Finding My Mark
For as long as I can remember I've wanted to be an actor.
And for just as long, I didn't truly understand what that meant.
What is acting? What does an actor do?
I mean I thought I knew. I thought I understood what acting was...what the job entailed.
I was wrong.
Well, maybe wrong isn't the right word.
In theory I was right.
I guess though, in theory, we're all right all the time. Aren't we? In theory?
"Acting is not about being someone different. It's finding the similarity in what is apparently different, then finding myself in there." Meryl Streep
What is acting?
Wait! I know what acting is.
Acting is becoming someone else and saying words someone wrote.
Easy. Next question please!
That can't be it.
Acting is like...shit. How do I say this?
I think most people think the same thing about acting.
It's like driving a car. Isn't it? You get in and turn the key. One pedal makes you go. One pedal makes you stop.
Easy.
Acting is the same. Right? You get a character. You get some words. Someone tells you where to stand. Somebody else tells you when to go and when to stop.
That's it. Right? It's just that easy. RIGHT?!
Well...say something.
"Acting is behaving truthfully under imaginary circumstances." Sanford Meisner
"Acting is a very personal process. It has to do with expressing your own personality, and discovering the character you're playing through your own experience - so we're all different." Sir Ian McKellan
"The full definition of acting becomes this: Acting is responding to stimuli in imaginary circumstances in an imaginative, dynamic manner that is stylistically true to time and place, so as to communicate ideas and emotions to an audience." Tony Barr, Acting For The Camera
I've been driving a lot longer than I've been acting but I know driving and acting have very little in common. Unless, that is, you're an actor who is cast to play a guy who drives a car.
Acting isn't easy.
I've learned that the hard way. It's not easy and if it is you're not doing it right. It should be work. You should love the work, but there should be work involved. Whatever your process to discovering the truth of your character, work at it.
What else have I learned?
Acting isn't acting.
I'll let that sink in for a second or two.
"Film acting is, in large part, reacting and listening." Michael Caine
No my friends, if you're acting, if people notice you are acting, you're not doing it right.
Well now. That's some heavy shit. Right?
"The art of acting is not to act. Once you show them more, what you show them, in fact is bad acting." Anthony Hopkins
“In the language of an actor, to know is synonymous with to feel.” Konstantin Stanislavski
**Then why do we give out best acting awards?
That's a whole other blog entry. Trust me.**
Now, to clarify, when I say acting I'm speaking of acting for film or television. Stage acting is a totally different animal.
"Theater acting is an operation with a scalpel, movie acting is an operation with a laser." Michael Caine
*******
Let me tell why I'm writing about this today and maybe I'll explain this thing called acting as I have come to understand it.
I watched Manchester By The Sea today.
First off, Manchester By The Sea is a very good film. I would suggest though if you're feeling a little down this might not be the movie for you at the moment.
MBTS is heavy. Ordinary People heavy, if you get my drift.
That is not to say MBTS isn't a good movie, but if you're sad or blue, may I suggest LaLa Land instead?
MBTS isn't a glossy, feel good movie. It's as grey and cold as the bay which serves as the setting for the film. This is real life and life isn't all rainbows and daisies. There's glimpses of sunlight and warmth in MBTS but they are brief.
MBTS could have easily fallen into a gloomy pit of despair and take the audience with it but it doesn't. As with life, the film has it's funny moments which allow the audience to decompress a little and breathe.
This isn't really intended to be a review of Manchester By The Sea.
I want to talk about the acting in MBTS.
More specifically, I want to talk about Casey Affleck.
Affleck 's performance as Lee Chandler, a janitor from Boston has earned the 41 year old actor a long list of nominations and wins.
As Lee, Casey Affleck in MBTS is nothing short of brilliant.
He is at the center of MBTS and Affleck shoulders that responsibility magnificently.
It is a gut wrenchingly real performance that will break your heart. It is about as raw as you can get. The truth Affleck was able to achieve in his performance is something all actors strive for in their careers.
My acting coach used to speak of stillness, the perfect balance of actor and character.
The sweet spot. The truth.
As Lee, Affleck is perfectly still, perfectly balanced. He has found something in himself to make this fictional character come to life. He's found that sweet spot.
Affleck has made Lee real.
We all know a Lee Chandler. Some of us may be a Lee Chandler.
