 |
| The Method Makers.. |
Dear Al,
You
seem to know stuff.
So...
Method
Acting:
Um.
...what
exactly… IS it?
Thank
you,
Curious
*
Dear Curious,
Yeah. Good one.
Let's start with a Dictionary-esque definition:
"Method
Acting
is a group of techniques actors use to create in themselves the thoughts and
feelings of their characters, so as to develop lifelike performances."
[*ta-DAAA!*]
[:::confetti!:::]
[**balloon drop!!*]
...
[. . . crickets . . .]
... I know.
That's it.
Not all that shocking
right?
No one slices off their leg, or speaks in tongues, or won't
answer to the name on their birth certificate in that definition.
Incredible.
C'mon! Admit it: you expected me to mention living amongst a
family of wolves for a year to prepare for your star-making turn in "The
Jungle Book."
Nope.
Look: just like Square dancing, beauty pageants, certain religions, the cities
of Detroit, Liverpool, and Tripoli, carbohydrates, and that majority of
"isms" everywhere; sometimes
perfectly non-crazy, totally decent stuff gets some weird, and arguably bad,
"press."
So: I'm not passing judgement on any of the previously
mentioned, by the way (who doesn't like a good talent competition and for
Pete's sake I'm from Detroit), I
merely present them as things you doubtless have some kind of opinion about without a lot of true
research or experience. Just like Method Acting. Everything you
"know" you most likely don't really
know--you've just heard about it...
To begin, let's break down what Method Acting's origins, in
order to understand it better.
 |
| Stanislavski....
DA... |
The "Method" refers to a method of teaching the
craft of acting, based upon “The System” created by Konstantin Stanislavski (made internationally famous by his first
publication entitled, "An Actor
Prepares," published in 1911). In the mid-to-late 1920s Stanislavski's
method of teaching acting began to be adapted by American actor, director and
teacher Lee Strasberg specifically
for American actors to meet the particular psychological needs of the American
actors of their time, to keep apace with the ever-changing
evolution of drama and theatre itself.
Based on the 1911 Stanislavski conceived-concept of Emotional Memory (a well of memories
within us that stir and create truthful emotional responses), Strasberg based
the majority of his teachings. But by the 1920s, Stanislavski had moved on from this concept, discrediting
Emotional Memory as a viable means of achieving truthful acting, and replaced
his theory with the use of Imagination ONLY. But this shift occurred
unbeknownst to American followers who, of course—pre-internet-communicado—could not communicate directly with him
Thus, (and this is crucial): ‘THE METHOD’ IS NOT THE SAME AS
STANISLAVSKI’S 'SYSTEM' — it is an OUTGROWTH
of the American theatre scene--particularly in New York, flourishing in the
1930s and 40s. (NOTE: Though sometimes Stanislavski's
teaching are referred to as "the Method," for the sake of clarity
within this post, whenever I refer to Stanislavski's work I shall call it
"The System" and whenever I refer to the American off-branch started
by Lee Strasberg I shall call it "The Method." Making this distinction with such starkness is
somewhat unique to me and my acting/teaching life, so wherever your further research may take you, these terms may be used interchangeably. Be very sure
to establish which school of thought is being referred to because they are similar but different.)
To put it simply: Stanislavsky's ideas
changed over his life (particularly in regards to his use of Emotional
Memory) and Strasberg did not
necessarily incorporate these changes.
Though not all Method actors ultimately use the
same approach, the origins of their techniques lie here. Stanislavski and Strasberg
are the "Fertile Crescent" of Method Acting.
*
Lee Strasberg (1901 –
1982) - AFFECTIVE MEMORY
"The real secret to method acting—which is as old as the theater itself—is creating reality."
– Lee Strasberg
 |
Lee
"Feel Your Feelings" Strasberg
|
Considered the "father of Method Acting in America,”
Strasberg co-founded the Group Theatre in 1931with directors Harold Clurman and
Cheryl Crawford, hailed as "America's first true theatrical collective.”
