An absolute must for beginners!
Here you'll find all sorts of goodies! You'll find a glossary of terms, links to useful websites, books to read, movies to study, and anything else we think may be useful.
But first, I must point out a book that is sorely overlooked. If you have ever wondered, "Exactly what is everyone talking about when they say 'Simple Acting Skills,' 'Techniques,' or 'Basic Preparation?'" this is the book for you. Richard Boleslavsky wrote a charming little thing that will take the brashest beginner and get him heading in the right direction.
But whether you're a beginner or not, I use a bunch of terms all the time. Do yourself a favor and check 'em out.
Most of these definitions were first introduced to me by Ben Taylor during his workshops in Austin, Texas. He expanded upon and greatly improved many of the terms from Michael Shurtleff (check out his book, Audition). I have no idea how anyone can teach or even talk about acting without such a vocabulary!
- Attraction / Repulsion
It's possible (and useful) to see every line as falling into one of these two categories. You must at least understand what you're trying to convey to have any hope of conveying it!
Find the line in each scene that most epitomizes Attraction or Repulsion, and then deliver it reversed (see on the nose.)
- Automatic Pilot
After rehearsing over and over, it's very likely you will reach a point where you no longer need to be conscious about what you are doing. You have memorized the lines and the blocking so thoroughly that it happens without thinking. This is like flying or driving with an Automatic Pilot.
This is very useful: when nervous, stressed, distracted, etc., our Automatic Pilot keeps us on the right course. It allows us to perform even when dumb-founded with stage fright. When a disaster happens onstage, it pushes us to keep performing (and be amazed later when you discover the audience didn't even know there was a problem!).
But the Automatic Pilot can be a crutch as well. It can keep us from responding authentically, to adapt to new situations, and from even considering change. And being on Automatic Pilot can frustrate the other actors in your scene; they may be trying something new and need you to be with them.
In our class, we accept the benefits of of Automatic Pilot, but we concentrate on keeping our heads in the game and the Automatic Pilot off.
- Bring the Audience In (to You)
Yes, this is a matter of intent, but it creates large differences in your acting that can be easily seen. You want the audience to be connected to your performance, so you reach out to them, pushing your performance outward to reach the back of the theater. But that is a trap; it's much better to Bring the Audience to You.
Sometimes we try too hard as actors. We push our performance to the audience instead of simply Bringing the Audience In. Of course, Projecting your acting (not your voice which should always be projected!) may be necessary in large theaters, but in film and intimate theaters it'll ruin a performance.
Generally, when someone looks like "they're acting," it's because they are not Bringing the Audience In. They are bringing their acting to the audience.
By keeping our acting close and Bringing the Audience to You, the specatators are roped into your space, creating a vastly more intimate experience -- the kind that will be appreciated and remembered.
- Choices
This is the hard part, the choices you make as an artist is what seperates art from everything else. So of course it will take effort. It is your choices that make your performance yours and yours alone.
The only way to make sure that you make good, creative, and fascinating choices is to make them consciously, with plenty of deliberation and care. Your first choice is usually a trap; spend a few seconds and come up with something better!
Always have at least five choices in your pocket for every scene. By being aware of all the choices you make, it's easy to change your choices--something that directors will love.
- Choreography
What are your goals for this scene? How does the space of your scene play into these goals? Make a plan to use as much of this space as possible that makes sense for your character's goals and execute it. Choreography is much more than blocking, it is interacting with your environment.
This works even if you're locked down. Let's say you're forced into staying seated (a boring coffee shop scene--shame on the writer!). Even through your butt is glued to a chair, you can still grab a packet of sugar from another table (make sure to have a good motive!) to sweeten your scene-mate's coffee (remember consumption). Even the four feet that your arms can reach can and should be choreographed.
- Commitment
Commitment is essentially the ability of an actor to go with the role no matter what. Whether it's spending all day in a freezing lake pretending it's summer-time, playing nude, or simply being chipper and pleasant when in truth you have a miserable cold, these are all examples of Commitment.
