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Acting is a collaborative process to say the least. On any given project the actor collaborates with the director, the crew, the designers, the other actors, and especially the writer. For the most, part an actor would be lost without the guidance and insight the writer provides with the script. It is the actor’s responsibility to respect the words as written. Although it may be helpful when getting off book (memorizing lines), do not paraphrase your lines or ad lib during rehearsal or performance. Adding words and phrases like, “um”, and “ya know”, “I mean”, and “well” are all signs of an unprepared actor. If you find yourself using these phrases as a crutch, I recommend you study that part of your script in more detail. Often if you are not saying your lines verbatim it means you do not understand what it is you are trying to communicate. The writer chooses each word, phrase, and sentence very carefully. There is a reason your character may say, “Excuse me?” instead of saying, “Huh?” or “What?” There is a reason the writer capitalizes certain words or uses italics. The use of punctuation is also very significant when it comes to establishing pace or rhythm. In my experience punctuation has always helped to guide me in terms of the delivery of my lines. Another facet of the text to consider is what’s called a “beat.” A beat is a unit of dramatic action. Any given script is broken down into acts, then scenes, then beats, or units of action within that scene. I often compare beats of a scene to paragraphs of an article or a story. A beat has no specific length – it can last for two lines or two pages. It is essentially a given topic of action or discussion between characters. Apparently the term “beat” came from a misinterpretation of a German director. The story goes that she was talking to her actors and wanted them to rehearse a specific bit. She used the word “bit” repeatedly and in her accent it sounded like “beat.” I’m not sure if that’s exactly how it happened but it makes sense. A beat is actually a bit of the story. Here’s an example of a few different beats from a scene between Nick and George from Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?: GEORGE: (Martha and Honey leave the room) (BEAT) So? What’ll it be? NICK: Oh I don’t know…I’ll stick to bourbon I guess. GEORGE: That what you were drinking over at Parnassus? NICK: Over at…? GEORGE: Parnassus. NICK: I don’t understand… GEORGE: Skip it. One bourbon. NICK: Thanks. GEORGE: It’s just a private joke between li’l ol’ Martha and me. (BEAT) So? So…you’re in the math department, eh? NICK: No…uh, no. GEORGE: Martha said you were. I think that’s what she said. What made you decide to be a teacher? NICK: Oh…well, the same things that…uh…motivated you, I imagine. GEORGE: What were they? NICK: Pardon? GEORGE: I said what were they? What were the things that motivated me? NICK: Well…I’m sure I don’t know. GEORGE: You just finished saying that the things that motivated you were the same things that motivated me. NICK: I said I imagined they were. GEORGE: Oh. Did you? (BEAT) Well…You like it here? NICK: Yes…it’s…it’s fine. The first beat begins with, “So? What’ll it be?” the second beat with “So? So…you’re in the math department, eh?” and the third beat with “Well…you like it here?” All of these beats mark a change in the dramatic action. In this case George is driving the scene by frequently changing the subject, or making beat changes. All of the beats in the example above happen to begin with questions but that’s not always the case. A new beat can begin with anything from a physical action to a word, a phrase, or a sentence. A beat is not necessarily a pause but it can be. The director may ask you to take a beat which is another way of saying take a pause. Also, a new beat doesn’t always occur at the beginning of a sentence or speech. It can be found mid sentence and sometimes even in the middle of a word, in the case of an interruption. A great director I worked with told me to mark your beat changes with a specific physical and vocal change. The way in which you make those changes is up to you; it’s your choice. It is always very helpful to go through your script and mark where your beats take place. You may want to do this with your scene partner and your director if they are willing. Sometimes it is not always clear exactly where one beat ends and another begins. The more specific you are in marking your beats, the clearer your work will be. Understanding the beats and beat changes will give you a clear vision of what each scene is about. Scenes are the links that create the chain. Every scene, just like every character, plays an integral part in creating the story. As a story teller you need to be acutely aware