In 1951, he became director of the non-profit Actors Studio considered
"the nation's most prestigious acting school".
Strasberg's method emphasized the practice of connecting to
a character by heavily drawing upon on personal emotions and memories and
experiences, aided by a set of exercises and practices including sense memory
and what he termed “AFFECTIVE MEMORY”—a memory present in our lives that
causes an AFFECT. This is different and distinct from
Stanislavski’s Emotional Memory.
Affective memory is defined as:
"...any memory you as a human being can call upon
when approaching a character to manufacture controlled emotional reactions to
specific events and circumstances."
For most actors, simply recalling a
past event will not produce an honest emotional response. Relaxation plus
truly vivid Sense Memory is the "combination to the safe--" the safe
in which personal treasures (of the actor's memories) are stored away for the
lifetime. The actor delves within his memory for the parallel event, and
finally commits to creating its re-living.
The "Affective Memory" is one of the most widely known procedures in
all of "method" acting. It has obtained a reputation that
ranges from "dangerous" to "genius." (...understandably...
on both counts...)
Noted Strasberg students/practitioners are Ellen Burstyn, Dustin Hoffman, Al Pacino, Sally Field, James Dean, Marilyn Monroe and Jane Fonda.
SO…
The most controversial technique of Strasberg’s Method
teaches drawing emotions for a character
from a specific past experiences and remembrances of the actor.
Strasberg renamed Stanislavski's earlier technique to
'Affective Memory' and continued to teach it as a proper acting method long
after Stanislavki discredited it as a useful acting method.
To illustrate the difference between the two methods:
- Stanislavski has the actor ask himself, "What
would I do if I were in this circumstance?”
- Strasberg adopted a modification, "What
would motivate me, the actor, to behave in the way the character does?"
Strasberg asks actors to replace the play's circumstances
with their own, and if they did not HAVE those circumstances— to go out to, [please oh please oh Lordy-loo] WITHIN REASON, find them…
Allow me to clarify for the hot-tempered:
- He SPECIFICALLY notes that drawing from
memories/experiences a MINIMUM of seven years old is crucial to avoiding risking psychological trauma.
- And "going out and finding"
experiences includes, say, learning to ride a horse... NOT, say, STABBING YOURSELF... (like a certain Nicholas this-script-looks-absolutely-terrible-okay-I'll-do-it Cage
was once rumored to do... whooops...)
*
...And now! A little History lesson!
[*Go-back-in-time
music*]
HISTORY
Once upon a time….
Three friends Lee (Strasberg), Sanford (Meisner) and Stella
(Adler) were all acting and learning from one another mostly at a place called
THE GROUP THEATRE (founded in 1931 by Strasberg, Harold Clurman and Cheryl
Crawford).
[*Do do do! Lee, Stella and
Sandford all doing theatre stuff*]
Over time, Sanford and his fellow actor Stella began to fall
out with Lee over his use of Emotional
Recall, they both preferred/chose to use the Imagination to stimulate emotion and involvement in a play's
imaginary circumstances.
[*And now, for a little more context...Before
The Group Theatre...*
...*further-back-in-time-music *]
Stella Adler
(1901– 1992) - IMAGINATION
"In your choices, lies your talent!"
 |
| STELLAAAAA!!! |
In 1922–1923, Stanislavski made his only US tour with his
Moscow Art Theatre. Many actors went out of their way to view these
performances, and among them was Stella Adler. These had a powerful and lasting
impact on her career (and subsequently upon 20th-century American theatre.) She
joined the American Laboratory Theatre in 1925; it was there that she was
introduced to Stanislavski's acting theories, taught to her directly from
founders/Russian actor-teachers/former members of the Moscow Art Theater –
Richard Boleslavsky and Maria Ouspenskaya.
When Adler joined the Group Theatre in 1931, members there
were already leading interpreters of what was being called “The Method acting
technique” based on the work and writings of Stanislavski.
