ON ACTING: Transitioning from Theater to Film Acting
As an encouragement to theatre actors to drop any obligation for projection in film acting when entering film acting's more private world of behavior, the transitioned theater actor might do well to remember that on a film set there are sixty people worried about making sure the actor is seen and heard, but only one person…and one person only...the actor him/herself who is ultimately responsible for creating the good and honest acting performance; making sure the dialogue and movement to be seen and heard by the audience is worth seing and hearing; it is real, truthful acting.
The good news in film acting is that whatever truth the actor creates, whatever the size or subtlety of performance, the camera and microphone, the director and those sixty workers can and will pick it up and enhance it. No need to worry about projection.
The bad news is: any and all false acting will be also picked up also by the sixty people sending the performance to the more proximate film audience. “The camera never lies”; unfortunately some theater-transitioning actors do. They must remember, when transitioning to film, that film is rigorously revealing. Stage actors are advised to adopt the following mantra: "Lie over the phone (from the safe distance of the stage) if need be. However, in film always tell the truth. The film audience is right in your face."
The good news in film acting is that whatever truth the actor creates, whatever the size or subtlety of performance, the camera and microphone, the director and those sixty workers can and will pick it up and enhance it. No need to worry about projection.
The bad news is: any and all false acting will be also picked up also by the sixty people sending the performance to the more proximate film audience. “The camera never lies”; unfortunately some theater-transitioning actors do. They must remember, when transitioning to film, that film is rigorously revealing. Stage actors are advised to adopt the following mantra: "Lie over the phone (from the safe distance of the stage) if need be. However, in film always tell the truth. The film audience is right in your face."
posted by Cliff Osmond at 5:15 PM
2 Comments:
Of course, stage acting isn't lying, on stage, right? Nothing dishonest in projection and physicality. Just say'n.
You are absolutely right, David. You're right. Nothing dishonest about speaking the truth loudly and being moved by the truth onstage with large body movenments Sorry I was unclear about that. I guess I was too worried about theater often producing fake acting in order for projection to occur. Thanks for forcing me with your question/statement to clarify the posibility of 'truth with projection' co-habitating onstage. Have a good day.
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