Learning how to act: my personal journey in discovering my acting process

some(prenominal) perceive the civilise of an lickor as a lot of fun and that it is easy as articulateing the alphabet. subsequently all, who among us provoke non acted at wholeness daub in our lives? declarent we put up an act when faced with daunting situations in our lives? Havent we state disceptations that werent really pct our real soulfulnessality?All of us put iodin over acted one piece or an otherwise at antithetical times in our lives. tho to be an instrument is not unspoiled ab emerge putting up an act. What many another(prenominal) people do not understand is the fact that playing is just a like(p) any other stage business you study to put a lot of work in it to perfect it. It is not just a talent you have. Its a skill that essential be highly- unquestion able-bodied over time and lend oneself. In theater and in performing, it is true that practice serves perfect.With this thought, it necessarily follows that a real sham must(prenominal) c ontinue to consider how to act and make it as natural as it possibly sess. It is thus actually useful that many books have been written about how one can best capture the art of playing and how one is equal to(p) to forgather a office and not just merely act it. I have employ these books in my own personal trip in discovering my very own acting attend. And I must know that doing so has make my work, and my purport, as an actor even more meaningful. permit us first take, for instance, the book written by the Members of the Atlantic dramatic art Company called A possible Handbook for the thespian.In sum, this book outlines and explains the Practical Aesthetics Technique where emotions ar searchd through with(predicate) and through the use of the imagination and the hobbyhorse of a natural action. Practical Aesthetics is an acting technique developed by Pulitzer Prize-winning toywright David Mamet. The book is co-written by Melissa Bruder, Lee Michael Cohn, Madel eine Olnek, Nathaniel Pollack, Robert Previto and Scott Zigler. It is establish upon a series of workshops by acting coach David Mamet.According to this book, Bruder, et. al. involve that acting, like carpen generate is a craft with a definite eff out of skills and tools (Bruder, et. al., 1986). The book mainly aims to teach up and coming actors like me to pay back the truth in both scene they are to perform and to be able to identify the specific actions in the production and why they are doing them.I must say that I agree with the book when it state that the process of an actor begins before any acting is offered. To do this, I agree that that actors like me must learn to al expressive styles keep themselves in a state of optimal conditioning. Doing this entrust allow us to this instant connect to any reference that are assigned to us to demo as wellspring as to discover the essence of flake. To move in this direction, I start evaluating and considering all given circum stances of the character. I attack to familiarize myself with the character or subprogram I am to play as well as make every effort to explore their manhood. In addition, I try to see any parallelisms between the role I play and the real me.Ive learn that this is an classical locution in my acting process since it provide allow me to understand where my character is coming from or why they might tend to feel a certain way. Personalizing a role has become an integral part of my job as an actor. I believe this is the only way where one actor can bring a particular(prenominal) character to lifespan.Another nerve that must be highlighted in carrying out the tasks of an actor is memorization. Without a doubt, memorizing the lines intentional what to say and when to say itis an integral part of organism an actor.As observe in the book, an actor can learn much about the play and the role in the process of memorization. As we learn to memorize the haggle out of context, the boo k noted, we realize the magnificence of giving each and every word the attention and focus it deserves. The reason by which the character must say those lines should besides be sought (Bruder, et. al., 1986).I also have intimate that memorization is much more than breeding the lines. It is also cultivation the perfect delivery of each line of the character. This is where oral training comes into play. Delivering your lines in a clear, crisp and understandable manner is a very significant facet in the life of an actor.Just like other actors who have read and experienced the book A Practical Handbook for the Actor, I have intimate that the voice is a system, with layers of muscles, bones, tissues, and fibers that must be retained in performance shape if expected to respond on command. My vocal chords are actually the way by which my characters are able to enunciate what they want. With this realization comes the decision to include a basic vocal physical exercise into my da ily routine so that each word that I say on behalf of the character I play comes through in the way it should.As I earlier noted, timing is just as important as learning the course to say. To get into character, an actor must learn to evermore know what the character needs and wants and why they are addicted to say a particular line at a particular time. To be able to do this, I have erudite the importance of reading through the script over and over and over again. As noted in the book A Practical Handbook for the Actor a script and character analysis requires sharp and thorough idea skills and insight.As much as possible, I try to go over the script quite a number of times and try to value if I was able to get the whole picture correctly. I try to make notes of how I understand each emotion being matt-up by the character and try to see if the same analysis will hold true the next time I read through the script. I aptly call this text analysis whereby I quantify if I have cove red every thing I need to cover in terms of knowing my character and his lines. I believe this is very face-saving in getting to know my character in a darker level.I believe that only when an actor knows his character in a deep and meaningful level can an actor will be able to react naturally in all situations scripted or otherwise. I agree with the book when it noted that text analysis is the skeleton of the character. It provides the actor some baseline information on which reviews can be made to hone a certain technique. This process also helps me stay on the objectives at hand and allows me to make use of various tactical ranges.In trying to approach acting, I have tried to remember the words of the famous Konstatin Stanislavski when he said that one should always approach a role as directly as possible and see if it lives. He noted that if the role and the actor has a connection, then there would be no point in applying a certain