Acting techniques by legendary coaches |
These are great techniques learnt and practiced by international actors who are legendary cinema superstar celebrities
The Objective
Konstantin Stanislavski
The Father of Acting Techniques
Konstantin Stanislavski (1863-1963) was a Russian director and actor. To this day, he is one of the most influential figures in world theater and has influenced dozens upon dozens of actors and teachers. The umbrella term for his series of techniques is called Stanislavski's system, and the most common chunk of the system is "The method Acting." This technique asks of the actor, "What would I do if I were in the character's situation?" Basically, if whatever circumstances of the scene were happening to YOU, how would you react? This question led to the analysis of motivation and objective, both of which have become so commonplace in the theater that they are no longer a style; they are theater basics. What would you do? Why would you do it?Sandy Meisner
Exercises designed by Meisner:
Repetition- "In this exercise, two actors sit across from each other and respond to each other through a repeated phrase. The phrase is about each other's behavior, and reflects what is going on between them at the moment, such as "You look unhappy with me right now." The way this phrase is said as it is repeated changes in meaning, tone and intensity to correspond with the behavior that each actor produces towards the other. Through this device, the actor stops thinking of what to say and do, and responds more freely and spontaneously, both physically and vocally. The exercise also eliminates line readings, since the way the actor speaks becomes coordinated with his behavioral response."
Alexander
Lee Strasberg
Strasberg required that an actor, when preparing for a role, studies (or creates) not only into the character's life in the script, but also, far more importantly, into the character's life before the situation existed at the beginning of the story (which is not mentioned in the script).
Personally, I do not consider Strassberg technique is relevant in contemporary acting for films, TV or commercials
Uta Hagen
Hagen advised actors to learn as much as possible about the character, to research everything related to the character's world. She also devised a series of exercises designed to make the actor more aware of his or her surroundings and wrote lists of questions for actors to answer ("Who am I? Where am I? What do I want? What is in my way of getting what I want?" and others).
Hagen also stressed the importance of doing rather than just standing around. People don't just stand and wait, she said in an example- They fiddle with things. They talk to themselves. They study their environments. They watch people.
In a camera setting for a film, no one should just "wait" without some type of corresponding action. For example, if you are listening to what your Co-actor is talking to you, be curious, observe, understand and respond truthfully with your emotions and physical gestures (such as with your eyes only if you cannot move your other body parts)
Above all, Hagen spoke about honesty, making choices and actions not to "show" any acting but to truly be in the moment.
Stella Adler
Why? Over time, a memory can change. For example a memory that was once traumatized as a kid is now a silly memory. Stella said Strasberg was wrong and formed her branch of American Method. Her version focuses more on imagination and doesn't use past memory in actor's own past life and substitution in creating a "character". You use your imagination to be the character and create the environment. Robert DeNiro, and Marlon Brando were from this school.
Michael Chekhov approach
Come to me and I will train you to be a star in Bollywood!
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