This document discusses the art of acting and the training involved. It covers training for the body, voice, and mind. Techniques from Konstantin Stanislavsky and Tadashi Suzuki are discussed. Acting techniques like changing feelings, empathy, and substitution are explained. Understanding a character involves their circumstances, problems, hopes, and motivation. The document also covers aspects of an actor's life like auditions, rehearsals, and performances. It concludes with quotes about acting from Philip Seymour Hoffman and Meryl Streep.

1. Chapter 7Chapter 7
The Art of ActingThe Art of Acting

2. Shakespeare On ActingShakespeare On Acting
“All the world’s a stage / And all the men and women
merely players.”
--As You Like It
WalterMcBride/Corbi

3. Training to be an ActorTraining to be an Actor
The BodyThe Body
DanceDance
Martial artsMartial arts
FencingFencing
Stage combatStage combat
Circus techniquesCircus techniques
YogaYoga
Tai ChiTai Chi

4. Training the ActorTraining the Actor
The VoiceThe Voice
Breathing techniquesBreathing techniques
Vocal technique in pitch, volume andVocal technique in pitch, volume and
resonanceresonance
DialectsDialects
International Phonetic AlphabetInternational Phonetic Alphabet
SingingSinging

5. Training the ActorTraining the Actor
The MindThe Mind
Memorization skillsMemorization skills
Engaging with the imaginationEngaging with the imagination
Levels of empathyLevels of empathy
Keen awareness of surroundings and othersKeen awareness of surroundings and others
Ability to analyze and synthesize informationAbility to analyze and synthesize information
quicklyquickly

6. Konstantin StanislavskyKonstantin Stanislavsky
1863 - 19381863 - 1938
““An actor lives, weeps,
laughs on the stage, but as
he weeps and laughs he
observes his own tears
and mirth. It is this double
existence, this balance
between life and acting that
makes for art.””
--Konstantin StanislavskyStanislavsky
Bettmann/Corbis

7. Tadashi SuzukiTadashi Suzuki
Suzuki’s training embodies
the stamina and
concentration of traditional
Japanese theatre.
This rigorous training is
designed to temper and
shape the body so the actor
can bring to the stage a
“brilliant liveliness” that
takes into account the
“tiniest details of
movement.”
WuChing-teng/XinhuaPress/Corbis

8. Acting Techniques We Can All UseActing Techniques We Can All Use
 Changing How YouChanging How You
FeelFeel
Outside/in
Inside/out
Technical approach
Emotional memory
EmmanuelFaure/Stone/GettyImages

9. Acting Techniques We Can All UseActing Techniques We Can All Use
EmpathyEmpathy
MagicMagic ifif
SubstitutionSubstitution
© 1987 Ron Scherl/StageImage/The Image Works

10. Understanding a CharacterUnderstanding a Character
 Given circumstances
 Their particular situation
 Their specific problems
 Their limitations
 Their hopes
 Superobjective
 What is this character’s main driving force?
 What does he or she want?
 What is the most important thing to this character?

11. Understanding a CharacterUnderstanding a Character
Public Image and Personal ImagePublic Image and Personal Image
Michal
Daniel/Proofsheet

12. Understanding a CharacterUnderstanding a Character
 Inner conflictInner conflict
 Character flawCharacter flaw
 MotivationMotivation
 Thinking in positivesThinking in positives
MichalDaniel/Proofsheet

13. The Actor’s LifeThe Actor’s Life
 Actors’ Equity AssociationActors’ Equity Association
 Screen Actors GuildScreen Actors Guild
 American Federation of Television and Radio ArtistsAmerican Federation of Television and Radio Artists

14. AuditionsAuditions
•Open call – “cattle call”Open call – “cattle call”
•Cold ReadingsCold Readings
•ImprovisationsImprovisations
•Callback listCallback list
GettyImages

15. Rehearsal to PerformanceRehearsal to Performance
 Table workTable work
 Blocking rehearsalsBlocking rehearsals
 General working rehearsalsGeneral working rehearsals
 Special rehearsalsSpecial rehearsals
 Off-book rehearsalsOff-book rehearsals
 Run-throughsRun-throughs
 Tech rehearsalsTech rehearsals
 Dress rehearsalsDress rehearsals
 PreviewPreview
 PerformancePerformance
BrianSeed

16. Curtain CallCurtain Call
“Actors are responsible to the people we play. I don’t
label or judge. I just play them as honestly and
expressively and creatively as I can, in the hope that
people who ordinarily turn their heads in disgust instead
think, ‘What I thought I’d feel about that guy, I don’t
totally feel right now.’”
Philip Seymour Hoffman, actor
““Acting is simply my way of investigating human
nature and having fun at the same time.
Meryl Streep, actor