As actor-types are want to do, they all began dating each other. Adler was
hot-and-heavy with Group Theatre co-founder Harold Clurman (remember
him from earlier? She eventually married him in 1943), and in 1934,
they went to Paris together. It was there, in France, that Stella Adler
studied intensively with Stanislavski for five weeks (she was the only American
actor to personally study with Stanislavsky). During this period, Adler learned
that Stanislavski had revised his
theories, emphasizing that the actor should create by Imagination rather than
Emotional (Experience/Memory) Recall.
Upon her return, she broke away from Strasberg, on the
fundamental aspects of his now noted "Method" acting. In fact,
Adler specifically stated:
"Drawing
on the emotions I experienced—for example, when my mother died—to create a
role, is sick and schizophrenic. If that is acting, I don't want to do
it."
Whoa... strong
stuff. (I guess it had just never really... been her thing...)
She left Strasberg to feel his feelings, and started her internationally
renowned Adler schools in both New York and Los Angeles. And also wrote a heap of marvelous books. Among her noteworthy students are Robert DiNiro, Marlon Brando (possibly her most vocal champion), Martin Sheen, Warren Beatty, and Elaine Stritch.
*
Sanford
Meisner (1905 –1997) - INSTINCT
"An ounce of behavior is worth a pound of words"
– Sandford Meisner
While Adler broke away and started her Adler Schools,
Sandford Meisner (who probably 'didn't wanna fight,') also left the
Group Theatre to develop his own techniques over at the Neighborhood Playhouse
in New York.
 |
Sanford
Meisner...? ...Sanford
Meisner....Sandford... MEISNER...
|
Meisner created the first comprehensive, full-blown American
acting technique, which he developed to train an actor to create all the layers
of a complete performance over a two year period. (It was, and still is, one of
the most systematic and complete
acting techniques in the Western world).
Meisner's work was based on the principle that acting found
its most profound and truthful expressions in behavior that came from the
actor's real human response to
circumstances and other people. Because of this, his entire training method
relied heavily on accessing the actor's IMPULSES,
through which real, truthful responses, as well as real behavior were accessed in the moment.
So, just for clarity, what
exactly IS and "impulse?"
Noun.
1 (a). An impelling
force; an impetus.
1 (b). The motion
produced by such a force.
2. A sudden wish
or urge that prompts an unpremeditated act or feeling; an abrupt inclination.
This technique was not only applied to improvisation with
others, but also to rehearsal, interpreting a script, and creating the specific
physical characteristics of each character.
Meisner has become perhaps the most noted for his "Repetition Exercise--" that is,
the basic (but revolutionary) exercise that Meisner invented to train the
actor's responses.
In this exercise, two actors sit across from each other and respond to each
other through a repeated phrase.
- Actors observe and respond to each others' behavior (and the subtext therein),
and reflects what is going on between them in the moment, such as "You're smiling." The partner
responds with "I'm smiling."
"You're smiling!"
"Yes, I'm smiling..."
Etcetera. 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.
Later, as the exercise evolves in complexity to include
"given circumstances," "relationships," actions and
obstacles, this skill remains critical. From start to finish—from repetition to
rehearsing a lead role—the principles of "listen and respond" and
"stay in the moment" are fundamental to the work.
His approach was designed “to eliminate all
intellectuality from the actor’s instrument and to make him a
spontaneous responder to where he is, what is happening to him, what is
being done to him.”
Meisner's noteworthy students include Alex Baldwin, Peter Falk, Gregory Peck, James Gandolfini, Jeff Goldblum, Steve McQueen, and Naomi Watts.
*
So you want my point-blank advice?
I dunno.
I'm a personal believer in using what is the most effective and
appropriate for the given project, role, time in your life, and circumstances
of all of the above. Sometimes impulse needs to be brought to the forefront.
Sometimes it isn't healthy to use a real-life affective memory and my vibrant
imagination will serve perfectly well. Other times, I am certain that my
affective memory is what makes me a "special" casting for a
particular role, and feel it is (in a way) my responsibility to share that
truth.
In short:
Do what works.
But as a guide:
Don't move to a farm.
Don't
stab yourself.
Don't
die.
Over and out,
Al
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