of the components of that story. I hope you will have the opportunity to work on a wide range of projects in your career. Keep in mind that you may come across very bad writing from time to time. My first suggestion is to avoid working with bad material. If you recognize that the writing is not good, do not take the job. That being said, there may be times when you simply need the paycheck and will work with poor material. If this is the case be professional as usual and do the best job that you can. Regardless of the caliber of the writing, having a general idea of the scene or the story is never enough. It is vital that you examine the text from every angle. Do your homework. Explore the writer’s choices, style, and ideas and allow them to influence and guide your work. Thanks for reading. Good luck and keep going. I wish you nothing but success in everything you pursue. For information about my upcoming online acting course click HERE For more information or to schedule a coaching session, please visit www.ryankitley.com. Ryan Kitley
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Indicating is the trademark of bad acting. In life we don't indicate, we behave truthfully. We don’t need to illustrate things or exaggerate. As an actor, doing more work than necessary is an insult to your audience. It says, “I don’t think you’re smart enough to follow this story so I am going to show you everything.” It is a sign that you do not trust that your acting is truthful and clear. There may exceptions to the rule but unless it is a specific style or character trait I suggest you avoid indicating as much as possible. Play truthfully. Be a diligent observer of human behavior – starting with your own. Here a few definitions of the verb indicate: 1. to be a sign of; evidence; show 2. to point out or point to; direct attention to 3. to show, as by measuring or recording; make known A perfect, and very extreme example of indicating would be if an actor closes his eyes while playing a blind person. In this case he would be “showing” the audience that he can’t see – overstated and false behavior. I would hope that no serious actor would ever do that. I am exaggerating to make a point. In life, if it’s too cold or too hot we deal with it and “take action” to find comfort. We don’t need to show each other how hot or cold it is. If we're outside and it’s raining we certainly don’t look up into the sky to show each other that it’s raining. Again, we deal with it. Our focus might go down to protect our eyes. Our shoulders might tense to keep warm. We might squint or blink in order to see better in the rain. Pointing at things or people is a trait of indicating. If I walk into my house and it’s a complete mess I don’t need to point at it and say, “Look at this place, it’s a mess.” It is a given and it doesn’t need to be pointed out. When I am talking to someone I do not need to constantly point to myself if I’m talking about myself. I do not need to constantly point to them to let them know I am talking about them. That is a given. Here are some more examples of indicating:
I completely understand why actors tend to indicate from time to time. I have done it in my own work I’m sure. We want to make sure the audience is getting every single detail of the story. We don’t want them to miss a thing. Trust that they will fill in the blanks when needed. They do not need to be spoon-fed. They want to observe truthful behavior on stage and on screen. Work with subtlety. Keep your work honest and truthful and always be aware of indicating and doing too much. With many things in this work, and in life, less is more. Trust that simple phrase. It will do wonders for your work as an actor. Thanks for reading. Good luck and keep going. I wish you nothing but success in everything you pursue. For more information or to schedule a coaching session, please visit www.ryankitley.com. Ryan Kitley Let’s be honest, we’re all creatures of habit and tend to enjoy the comforts of modern life. Smart phones, smart homes, smart cars, self-parking cars, self-driving cars, google, siri, same day delivery, apps, apps, and more apps, streaming services, mobile orders, Grubhub, Doordash, Uber, Lyft, that weird doorbell camera thing…the list goes on. I was at a party last night and saw the laziest Lazy Boy recliner I’ve ever seen. It had 4 cup holders, a tray for meals, 3 massage buttons, a seat warmer, an outlet, a phone charger, speakers, a reading light, and I think I saw a small toilet built into the bottom. Ridiculous yes, but really comfortable and convenient. This comfort, these luxuries, will keep us from challenging ourselves and reaching our full potential. I’m not saying we shouldn’t enjoy them, we should. But when it comes to growth and change, I think we need to seek