trying to do weekly repetition follow-ups since then. In the middle of my first week there I had a real breakthrough; I hesitate to say a revelation because it sounds dramatic but that's what it felt like. As good as my previous drama school was for me in many ways I felt I made more progress in the week of the Module than in all my previous 2 years.
Needless to say, I'd recommend training at the Temple 100% (and no I'm not in their employ in any way shape or form).
Although Meisner isn't for me the Actors Temple is really brilliant and Mark and Ellie who run it are really lovely people. I've done other courses and one off training events there and can thoroughly recommend them.
Cheers
What I meant to say was that the training I've had so far at the Actors Temple has presented with me a clear technique or a process that I can use to access emotion in a powerful way.
Drama school taught me many OTHER important things about the (business of) acting. Discipline, hard work, dealing with rejection (re auditions), the sheer joy working with an ensemble of actors, how to work with a director and the reality of the politics (good and bad) of an actors relationship with the people he/she works with.
I also graduated from the Poor school, I thoroughly enjoyed my training but that finished 5 years ago (jesus was it that long...... *starts rocking in corner feeling old*) and I think this will be a good way to keep my skill levels up.
I think you should go for it, but always just be aware that its not the ONLY tool that an actor can use to grow. It may be exactly what you need personally and will "sit" with you.
I have personally come to believe that there are many "roads to Rome" in the topic of acting technique and what works for one may not work for another.
I went through this phase wondering if I was missing out and while I have been busy and not had time to do Meisner etc, I did wonder if I was personally "lacking" in technique.
I now think that its imporanat to be open to a wide variety of tools and techniques as there are so many around, and to trust that which sits with you. I know an actress who uses a verty unorthodox type of technique called "emotional access" and it really works for her in a great way. I have a different approach and while I can always improve, I had been open to her way of doing stuff but know its not the ultimate way for me.
I do however question how much its got to do a technique so much as the openenss and willingness of the person to engage and the talent of that person. Also, seeing as we are all different, we all respond from different left or right brain hemispheres and have different modes we work in..some are touch, some auditory etc..its really impossible to say one way is the only way.
I agreee with you thisis not the only way. I am going to give many different types of courses a try ..... this way atleast I am active while I am resting.
Dont get like that.Its so easy to become self concious.
I think its good to always be aware that there are courses at the Actors Centre whch would help you with those very issues.
It must be said that there is a place for also not doing classes. But its good to do them and to learn from others..iron sharpens iron etc. So i think its purely your choice, just dont go thinking you are weird etc.
:) no not at all. this will be my first experience of a specific technique to my knowledge so it will be interesting to see if it is any use to me, I tend to be very natural in my processes and juts let the emotions flow freely.Maybe I will learn a different kind of discipline or maybe it will be good to be in that kind of learning environment for a bit.
I was often told I was too 'in my head' at drama school. At other times I have been able to spontaneously not be. The whole thing was too hit and miss for me though and very frustrating. My recent training has given me a clear way to overcome that but obviously it depends on what kind of person you are. No 'technique' is an end in itself; in fact focusing on the method defeats the object. As way of getting out of my own way and avoiding self-consciousness Meisner has been very effective so far. At a recent audition I was so into the scene that I completely forgot that we were being filmed because my attention was solely on the other actor. No nerves, no second-guessing, no energy wasted.
Anyway, got to dash so all the best and good luck with whatever you're doing right now.
I think whether or not you choose to do lots of extra classes is a very personal thing...because 'process' is a very personal thing, frankly. I think that they *can* be really worthwhile for all sorts of reasons - meeting other actors, allowing you to experiment with things, and, especially during a period when you haven't acted much for a while, and you may need to stop yourself getting 'rusty'. And you never know - certain things *are* revelatory.
On the other hand, I believe all good actors naturally rely on their instincts, and instinct is not something anyone can teach you. It may sound like a bit of a cliche, but you are always going to be the person you are, which in turn means that you will always make acting choices specific to your personality and interpretation of the world. And, in contrast, all techniques are about systematising - trying to work out some method that will apply to everyone, in order that their acting will improve. It's interesting - Stanislavski, who I guess started all this, seems to have wanted to come up with 'rules' (if you like)as to how you could invariably be a 'good' actor - to uncover the secret basis for what being a 'good' actor is about. But I think it's sometimes very hard to take some theoretical rules (that look beautifully logical on paper) and then apply them to your actual physical acting, and make them work.
As to Meisner, I like it because it's an attempt to do away with too many rules, and there's a certain amount of free associating involved in it - it's all about forgetting that you're acting in a way, and embracing spontaneity. But then, that might just be another way of saying it's about trusting your instinct.
But keeping skills honed never hurt anyone either :)
Good thread. I did the Actors Studio 8 week intensive earlier this year and one of the teachers was the 'king of Meisner'. He was a pretty evil guy when it came to breaking us down. Being a typical Scot I couldn't really cry much and got caught out 'pretending to cry' on camera! It took him 3 weeks but he finally found which buttons set me off and then proceeded to press all of them! He was great and one of my favourite teachers there - Kris Allen.
Now I can genuinely cry at the drop of a hat using emotional recall etc etc... It really did open my eyes. The other good thing about the course in LA is that all the teachers taught in a different style, so once you got over the confusion, it was great to pick and choose what works for you.
and thefact is that many people need to let go of "control". But at the same time, each person has thier own way of working..if the end result is that the job gets donwe....and well...then kudos.
I dont like actors who impose thier ideas on people as the ONLY WAY. But one can learn from most techniques.And books.
As a singer, I have found that there are many teachers out ther, but one has to embrace the natural physiology of the voice and how it works. If you ignore basic rules of the larynx and voice production, you wont have much of a career.
Acting is not exactly something you can "pinpoint", so different thngs do work.
I suppose this is why actors get cagey when other actors give them "notes". Its so subjtective and hard to detach.
I do get concerned when some teachers become "guru" like and are emulated to that level though...it just makes me nervous and i want to run a mile.
unfortunately I was taken into hospital so I couldn't go and was unable to let them know
( I'm fine now by the way) so I thikn I have just lost £25 which is always fun......... I will deffinately try and get to the one in september though
Glad you're better now though. Hope it was nothing too serious.
I've been accepted on a City Lit drama course (hoorah!) for the year, which is on Saturdays, so unless they do a course during the week or during term holidays I won't be able to attend one until next year. (Boo!)
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