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Actors who study the Meisner Technique are likely familiar with the term the actors instrument. An analogy between an actor and an instrument is a good way to help define all the aspects of the acting craft and help actors take in idea, information and lines and put out high quality work. Even the most inexperienced audience knows when acting is good or not, simply by how engaged they are in the material being presented. They don't need a great deal of theatre going experience to sense when the acting is fantastic. They can also sense when an actors instrument is not well developed, because they don't "believe" the character portrayal.
The actors instrument is comprised of six different elements, all important. The aspects of the instrument include sensory expression, emotional, empathy, intelligence and sensory and physical expression. These six aspects of the actors instrument are identified and developed when studying the Meisner Technique. Many actors have mastered many of the six aspects of their instrument and audiences can identify with and respond to those the most. Legendary actors are those that have mastered all six.
Take, for example, Sylvester Stallone who is know for his commanding physical presence and physical expression. While this does not mean the Stallone cannot express a character emotionally, he is general know for his physical expression, which is the most powerful of his acting tools. As an actor he expresses emotional in a very physical, often external way. Actors must focus and learn about all the aspects of the acting instrument, which will help them be diverse and capable of many types of roles.
Emotional expression is the most common aspect of the instrument that actors are focused on. Obsessing about how a character feels about something and how to express it is usually the primary thing actors concentrate on. While it can be short sighted to put too much weight on any one aspect of the actors instrument, emotional expression is certainly a key acting tool to master. It's important to remember, however, that each of the six aspects of the instrument are related and must be developed and work together.
Of course, it is meaningful emotional expression that draws people into any character or story. Emotional expression is they way that the internal aspects of a character's conflicts, needs, and feelings are expressed. It is common in classes teaching Meisner acting in nyc to create an emotional history of a character, imagine it in detail and then use all the aspects of the instrument to express them. Students of Meisner acting must study the range of human emotions in all their complexity. They do this by creating a "library" of human emotion and a resource of reactions and ways of communicating based on studies of real people. When called upon to create a specific character, they dig very deep and create and imagine (another part of the instrument) what that character's emotional story is. They create and live the emotional life that the character would live so that it is instilled in them and can be called upon at will.
Just as an example, vulnerability can express many characteristics, from innocence to deep insecurity. Actors might work hard to develop this emotion and the complex ways it can be expressed. If the actor has also worked hard to develop other aspects of the instrument, such as imagination, sensory expression and intelligence, the complexity of emotions will be there. After all, vulnerability can be expressed through tears, or smashing something to pieces or just walking through a park. This is a subjective, creative process.
Acting is not pretending to have an emotion. However, acting is not simply reciting words using certain inflections and gestures to communicate emotions. Sanford Meisner was often heard to say, "acting is DOING." You must be in the moment and allow emotional reactions and behaviors to appear, and you must follow them. Great acting is, moment by moment, opening up to the character and allowing them to take you places you may not have imagined. Legendary actors do not force themselves to show emotion. What they feel is genuine, and the results can range from crying and screaming to sitting perfectly still to express an emotion. Developing a deep capacity to understand and feel the full range of human emotions and experiences is a great way to become an open, flexible acting student, the best kind of student. Actors must give themselves permission to feel strong emotions, and express them (or not, if the role requires it) in physical, intelligent, empathetic ways.
The actors instrument is comprised of six different elements, all important. The aspects of the instrument include sensory expression, emotional, empathy, intelligence and sensory and physical expression. These six aspects of the actors instrument are identified and developed when studying the Meisner Technique. Many actors have mastered many of the six aspects of their instrument and audiences can identify with and respond to those the most. Legendary actors are those that have mastered all six.
Take, for example, Sylvester Stallone who is know for his commanding physical presence and physical expression. While this does not mean the Stallone cannot express a character emotionally, he is general know for his physical expression, which is the most powerful of his acting tools. As an actor he expresses emotional in a very physical, often external way. Actors must focus and learn about all the aspects of the acting instrument, which will help them be diverse and capable of many types of roles.
Emotional expression is the most common aspect of the instrument that actors are focused on. Obsessing about how a character feels about something and how to express it is usually the primary thing actors concentrate on. While it can be short sighted to put too much weight on any one aspect of the actors instrument, emotional expression is certainly a key acting tool to master. It's important to remember, however, that each of the six aspects of the instrument are related and must be developed and work together.
Of course, it is meaningful emotional expression that draws people into any character or story. Emotional expression is they way that the internal aspects of a character's conflicts, needs, and feelings are expressed. It is common in classes teaching Meisner acting in nyc to create an emotional history of a character, imagine it in detail and then use all the aspects of the instrument to express them. Students of Meisner acting must study the range of human emotions in all their complexity. They do this by creating a "library" of human emotion and a resource of reactions and ways of communicating based on studies of real people. When called upon to create a specific character, they dig very deep and create and imagine (another part of the instrument) what that character's emotional story is. They create and live the emotional life that the character would live so that it is instilled in them and can be called upon at will.
Just as an example, vulnerability can express many characteristics, from innocence to deep insecurity. Actors might work hard to develop this emotion and the complex ways it can be expressed. If the actor has also worked hard to develop other aspects of the instrument, such as imagination, sensory expression and intelligence, the complexity of emotions will be there. After all, vulnerability can be expressed through tears, or smashing something to pieces or just walking through a park. This is a subjective, creative process.
Acting is not pretending to have an emotion. However, acting is not simply reciting words using certain inflections and gestures to communicate emotions. Sanford Meisner was often heard to say, "acting is DOING." You must be in the moment and allow emotional reactions and behaviors to appear, and you must follow them. Great acting is, moment by moment, opening up to the character and allowing them to take you places you may not have imagined. Legendary actors do not force themselves to show emotion. What they feel is genuine, and the results can range from crying and screaming to sitting perfectly still to express an emotion. Developing a deep capacity to understand and feel the full range of human emotions and experiences is a great way to become an open, flexible acting student, the best kind of student. Actors must give themselves permission to feel strong emotions, and express them (or not, if the role requires it) in physical, intelligent, empathetic ways.
About the Author:
The Maggie Flanigan Studio provides training for serious actors committed to improving their craft. Find out more about meisner acting in nyc by reading this article about actors instrument by visiting the studio website.
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