If you aren’t already aware that acting is not just reading lines, it does require skill and some natural talent and knowing how to move in front of a camera without looking like that one awkward kid you always see in your high school yearbook. Learning proper technique is really important as a beginning actor and important if you want to succeed as an actor in Edmonton. You need to know technique because it helps you make any character you are portraying more believable. You can learn technique by studying and exploring the various techniques to find something that fits you and your unique style.
In Edmonton, there are people training in many different cool and interesting acting methods and styles. Training of this nature can be found all over the globe. A cool fact is that most of the techniques you are seeing being taught are centered around the teachings from a certain Konstantin Stanislavski, he founded the Moscow Art Theatre back in 1897 and put a new spin on the acting techniques that were being taught at that time. He developed a system that has the actors researching the situation or issue created by the script and then they break down the text in accordance to the motivations the character has. They will then recall their own experiences and then start taking actions based on the character's motivations and their own experiences. The idea is that the actor at that point is making the characters motivations their own with how the scene is played out in the script. This in turn guides the actor to have a more genuine and realistic performance. You will be surprised to find that a lot of the technique that is taught in Edmonton is deeply rooted in the methods taught by Stanislavski.
Another popular technique that can be learned in Edmonton is the Meisner technique. There are quite a few actors out there that are practicing the Meisner technique today. The raw basics of this technique boil down to living in the moment. This method teaches a series of exercises that have the purpose of helping the actor become more invested in the scene they are working on and the character they are portraying at a more emotional level. The main thing taught by this method is in the form of a repetition exercise. This exercise typically has two actors sitting or standing across from each other; responding to one another by saying the same exact phrase. The phrase they are repeating will only change once the actor or actresses behavior changes. This is supposed to symbolize what is going on between the actors in that exact moment. When the repetition is used it allows the actor to move freely and doesn’t require them to focus on what they have to say allowing for spontaneity.
As the training in the Meisner method goes on there will be more elements added in and once the actor or actress has completed this training they should be able to find that living in the moment of any character they are to portray comes with absolute ease and confidence; becoming second nature.
In Edmonton students of acting technique will also have the opportunity to learn about “The Method” coined by Lee Strasberg. It is also a method that is very highly preferred by some of the more famous actors and actresses of our time. Students of this method actually include big names like James Dean, Al Pacino and Robert Duvall. This method gained popularity when Strasberg found the Actor’s Studio in the 1950s. Well known actors like Dean, Marilyn Monroe and Montgomery Clift got their training there.
This method has the focus of relaxation being the starting point for this technique. Upon learning a series of exercises the actor is supposed to learn how to completely rid him or herself of tension. Once the body is fully relaxed, this allows for the actor to have the opportunity to experience what we call true emotion. This emotion then can be used to add layers to a character that is being portrayed by the actor.
Once the actor has achieved the ultimate relaxed state; they then can learn the memory sense technique that is taught by Strasberg. The actor is asked to use their senses to recall objects from the past. One of these exercises is called the “coffee cup”. They are asked to relax and then recall the simple action of drinking from a cup of coffee. When practiced over and over, recollection should become easier with time for the actor. When the actor has learned recollection using their senses, they are then taught about emotional memory. The next method exercise used here has the actor recalling the emotions he felt in a certain moment of time. This gets accomplished by having the actor recall an indirect object that happened to be present during a moment they have been asked to recall. The best example of this would be the light switch in a room during a heated argument they had. This is done to help the actor recall the emotions of that event. Once properly trained the actor or actress will be able to use this method of recall to summon up certain emotions to use with a character they are portraying. While this method may take a lifetime to perfect, it is also one of the more believable techniques that helps actors use recall right now in Edmonton.
Beginning actors in Edmonton are typically asked to explore several different techniques until they find something that fits them. It doesn’t matter which one works or if they need to use a combination of techniques as long as they find something that is going to help them as they continue their journey to a successful career in acting. Acting takes a lot of hard work and any student should take what they learn seriously. Any new actor should also seek to take classes and training courses in improv, voice and any other skills that will help them make themselves more marketable as an actor. It doesn’t hurt for anyone going into the entertainment industry to also take the time to explore writing and directing classes too. This will give you more tools to add to your toolbox and also you may find that you like writing and directing production more than you do standing in front of the camera, that is okay too. As long as the path you choose to make is one that you can show dedication to and put in the hard work you need to succeed.
Improv should be one of the first classes a beginning actor takes. Improv can help an actor build confidence and also help with auditions they go to and developing characters. The benefits of taking an improv course are endless and also it is super fun. From time to time, improv showcases can be the perfect opportunity to network as well and to have other agents and casting directors see your work.
No matter what type of classes you decide to take, you must understand that to be a successful actor it takes hard work and dedication, the more effort you put into your education as an actor or actress in Columbus the more you will get out of the experience.
