"I don't think we really need anymore general actors." - Deborah Hedwall
It feels so good to be in an acting class again. One of my biggest goals when I moved to New York City was to find a scene study class and, just before the four year mark, I found it.
I started taking class with Deborah Hedwall in late September of 2016 and, simply put. it's made me a better actor. It's the acting class I've always wanted. She's a sensitive teacher who drives home simple concepts over and over again.
Action. Action. Action. What are you doing?
Who am I? Point of view. Global Glasses.
I leave the class inspired and with a clearer understanding of the craft of acting and building a character....and also alternately thinking acting is easy and acting is the hardest thing in the world.Some recurring themes that have stuck with me:
Core circumstance - take this away and the scene wouldn't exist. What's the dilemma...every scene is about a dilemma
Global glasses - I am a _________ in a world of __________.
Curiosity - people stay in the scene because they're CURIOUS about the dilemma
Specificity - ask a question, why, because, why, because...
Playing a quality is a dead end
Emotion life is revealed through action
Front Loading - creating a situation for just before the scene that raises the stakes.
As If/Substitution
Stop smiling - don't let people off the hook with your smile.
Stillness - you're really going to enjoy stillness.
POV + ACTION, not emotion
Direct hit scene
Spine - relationship to the world
"Technique is what you do when you don't know what to do" - Uta Hagen
