The Official Newsletter Of The New Collective LA Acting Studio
Thoughts On Process: Creating A Relationship
Who Are You Talking To?
One of the first puzzling acting notes I ever received was, "I didn’t feel who it was you were talking to." I didn't quite understand how to approach this until I began to develop my craft more deeply. The key, I discovered, is truth. When you can tap into a real sensation that evokes a specific relationship, there’s no need to "act"—the truth of that feeling will do the work for you.
Personalization
Dustin Hoffman & Meryl Streep in Kramer Vs. Kramer
Personalization is a powerful technique that every actor can use to bring emotional depth and specificity to a relationship. By drawing on a parallel relationship from their own life, the actor can infuse the imaginary relationship in a scene with authentic, lived-in qualities.
Here’s how to effectively connect to a personalization:
Slow down your mind: Relax, breathe, and create a sense of the person you're "imagining" in front of you using your sensory imagination.
Physical Details: Think of the person’s strongest physical feature.
Human Qualities: What was the most defining human quality of this person?
Memorable Moment: Recall something this person said or did that you’ll never forget.
Unspoken Words: Is there something you never had the chance to express to them? Say it out loud.
By engaging in this exercise, the essence of the relationship will come to life. From there, the actor can bring that emotional truth into the scene, allowing it to guide their performance moment by moment.
When To Use Personalization
David Carradine & Quentin Tarantino on the set of Kill Bill
Personalization can be used in any acting situation. For example, in an audition, if you're not getting much energy from the reader, personalization can help you create a dynamic relationship without having to rely on them. If auditioning for a guest star role, often you may have scenes with the lead character, and personalization can bring depth and freedom to the relationship.
Anthony Hopkins in Silence of the Lambs
On set, personalization is especially useful when your acting partner isn’t present. For instance, if they go home right as they flip the camera around to your coverage, personalization will allow you to create a living, breathing relationship while having to talk to a light stand. Perhaps the director is shooting an extreme closeup where you have to look right down the barrel of the camera while imagining you are talking to your best friend, or your lover. Johnathan Demme was famous for doing these powerful close ups in almost all of his films.
By using personalization, you can keep the emotional truth of a relationship alive, no matter what the circumstances.