discomfort from time to time. When I say discomfort of course I’m not talking about being in any physical or emotional pain. I’m talking about challenging yourself. Pushing your own limits. Doing things you’d normally never do. Ask yourself “what if?” and “why not?” Explore opposites from time to time. Talk to that stranger in the elevator. Take that class you’ve been curious about. Try new things. One thing that often gets in our way when it comes to growth in our work and in life, is the ego. It’s really important that we set our egos aside and allow ourselves to take risks, to fail, to look foolish. We need to trust the process and get out of our own way from time to time. This can feel scary because it may not be what we’re used to. It’s unchartered territory. Let go of your ego whenever possible and embrace the unknown. When I work with actors in class I often say things like, “Say yes and see what happens,” “trust your instincts”, “find the conflict and move towards it.” One of my favorites is, “Don’t be a polite actor!” In life we seek comfort, we avoid conflict at all costs. We don’t say what we really mean. In your work as an actor it’s crucial that you actively pursue conflict and discomfort within the scene. Conflict is where the comedy and drama come from. It’s what the audience is paying to see. Ordinary people dealing with extraordinary circumstances. I was working on a scene with two students in which the girlfriend wanted to have a serious conversation about their relationship and the boyfriend desperately needed a drink because he was an alcoholic. After they ran through the scene I asked him if he got what he needed. The guy playing the boyfriend said, “Well I couldn’t get into the kitchen to get a drink because my scene partner was standing right next to the couch and blocking the entrance.” What?! Jump over the couch, move her out of the way, threaten her, throw something at her; anything to get to that drink! He was being a polite actor and not playing truthfully. He was afraid of getting messy and confrontational and the scene suffered because of it. When actors fight to get what they want the scene lights up. Confrontation and competition will fuel your work. I’m not talking about competing with other actors for a job, I’m talking about competing within the scene. Always work to affect your partner. When you affect your partner the audience will be moved as well. The best way to do that is to take those risks, work outside of your comfort zone, get messy, embrace mistakes. Seek discomfort. Thanks for reading. Good luck and keep going. I wish you nothing but success in everything you pursue. For more information or to schedule a coaching session, please visit www.ryankitley.com. Ryan Kitley Whatever your passion may be, pursue it every day and always make the best of your journey. When I was 23 I was accepted into the MFA program for acting at The Theatre School at DePaul in Chicago. To this day I’m not sure why they accepted me because, other than the improv class I took the previous summer, I had never acted before. I think they liked the fact that I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. Maybe it was an experiment for them, I don't now. Regardless, I was thrilled to get in and months later began my work at DePaul. Needless to say, of the other eleven actors in my class, I was the most inexperienced – by far. Everything was new and intimidating, especially my acting teacher Joe. He was hardcore, to say the least. At the beginning of the first semester, after only a few classes, Joe ordered everyone to come to the following class dressed ready to workout. The next day we all showed up in our workout clothes, not really knowing what to expect. Soon enough Joe came in, looked us over, and barked, “Follow me.” Amid nervous laughter, muffled complaints, and sarcastic jokes, our scrappy group of aspiring actors walked down three flights of stairs, through the lobby, and into the streets of Chicago. And so our class “jog” began. Our group would definitely not have been mistaken for a running team in training. We looked more like, well, a bunch of out of shape actors who probably drank and smoked too much the night before. The jog was not a short one. With each passing minute we got further and further from campus – not a good sign. We took breaks from time to time in order for people to catch their breath, get some water, and scream random obscenities. This went on for over an hour and a half. After what seemed like a marathon, we finally stopped at a point on Lake Michigan overlooking the city, very far from campus. Was someone going to pick us up? Could we hail a cab from Lake Shore Drive? Could I get my money back? Eventually the group caught their breath and gathered around. It was a beautiful