Affleck's Lee is a loner who seems to have banished himself from the rest of the world for reasons which become clear as the movie unfolds. He is a beaten man. He's an asshole. He is being torn apart by unspeakable pain. He is consumed by rage.
Lee is a clenched fist and even Affleck's physical performance reflects that.
Life has taken, and continues to deliver, harsh blows on Lee and through his performance, Affleck allows us to feel every single punch and kick.
I don't know what dark places he went to or what in his life allowed Affleck to shape and breathe life into Lee and I don't need to. All I need to do is watch MBTS. It's all there. Every bit of it. And it's heartbreaking.
This is acting.
Acting without acting, that is.
Remember the quote from Michael Caine? Acting is listening and reacting. Everything Affleck shows us as Lee Chandler is a reaction to what is happening around him, to him in MBTS.
Everything, all the ugly and terrible rage and sadness, is just below the surface, about to boil over with Lee and that's how Affleck plays him. It's all about the internal.
Lee doesn't have a great deal to say. Every word is carefully thought out. Clearly this is how the character was written but I think this had to have been a choice made by a talented actor.
Affleck wears the pain Lee is experiencing on his face. You see it in his eyes and hear it in his voice and in the way he breathes.
Affleck has found the truth in Lee and in himself and the result is a stunning performance.
He's already been awarded a Golden Globe for his performance in MBTS and just this morning Affleck was listed among the nominees for Best Actor for the 2017 Academy Awards. It is well-deserved recognition.
In his acceptance speech at The Golden Globes, Affleck said 'no actor wins an award alone' and it should be noted his fellow actors in MBTS are top notch. most notably, Lucas Hedges.
This is an ensemble piece but the other characters in MBTS rotate around Affleck's Lee. He is at the center of their lives and of the story. This is Lee's story and Affleck's movie.
If you're an actor, you need to watch Manchester By The Sea.
If you're an actor, you need to watch Affleck's performance and remember it. Not to copy it but to remember the truth, the stillness, Affleck was able to achieve.
*****
I watch movies because I love movies. I always have.
Nowadays movies are a part of my education as an actor.
There are performance that absolutely captivate me and inspire me.
Acting to me is an expression of what the world is to the person/character I have been cast to play. It is my reaction to what is happening around me and to me. It has to be grounded in truth and it's my job to find that truth.
The thing to remember is there is no one way to find the stillness. Whatever it takes for you to find the truth, do it. This is your journey. You have to create your own process and continue to shape it and make it work for you.
Just never stop looking and listening to the world around you.
Never ever be satisfied.
Never ever stop learning.
Never not give it everything you have and then some.
Remember these words:
Passion. Vision. Fortitude. Patience. Courage. Faith. Trust. Curiosity. Improvisation. STILLNESS. TRUTH.
Now...
Remember those words and everything I've said, all the quotes I've included in this entry and then...
..wait one full minute...and then forget it all.
Every bit of it.
Who the fuck am I? I am an actor. I have my process. You have yours.
What inspires me may not inspire you.
DO THE WORK. WORK THE PROBLEM.
For Christ's sake! Figure it out for yourself.
It's the only way you're going to come to understand what acting is..or isn't.
just keeping it reel
Copyright 2017
All Rights Reserved
**I wanted to address the whole Casey Affleck controversy.
Accusations of sexual harassment resurfaced in the news during the lead-up to Affleck's 2017 Oscar win for Best Actor for Manchester By the Sea.
Two women came forward and sued Affleck for sexual harassment which allegedly occurred on the set of the mockumentary I’m Still Here, which Affleck directed and produced.
Affleck settled both lawsuits out of court.
This is not acceptable and this kind of behavior is deplorable and as we are learning...
(I've added this final thought on Saturday, September 15, 2018)
infecting this business like a cancer. Men in positions of power are toppling like badly placed Jenga pieces. Victims are finding their voices and the perpetrators are being held responsible.
Men in power apparently lose all ability to control their penises. Power does truly corrupt. There are no excuses which make any actions acceptable.
It was not my intention to defend Affleck or his actions. Truthfully, I wasn't even aware of the controversy until it was brought to my attention.
This is a blog about acting and I am going to leave my comments about Affleck's acting in Manchester By The Sea because they haven't changed. Affleck's performance is a masterclass in stillness.
Sadly. though, it appears the darkness and sadness which haunt his character come from a place of truth within him.