You need to portray your character with complete abandon of your own personal feelings; in other words, Commit yourself to the character. Completely. And the smaller the role, the more difficult it is. But it does makes a difference, and the audience can see it.
- Connection
Connection (differentiated from consumption below) is when the actors in the scene are aware of and actively respond to each other and their environment. In many techniques, Connection is the essence of acting.
It's not just connecting to the other actors; remember to connect to the setting, the time, the props, even the sounds. Staying connected without looking is an easy way to differentiate good actors from passable actors.
Connect with your scene partner while facing away (perhaps you're watching tv, reading a book, doing homework, etc.). Listen with your eyes. Respond with your body to each dart they throw.
- Consumption
This is probably the most important term here! Consumption is making the scene about the other person. Your job onstage is quite simple: make the other person look as good (as an actor) as possible.
Your friends and classmates might tolerate selfish acting, but trust me, they do notice. And eventually they'll start looking for other people (those with Consumption) to work with.
If you happen to be working on-set with a big name, you'll notice that most of them act with Consumption naturally. To get where they are, they pretty much have to be team players. But if you fail to Consume while working with them, you'll soon find yourself replaced.
- Convergence
Similar to connection, Convergence is a bit more specific. Convergence is where the actors in a scene move towards identical levels of energy and goals.
In a mythical "perfect" Convergence, all the actors would be twins, dressed alike, making the same movements at the same time, and speaking in unison (the Rangerettes are a local example). Usually you won't want to go this far, but keep Convergence in mind and keep it in your arsenal as it's an easy way to maintain consumption and can heighten feelings of collaboration.
- Darts (Poison, Throwing, Receiving)
A Dart is a communication that: 1) intends to create a strong effect, 2) has specific target(s), and 3) also makes a deep impression on the audience.
Thus Actors have the responsibility to make sure that their thrown darts are easily perceived. And the receiver (target) of the dart must make it known that they were hit. If either are missing, then the audience will probably miss it too.
The Poison Dart is the moment in every good scene that changes the course of the story irrevocably. Do your research, find that Poison Dart, and make it stick!
- DB
DB is short for Do Better. As an actor, there are so many things to think about, we often miss something. DB is a reminder to work on something you may have overlooked.
It does not mean that what you have done is not good. Quite the contrary, DB means that what you did is ok, but we know that you can do better. And DBs are always very specific, such as: "Change your SPM when delivering your line", or "Your opening picture can be more effective."
- Director Proof
Be prepared. Show up on set with specific and unique choices. Execute as if your choices were carved in stone. Don't leave any unanswered questions (find answers to any questions that the script throws at you, the performer, long before stepping on set).
Directors are much busier than you can imagine, so don't expect them to guide you through every line. If you haven't a clue as to how to portray your role, it will show in your performance as the director probably won't have time to help. With strong choices and confident performances you make the director's life easy, which she will remember.
- Divergence
The opposite of convergence, Divergence is where you and your scene-mates are moving in different, often opposite, directions. Conflict, the essence of dramatic interest, often motivates characters to Diverge from one another. Good writers do this naturally; audiences love it.
While Divergence is quite difficult to portray, do not fall into the trap of focusing inward, concentrating on your character's goals. This will make your performance selfish and boring to watch. The secret to pulling off Divergence is to be even more consumed! Why is your scene-mate not agreeing with you? Work harder to get them on your side (or respond stronger to get them to stop -- see repulsion). The strange truth is that Divergence actually requires more consumption than Convergence!
- Discovery
The audience needs to know when your character discovers new information. Related to receiving darts, Discovery cues viewers into knowing that you (the character) just learned or figured something out.
This is not about finding buried treasure or lost keys, Discovery is about information and knowledge--what's inside your character's head.