Chicago afternoon in mid September. The sun was shining. There were sailboats on the lake. The city skyline was in clear view. A peaceful calm had come over us as we took in the scenery. Then, from out of nowhere, one of our classmates, a short fat guy from New York broke the silence in his high-pitched voice with, “Hey Joe, what the fuck?” Everyone lost it. It was probably the first time we saw our professor laugh. When the laughter subsided he answered the question. He said, “This run is a metaphor for your acting career. A lot of you had a hard time getting here today without passing out. If you thought this was tough, you’re in for a rude awakening when it comes to your life as an actor. This is an amazing profession you’ve all chosen to pursue but you’ve got to be willing to work extremely hard, take huge risks, and never ever quit. It’s been said that it takes 20 years for someone to become an actor – a truthful, solid, grounded actor. This is only the beginning. If you want to stay in the race you have to keep running. You all have great potential or you wouldn’t be here. It’s up to you how you choose to use that potential. Good luck guys, I’ll see you back at school.” Eventually we all found our way back to campus. Everyone finished the run, but several did not complete the program. The short fat guy from New York left school within two months. Don't quit. If you've found your passion, that thing that drives you, that thing that makes you a better person, don't ever let it go. Something I’ve learned throughout my career and my life is that “the jog” never ends. This is a good thing. For as long as you pursue acting, or any profession for that matter, you’ll always be faced with the uncertainty of what the future holds. You’ll always be striving to become better, to evolve. You can take a positive approach to your journey and enjoy the scenery, or you can complain the entire way, wishing for your big break to be handed to you. I’m sure we can all agree, negativity never wins and breaks are not given out. Stay the course. Find your passion and follow it. Thanks for reading. Good luck and keep going. I wish you nothing but success in everything you pursue. For more information or to schedule a coaching session, please visit www.ryankitley.com. Ryan Kitley As an actor you have to be aware of your destination all the time. In other words, in any given scene it is vital that you know where you are going and why you are going there. To cross stage left because it says so in the script or because the director told you to will lead to meaningless wandering.
Any movement you make on stage or on set, also known as “blocking,” must be motivated. We don’t randomly walk across a room to stand in a new place and talk, we don’t behave like that. Have a reason for your movement – to look out the window, to get a drink from the bar, to lock the door, to check on your sleeping child, to observe a picture. These are all examples of motivated movements – destination. There are always specific steps to take before you get to your destination. When you come home from work what is your destination and what do you do on your way there? Maybe you get home and all you want to do is fix dinner and watch a movie – that’s your destination. Before you do that there may be a few things that interrupt your destination. You may need to hang up your keys, check your mail, take off your coat, lock the door, turn on the lights, feed your cat, turn on the heat, etc. These steps, these activities, these actions are all part of human behavior when approaching each destination. Many times in class I will see students walk into a scene and not know what to do except say their line. They will look at me and say, “I don’t know what to do, I’m just standing here.” That’s because they have not thought about and rehearsed their destination. Where are you coming from? What things do you have with you? What do you need to do when you get to where you are going? The director and the playwright are not always going to have these answers for you. This is your homework and cannot be taken for granted. Know your destination. Thanks for reading. Good luck and keep going. I wish you nothing but success in your acting career. For more information or to schedule a coaching session, please visit www.ryankitley.com. Ryan Kitley Think of your auditions, callbacks, and interviews as a party in which you are the host. Take control of the room and treat the casting team as friends and colleagues who’re excited to see your work. They’re on your side and want you to have a fantastic audition. Simply put, they have a problem and you’re offering a really good solution. That solution begins as soon as you enter the room and sometime even when you arrive at the casting office or theater.