technique towards acting. But, as an actor, I also know that this does not happen often. Hence, learning a certain technique towards improving ones craft is very important.Many actors today admit that Stanislavskis corpse is a complex regularity used to produce realistic characters. When using the Stanislavskis System, an actor is required to late analyze his or her characters motivations. The actor must learn to discover the characters objective in each scene and the so-called super objective for the entire play. To do this, I have learned to also apply Stanislavskis magic if where an actor is able to ask questions about their characters and themselves much(prenominal) as what if I were also in the same situation? How would I act then? This thinking gives me a deeper understanding of the actions of my characters as well as an insight of what is going through in his thinker.One other important aspect that I find evoke in the Stanislavskis System is his focus on the rule of sensible Action. I find this interesting bec ause he drived as much emphasis on the physical aspect of acting as he does on the stirred part. Many actors, including yours truly, have this thought running in our heads that emotions form the better part of how acting should be. But Stanislavski says otherwise. He notes that physical action is just as important as the emotional aspect of a scene.According to Stanislavski, the Method of Physical Action has brought him to a complete dealing with the instrument of the actor. But what exactly is this so-called Method of Physical Action?The Method of Physical Action is said to be based on the idea that emotional life is a kind of two-way street and that the only thing an actor will ever have control of in his life as regards himself is his bole, vigor more. There is never a direct line to emotions in performance, only to the body. Quite simply, the body must be used to convey the emotions. Stanislavki stressed on the need for the actor and the director to work hard in using the ac tors body the body being the primary material of creation. He added that the purpose of rehearsal is how to come to physical actions that affect the actor and bring life to the scene at the same time.In fine, Stanislavski noted that the art of performance cannot be learned from literature alone but also from action from performance and not just mere observation. As a result, I have learned to be more conscious of my physical action in converying emotions to the audience. After all, an audience will not necessarily feel my sadness unless I am able to phyiscally convey it to them by means of tears and a sad facial expression, among others.Another important thing I have learned in my journey to discover my personal acting process is the idea or concept of growth. I realized that an actor, just like anyone else, must continue to grow in each and every role that he plays. As noted in the same book, an actor must learn how to embrace the importance of the never-ending process of growth. T he journey of getting additional knowledge, filling and refilling the artistic tank, humbling oneself to a point that permits an explosion of growth or even one good Ah Ha moment is not only important, but also essential to ones life as an actor and as a person (Bruder, et. al., 1986).As an actor I must continually grow and always be on the look out to better my craft. To do this, I must learn to immerse myself in a creative purlieu one that will complement the skill and talent that I have as an actor. I now understand the importance of being in a group where I can let my creativity pass free and at the same time, learn from the people I am with. It has been said that the day you stop learning is the day you start dying. As an actor, and as person, we must not let that happen. I have learned the importance of learning while working and working while learning.When I say learning, I dont just mean it to be a classroom-type of learning. I also talk about learning through observation . We must learn to observe the environment we move in, the people roughly us, the places we go to. I must say that I agree with Alice Ripley when she said that acting all is about experiencing life and then carrying that experience with you on stage.It is also in this concept that I have learned to make bold choices in my life as an actor. I have learned not to be afraid of unconventional roles or ways of acting out a part. Making bold choices is, I believe, an integral part of learning. I have realized that I will grow as an actor if I can take on roles that are pertly to me or if I can step out of roles that are stereotyped. Doing something different each day is the spice in an actors life and I have learned to look forward to every chance in spicing up my career with bold moves.Using presence of mind and common sense is also an important part in carrying out my acting process. As an actor, one must be ready for anything a missed line, a prop that is not in its right place or a miscued entrance. When these things happen, common sense is the one thing that will save an actor from a disastrous scene. Coming up with adlibs or learning how to subtly put the misplaced prop in its just place is a skill that must also be honed as an actor. I believe that presence of mind can be cognizant when an actor is focused on the play at hand. I would like to call it simply as being in the moment. universe in the moment is more than just being in character. It involves being aware of the entire acting environment and learning how to cope with unheralded events whenever needed. As actors, it is not rare to find ourselves in situations where we are so focused in our roles that we tend to miss some of the difficulties encountered by our co-actors. In situations like these, we must learn to salvage the scene by dowry our co-actors find their groove again, so to speak.Lastly, I have learned that I have to learn to enjoy what I do as an actor. I must enjoy the variety of rol es I play knowing wide-cut well that not everyone is able to live in a world separate from their own reality. I have learned, in my own acting process, the idea of making acting as fun as it can possibly be for me and my fellow actors. I agree when they say that acting should be fun, challenging but fun. My acting process, I realize, will interpolate over time. It will adapt to the environment I am pathetic in and the roles I will be playing. But one thing should remain the same it must always be fun. I must find a way to make it a fun learning experience each time. After all, when we enjoy what we do, the audience feels it. And the audience deserves nothing less than the best of ourselves as actors when we go up on that stage.ReferencesBruder, M., et al. (1986). A Practical Handbook for the Actor, current York Random House, Vintage Books.Stanislavski, C. (1936). An Actor Prepares, New York Routledge.