When your character changes her mind, try an odd-ball SPM instead of the cliché of shifting your head/eyes.
- Fighting the Loss
Many actors learn to cry on cue. And use it often. The truth is that, trying not to cry is much sadder for the audience than watching actual tears (which can be cathartic--a release of tension instead of building tension).
You can Fight the Loss by doing something to hold back the tears: an SPM, repulsion, even failed humor. Or DB, come up with some new way. Show how to turn left when we think you're going to turn right.
- Heart
Heart is essential, yet difficult to define. Heart means to make us care about the character. If the writer forgets, it's up to you as an actor to supply a reason to cheer/hate/lust/etc for that character; the audience MUST care in some way or form!
Writers have been neglecting Heart for so long that audiences (and critics) have stopped insisting on it. This takes our craft to new lows, sadly. But you can be part of the solution instead of the problem by always acting with Heart. And your audiences will cheer you for it.
- Heat
Yes, Heat is sexual. But that's just the beginning. Heat is strength, Heat is animal, Heat intimidates and coerces. Heat is what separates leaders from the pack. Heat is thrilling to watch. And sadly, Heat has become very rare these days.
A generation ago, you couldn't get a job in Hollywood without Heat. Even nuns like Sally Fields ("The Flying Nun") and Julie Andrews had it ("The Sound of Music"). And you need to find it, cultivate it, and fearlessly use it.
One of the best (and most obvious) examples of Heat is Kathleen Turner in "Body Heat." Even the normally stoic William Hurt finds his animal self and shows real Heat (in one of the sexiest scenes in movie history).
- Hills & Valleys
Each scene has high moments and low moments, even if quite subtle. It's the movement between the levels of energy that provide interest (as opposed to the pleasant hum). It's your job as an actor to analyze the scene, find these peaks and valleys, and show 'em!
When the rises and falls are extreme, we use the term Rollercoaster. And when we fail to achieve any distinction in our scenes, chances are strong that someone is hitting the same note on the piano.
- History
Far too often the writer will neglect writing any History for your character. And even when they do, it will never be enough.
Your job as an actor is to create a History for your character—when they were born, where they grew up, who their parents were, all the way to what brought them to the scene at that moment. And it doesn't hurt to do this for each character in the scene as well.
What was the mood the last time your characters talked? How long have they known each other? How did they meet? Get with your scene-mate and answer these questions.
- Hitting the Same Note on the Piano
Even the most beautiful musical note in the world will become tiresome if that's all you hear. You may have achieved a beautiful picture, moment, or mood for a scene, but you must not stay there. Hitting the Same Note on the Piano works against hills and valleys and is a sure sign that your scene needs work.
As obvious as this sounds, you'll hear this a lot. The fix is usually as simple as doing your homework and carefully examining your scene for Hills and Valleys.
- Importance
An excellent book, A Practical Handbook for the Actor (based on David Mamet's acting theory) calls Importance the most essential aspect of acting. While I think consumption is your highest priority, Importance is a close second.
Importance means that you, the actor, must care passionately about what your character is trying to do. Even if it seems trivial or below you, you must make it your mission in life to accomplish this goal. And if you don't, it'll show in a lackluster performance.
Successfully applying Importance implies correctly identifying the character's goal. If you're playing a pizza delivery girl, your goal is not to upstage the lead and steal the scene (that's the goal of a hack actor). The character's goal could be: 1) get as big a tip as possible, 2) get noticed by someone at the party, 3) get the transaction done as quickly as possible--you have other customers to deliver, 4) try not to let the person you're talking to know you're really too stoned to be driving, etc. etc.!
Let's say you're cast as a "Victim #3" in a no-budget gore movie. You have no lines; you just scream and die from being stabbed. You must find a way to scream your heart out! Die like your life depended on it (hehe, couldn't resist)! And if you can't do that, don't take the part. In class, you have no choice: find a way to make this the most Important part you've ever played. Yes, do it!