I don’t suggest entering the audition room “in character.” Some actors may disagree, but I’ve tried it in the past and have never felt it was very effective. It feels unnatural, and in my experience can make casting feel a little uncomfortable. If I’m auditioning for the role of a slimy lawyer and I enter the room in character, they may be put off and assume that’s how I will behave on set. I enter as myself, with a sense of confidence and control. I want them to get a quick sense of my energy and personality. That being said, when entering the room, I do adjust my energy based on the character and circumstances of the scene. If I’m playing a dad receiving news that his son is in critical condition, I will probably not enter as if I just won the lottery. I’ll come in as myself, politely say hello to everyone, and then ease into the scene. Just before beginning your audition, casting will usually ask if you have any questions about the scene or the role. Be prepared for this and remember, there are stupid questions. If you have questions - intelligent, well thought out questions, by all means ask them. Don’t ask questions that reveal you haven’t done your prep work; leave that to the lazy and more inexperienced actors. Some stupid audition questions may include, “Should I sit or stand? What do you want me to do? What does my character want?” Use common sense when it comes to asking questions during your audition. Take your time without wasting time. If you need a moment or two before you begin your audition, take it. If it’s going to result in a better audition, everyone will be happy in the end. Again, use common sense here. Taking ten to fifteen seconds to focus – great, no problem; taking three minutes to conjure up the memory of your dead dog – not a good strategy. I usually begin and end my auditions with behavior - a physical or psychological action. Have a moment before and a moment after as part of your scene. In other words, the audition does not begin and end with the words, but with truthful behavior. These are just a couple of tools to use when auditioning. I’ll discuss specific audition techniques in future articles. For now I just want you to understand the importance of taking control of the room when auditioning. When your scene is over, take a second to let it breathe. Thank the casting people, and leave the room with a confident and positive energy – even if you think your audition sucked! Never beat yourself up or apologize for your work, especially in the room. You’re an actor, act like it was an amazing audition, even if it wasn’t. Casting directors, directors, producers, writers and almost anyone involved in show business cannot do their job without actors. Each audition you get is definitely beneficial to your career, but bear in mind that you are not getting paid for your services – yet. In an audition you are there as a favor to the people who need to cast their project. Your audition will get them one step closer to solving their casting problem. You were called in to audition because of something they saw of value in what you have to offer. They want you to succeed so they can cast you and move on. The sooner you understand and embrace this concept the sooner you will take control of your auditions. Auditioning is a major part of our job as actors. It’s not easy to get an audition, so when you do, take full advantage of it. Take control of your work when you get into the room. Auditioning is an opportunity for you to do what you love to do – act! Thanks for reading. Good luck and keep going. I wish you nothing but success in your acting career. For more information or to schedule a coaching session, please visit www.ryankitley.com. Ryan Kitley Don't be a boring actor! Always make solid and unique choices in your work. A choice can be anything from the way you answer the phone in a scene to the way you deliver a certain line. Unique and unpredictable choices will give your work so much more substance and specificity. Having the freedom to choose how to play a scene is one of the most creative characteristics of acting. Choices are yours to make – relish them. If the director is constantly making choices for you then either he is a bad director or you are not doing your job. Don’t rely on the script to tell you what to do and how to do it. Be careful of following every stage direction. When I am working with a script I usually cross out all of the stage directions immediately. Many times stage directions are simply notes about what a certain actor did in the original production. This does not mean you should do it as well. Make it yours by applying your own choices to the piece. The greatest choices are never the obvious ones. If you are performing a scene in which you have an argument, an interesting choice might be to make a joke or share a loving gesture with your partner – something that’s not expected. If a scene involves heavy drama, an interesting choice might be to share a smile or be humorous. In Michael Shurtleff’s book Audition, he refers to this idea as “playing opposites.” Entrances and exits provide endless opportunities for choices. How you enter a given space can communicate so much about your character and the story. You can simply walk through the door and proceed with your lines, or you can sneak in, barge in, jump in, knock first then enter, etc. Give your exits just as much thought and consideration. Explore every possibility, even the ones that seem ridiculous. That’s what rehearsal is for, exploring your choices. You need to exhaust the possibilities and push yourself. Many times while I’m teaching I’ll hear students say things like, “…but my character would never do that,” or “that doesn’t make any sense, I’m supposed to be angry here.” Statements like that are completely destructive and limiting