And for just as long, I didn't truly understand what that meant.
What is acting? What does an actor do?
I mean I thought I knew. I thought I understood what acting was...what the job entailed.
I was wrong.
Well, maybe wrong isn't the right word.
In theory I was right.
I guess though, in theory, we're all right all the time. Aren't we? In theory?
"Acting is not about being someone different. It's finding the similarity in what is apparently different, then finding myself in there." Meryl Streep
What is acting?
Wait! I know what acting is.
Acting is becoming someone else and saying words someone wrote.
Easy. Next question please!
That can't be it.
Acting is like...shit. How do I say this?
I think most people think the same thing about acting.
It's like driving a car. Isn't it? You get in and turn the key. One pedal makes you go. One pedal makes you stop.
Easy.
Acting is the same. Right? You get a character. You get some words. Someone tells you where to stand. Somebody else tells you when to go and when to stop.
That's it. Right? It's just that easy. RIGHT?!
Well...say something.
"Acting is behaving truthfully under imaginary circumstances." Sanford Meisner
"Acting is a very personal process. It has to do with expressing your own personality, and discovering the character you're playing through your own experience - so we're all different." Sir Ian McKellan
"The full definition of acting becomes this: Acting is responding to stimuli in imaginary circumstances in an imaginative, dynamic manner that is stylistically true to time and place, so as to communicate ideas and emotions to an audience." Tony Barr, Acting For The Camera
I've been driving a lot longer than I've been acting but I know driving and acting have very little in common. Unless, that is, you're an actor who is cast to play a guy who drives a car.
Acting isn't easy.
I've learned that the hard way. It's not easy and if it is you're not doing it right. It should be work. You should love the work, but there should be work involved. Whatever your process to discovering the truth of your character, work at it.
What else have I learned?
Acting isn't acting.
I'll let that sink in for a second or two.
"Film acting is, in large part, reacting and listening." Michael Caine
No my friends, if you're acting, if people notice you are acting, you're not doing it right.
Well now. That's some heavy shit. Right?
"The art of acting is not to act. Once you show them more, what you show them, in fact is bad acting." Anthony Hopkins
“In the language of an actor, to know is synonymous with to feel.” Konstantin Stanislavski
**Then why do we give out best acting awards?
That's a whole other blog entry. Trust me.**
Now, to clarify, when I say acting I'm speaking of acting for film or television. Stage acting is a totally different animal.
"Theater acting is an operation with a scalpel, movie acting is an operation with a laser." Michael Caine
*******
Let me tell why I'm writing about this today and maybe I'll explain this thing called acting as I have come to understand it.
I watched Manchester By The Sea today.
First off, Manchester By The Sea is a very good film. I would suggest though if you're feeling a little down this might not be the movie for you at the moment.
MBTS is heavy. Ordinary People heavy, if you get my drift.
That is not to say MBTS isn't a good movie, but if you're sad or blue, may I suggest LaLa Land instead?
MBTS isn't a glossy, feel good movie. It's as grey and cold as the bay which serves as the setting for the film. This is real life and life isn't all rainbows and daisies. There's glimpses of sunlight and warmth in MBTS but they are brief.
MBTS could have easily fallen into a gloomy pit of despair and take the audience with it but it doesn't. As with life, the film has it's funny moments which allow the audience to decompress a little and breathe.
This isn't really intended to be a review of Manchester By The Sea.
I want to talk about the acting in MBTS.
More specifically, I want to talk about Casey Affleck.
Affleck 's performance as Lee Chandler, a janitor from Boston has earned the 41 year old actor a long list of nominations and wins.
As Lee, Casey Affleck in MBTS is nothing short of brilliant.
He is at the center of MBTS and Affleck shoulders that responsibility magnificently.
It is a gut wrenchingly real performance that will break your heart. It is about as raw as you can get. The truth Affleck was able to achieve in his performance is something all actors strive for in their careers.
My acting coach used to speak of stillness, the perfect balance of actor and character.
The sweet spot. The truth.
As Lee, Affleck is perfectly still, perfectly balanced. He has found something in himself to make this fictional character come to life. He's found that sweet spot.
Affleck has made Lee real.
We all know a Lee Chandler. Some of us may be a Lee Chandler.