to the creative process. Ask yourself “what if?” and “why not?” before dismissing an idea or a choice. If a choice doesn’t work you can forget about it and move on, but it will be more harmful if you never explore it. Don’t be concerned with doing the scene right. There is no one right way to play a scene. An actor who comes to rehearsal with unique and unpredictable choices is a great actor. Don’t be the actor who is constantly asking the director, “what do you want me to do?” The director doesn’t always know and more importantly, it’s not his job to make your choices. Bring choices to the table every rehearsal and give the director plenty of ideas to choose from. When I was working at The Piven Theatre Workshop I remember a particular class I had with Joyce Piven. Two guys were working on a scene from Speed the Plow by David Mamet. The scene was not bad but there was very little happening between the two actors. They were simply going through the motions and doing the scene the way they thought it was supposed to be done. Essentially they were playing it safe. They took no risks and made no specific choices; the scene was very general. Joyce asked them to do it again. As an exercise she suggested that they behave irrationally throughout the scene. The second time through the scene was amazing! The actors took the adjustment very well and couldn’t have been more relaxed and loose. Without realizing it they were both making brilliant choices because of this idea of irrational behavior. The way they sat, talked, moved, related to each other, et cetera was all so specific and spontaneous. Even though it was considered irrational behavior, most of their choices were extremely rational and meaningful. For example, the first time through, they were both sitting in chairs in the office talking. The second time through, applying this idea of irrational behavior, one of them sat on the desk throughout the scene. At another point one of the guys was crawling around the office on his hands and knees. Toward the end of the scene one of the guys was taking sheets of paper, one by one and tossing them around the office. All of these choices gave the scene so much more substance and specificity, not to mention humor and unpredictability. If you are struggling to make unique choices I encourage you to work with this idea of irrational behavior. I use it all the time. It’s a fantastic tool to use and will always help you to stay loose and spontaneous. Thanks for reading. Good luck and keep going. I wish you nothing but success in your acting career. For more information or to schedule a coaching session, please visit www.ryankitley.com. Ryan Kitley There is power in stillness on stage, on camera, and in life. When in doubt listen, breathe, plant your feet, and say your lines. Actors often make the mistake of doing too much, trying too hard. We don't need to force the story upon the audience. We don't need to show them what amazing actor skills we have. We definitely don't need to tell them what they should be feeling at any given moment. We need to trust that the audience wants to be a part of the story telling process. Allow them to fill in some of the gaps by doing less, showing less. It makes the entire experience more creative and thoughtful.
I did a show with an amazing actress in Chicago and I was having difficulty in a particular scene. She gave me some great advice backstage. She said, “Ryan trust the power of stillness. You’re trying to do too much in that scene. If you just stand there and say the lines it will be so much more effective than trying to show any emotion, or intent – actor stuff.” Actor stuff - I love how she put it. I immediately understood what she was talking about. Actor stuff is not truthful. It is not reflective of human behavior. The next time I did that scene I took her suggestion – I experimented with the power of stillness. I simplified my work by letting go and trusting the words. I was behaving and not acting. I wasn’t forcing anything. I wasn’t working very hard, I was playing. I realized that most of the hard work takes place during rehearsal and in class. The performance is where you have the freedom to have fun, let the work go, and do less. The less physical energy you exert the more power you establish. Someone ranting and raving during an argument is never going to win that argument. Whereas the person who holds her ground and keeps it under control probably will. Stillness also allows the audience to come to their own conclusions. If I have a scene in which I’m looking into the horizon thinking about a life changing decision, I have the choice of simplifying and being totally still. I don’t need to do much more than think about the given circumstances. An amazing thing happens here – the audience does the work. The audience projects what I may be thinking. If I indicate what I am thinking then they will see me “trying to act.” However, if I do very little they will come to their own conclusions. I encourage you to watch your favorite television shows and films with the volume turned off. Observe how often the actors are completely still. Are they able to communicate without sound or movement? How does stillness impact their performance? Is their performance clear and specific? You cannot be totally still the entire performance of course. Use stillness sparingly to establish status, to highlight events and discoveries, and to clarify your point of view. Trust that less is more, there is power in stillness. When in doubt, sometimes the best choice is to get out of your own way and do nothing. Thanks for reading. Good luck and keep going. I wish you nothing but success in your acting career. For more information or to schedule a coaching session, please visit www.ryankitley.com. Ryan Kitley All of the homework, research, memorization, rehearsal, and technique will be worthless to any actor who does not have a well trained voice and body. Your voice is a vital part of your work and needs to be clear and expressive. If you cannot be heard or understood you will be doing a disservice to your audience, your fellow actors, the story, and yourself. If you are working in theater, especially in a larger venue, it is extremely important that you learn how to project your voice. Allow your voice to come from your center, your core. Support your voice through your breath. The more relaxed your body is the easier it will be for you to project. If you are working in television and film you will have microphones attached to your clothes, taped to your body, placed around the set, or fastened to a pole which is known as a boom microphone. These microphones will pick up every nuance of your voice and breath and allow you to speak much more naturally. In television and film it is not necessary to speak as if you are trying to reach the last row of a theater. Speak as if the person you are talking to is as close as the microphone is to you. That being said, if you are inclined to scream or yell, do what you need to do and the sound operator will adjust accordingly. There are many aspects of the voice that every actor needs to be aware of. I am only scratching the surface here. I am not a voice teacher but I have taken many voice classes and workshops throughout my career. I strongly recommend you work with a voice coach or take a voice class for actors as part of your ongoing training. Your body is as equally important as your voice and can communicate so much when used properly. The term “body language” is very accurate because it is a separate language. We speak with our bodies constantly. What is your body communicating right now? Observe people every day; at parties, at work, around their family and friends, at bus stops and train stations. There are so many opportunities to study body language. Then apply those observations to your work. You can tell if a person is tired, bored, nervous, protective, anxious, excited simply by the way the carry themselves. The way people sit, stand, walk, or enter a room all communicate something, usually something very specific. Here are two exercises you can practice to improve your physical and vocal work:
At the risk of stating the obvious, here are some tips for keeping your voice and body in top condition:
For more information or to schedule a coaching session, please visit www.ryankitley.com. Thanks for reading. Good luck and keep going! I wish you nothing but success in your acting career. Ryan Kitley What? One of the most important things for an actor to do is to listen. You cannot act if you're not listening. Listening is not something you can fake either. It doesn’t mean to stare intently at someone, or cock your head a certain way. It means to absorb what is being said and how it’s being said. Listen with your full body. Understand and interpret what the other person is telling you. Listen with the intent of forming a point of view or an opinion. Observe, check in, and take inventory of your immediate surroundings. Be a sounding board for everyone in the scene with you.
A great device to use when listening is what I call a “trigger.” A trigger is any word, phrase, or gesture that another person says or does that causes a reaction in the person listening. Using triggers will help you to actively listen. We experience triggers all the time whether we realize it or not. Let’s say you are in a conversation with your boss and she says, “When you hand in that report on Monday we can talk about your promotion.” The trigger word there might be “Monday” if you thought the report was due on Friday. The word Monday will cause a reaction from you because it was not what you expected to hear. You will react before the person is finished talking rather than after. Here’s a good example of a trigger from Cat on a Hot Tin Roof by Tennessee Williams: MAGGIE: …Yes I made my mistake when I told you the truth about that thing with Skipper. Never should have confessed it, a fatal error tellin’ you about that thing with Skipper. BRICK: Maggie, shut up about Skipper. I mean it Maggie, you got to shut up about Skipper. I have highlighted the trigger word, the first mention of “Skipper.” When Brick hears Maggie say Skipper the first time, it has an impact on him. It certainly gets his attention and causes him to react while she is still speaking. His cue to speak is not until the end of her line but he should be reacting to the trigger word as soon as he hears it. Use your five senses to absorb what your partner is communicating to you. When you are focused on your partner, the slightest smile or gesture or inflection of their voice can change your whole point of view. The scent of their perfume can cause a visceral response in you. Their touch can affect you in so many ways. I’m not suggesting that you let your partner do all of the work, but allow their behavior to trigger your response and clarify your relationship to them. If you’re not focused on your partner then you can’t behave truthfully. Focusing only on yourself is extremely detrimental to your acting. Being self conscious and judgmental will keep you from doing good work. It will put you in your head and remove you from the present moment. The answer is in your partner. Many teachers and directors I’ve worked with over the years have given me this invaluable advice. I embrace this phrase and use it all the time. Knowing that the answer is in your partner will help you to be an excellent listener. Remain available to your surroundings and your responses will be effortless and honest. The answer is in your partner – that is the truth. |
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