Affleck's Lee is a loner who seems to have banished himself from the rest of the world for reasons which become clear as the movie unfolds. He is a beaten man. He's an asshole. He is being torn apart by unspeakable pain. He is consumed by rage.
Lee is a clenched fist and even Affleck's physical performance reflects that.
Life has taken, and continues to deliver, harsh blows on Lee and through his performance, Affleck allows us to feel every single punch and kick.
I don't know what dark places he went to or what in his life allowed Affleck to shape and breathe life into Lee and I don't need to. All I need to do is watch MBTS. It's all there. Every bit of it. And it's heartbreaking.
This is acting.
Acting without acting, that is.
Remember the quote from Michael Caine? Acting is listening and reacting. Everything Affleck shows us as Lee Chandler is a reaction to what is happening around him, to him in MBTS.
Everything, all the ugly and terrible rage and sadness, is just below the surface, about to boil over with Lee and that's how Affleck plays him. It's all about the internal.
Lee doesn't have a great deal to say. Every word is carefully thought out. Clearly this is how the character was written but I think this had to have been a choice made by a talented actor.
Affleck wears the pain Lee is experiencing on his face. You see it in his eyes and hear it in his voice and in the way he breathes.
Affleck has found the truth in Lee and in himself and the result is a stunning performance.
He's already been awarded a Golden Globe for his performance in MBTS and just this morning Affleck was listed among the nominees for Best Actor for the 2017 Academy Awards. It is well-deserved recognition.
In his acceptance speech at The Golden Globes, Affleck said 'no actor wins an award alone' and it should be noted his fellow actors in MBTS are top notch. most notably, Lucas Hedges.
This is an ensemble piece but the other characters in MBTS rotate around Affleck's Lee. He is at the center of their lives and of the story. This is Lee's story and Affleck's movie.
If you're an actor, you need to watch Manchester By The Sea.
If you're an actor, you need to watch Affleck's performance and remember it. Not to copy it but to remember the truth, the stillness, Affleck was able to achieve.
*****
I watch movies because I love movies. I always have.
Nowadays movies are a part of my education as an actor.
There are performance that absolutely captivate me and inspire me.
Acting to me is an expression of what the world is to the person/character I have been cast to play. It is my reaction to what is happening around me and to me. It has to be grounded in truth and it's my job to find that truth.
The thing to remember is there is no one way to find the stillness. Whatever it takes for you to find the truth, do it. This is your journey. You have to create your own process and continue to shape it and make it work for you.
Just never stop looking and listening to the world around you.
Never ever be satisfied.
Never ever stop learning.
Never not give it everything you have and then some.
Remember these words:
Passion. Vision. Fortitude. Patience. Courage. Faith. Trust. Curiosity. Improvisation. STILLNESS. TRUTH.
Now...
Remember those words and everything I've said, all the quotes I've included in this entry and then...
..wait one full minute...and then forget it all.
Every bit of it.
Who the fuck am I? I am an actor. I have my process. You have yours.
What inspires me may not inspire you.
DO THE WORK. WORK THE PROBLEM.
For Christ's sake! Figure it out for yourself.
It's the only way you're going to come to understand what acting is..or isn't.
just keeping it reel
Copyright 2017
All Rights Reserved
**I wanted to address the whole Casey Affleck controversy.
Accusations of sexual harassment resurfaced in the news during the lead-up to Affleck's 2017 Oscar win for Best Actor for Manchester By the Sea.
Two women came forward and sued Affleck for sexual harassment which allegedly occurred on the set of the mockumentary I’m Still Here, which Affleck directed and produced.
Affleck settled both lawsuits out of court.
This is not acceptable and this kind of behavior is deplorable and as we are learning...
(I've added this final thought on Saturday, September 15, 2018)
infecting this business like a cancer. Men in positions of power are toppling like badly placed Jenga pieces. Victims are finding their voices and the perpetrators are being held responsible.
Men in power apparently lose all ability to control their penises. Power does truly corrupt. There are no excuses which make any actions acceptable.
It was not my intention to defend Affleck or his actions. Truthfully, I wasn't even aware of the controversy until it was brought to my attention.
This is a blog about acting and I am going to leave my comments about Affleck's acting in Manchester By The Sea because they haven't changed. Affleck's performance is a masterclass in stillness.
Sadly. though, it appears the darkness and sadness which haunt his character come from a place of truth within him.
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