- Likes / Adds
Change your perception of criticism at the Actor's Gym. "Good" or "Bad" are not useful descriptions of a performance. By using only Likes and Adds, we not only foster a positive environment, but we force comments to be useful and specific.
Useless Useful You were amazing tonight! I liked that moment when you stopped and smiled before answering the phone. It bored me. Add an SPM while waiting for the phone to ring. Could you be funnier? How about adding a some zany energy when you get the job offer? I don't get it. I like your urgency, but could you introduce a discovery to help me follow the story? - Make Every Moment Count
If you are standing around, watching other people speak, waiting for your cue to say and do something, STOP! You need to Make Every Moment Count. Your time on stage is precious--to you and to the audience. Don't waste a second.
Start with consumption, which will guide you 80% of the way, even if you're an usher taking the main character's ticket at a theater. Find a way to make that main character look like a better actor (by responding to him, not upstaging him).
SPMs will keep you in the scene instead of the cutting room floor. If it's especially good, the director may decide it's worthy of a close-up.
Work with other actors to make pictures, create histories, plant seeds, plan accidents, or create a sub-story (but always serve the script).
- Moments of Stillness
Every art form has a negative. Sculpture has negative space, music has rests. Painting has blank canvas. Acting, like dance, has Moments of Stillness.
And as you throw everything you can think of into a scene, creating pictures, sending us on a wild rollercoaster, and serving olympic-caliber ping pong, it's the moments where everything slams to a halt that people will remember.
So don't you forget to use Stillness. (Seven seconds is usually the sweet spot.) Caveat: using this too often will ruin the effect.
After your partner answers one of your questions (possibly a dart), wait before answering or even moving. Just count to seven in your head and then react. Your Moment of Stillness will convey the significance for you.
- Mystery / Secret
Ben Taylor put this best: Mystery is "little moments in the performance that make us wonder what is really going on inside." The Secret is the detail that the audience is craving to find out. You can plant these in your performance through SPMs or simply responding unexpectedly (turn left when we think you'll turn right).
Mystery is the opposite of on the nose, and is one of many possible cures for that malady. The audience will get bored if they know what's going to happen. Add some Mystery and Secrets to keep 'em guessing--and watching.
- On the Nose (OTN)
Once you understand On the Nose, you'll start seeing it everywhere. You may even lose respect for some scripts and performances that you used to think was just fine. That's a good thing; it means you're learning to discriminate--essential for improvement.
When a line means exactly what it says, that's On the Nose. And nine times out of ten OTN lines are superfluous. But as an actor, you don't often have the ability to change or cut lines, so you're forced to say something that's written On the Nose.
But you don't have to do it like that (like everyone else). Please please please consider saying it another way--any other way! Good actors naturally do this when given OTN lines.
Of course, if you play your line well, avoiding OTN, and the director asks you to play it On the Nose, you are now relieved of your obligation and must perform as directed. If you feel it's very important, you may discuss this in private with the director (never make a director look bad in front of the crew!). There may be extenuating circumstances in the script that you aren't aware of.
The most OTN line is, "I love you." It also violates the first rule of screen-writing (show it, don't say it). Your job, when you see this line, is to find another way to say it that means something besides, "I love you." Try Irony, Sarcasm, Fear, Hesitation, Domination, Frustration, Uncertainty, etc. -- anything to make this line no longer OTN. As a good actor, you must be better than the written words.
- Other Side of Self
This is one of the very best parts of acting, using the Other Side of Self. As an actor, you have opportunities to be anyone. Show us hidden parts of you that no one suspects. Take a chance; surprise us (and yourself)!
Sally Field, originally known for wholesome roles like Gidget and "The Flying Nun", convinced producers to let her play a schizophrenic in "Sybil" and a vamp in "Smokey and the Bandit" opposite sex-hunk Burt Reynolds. By showing these Other Sides of Self, Fields broke her restrictive type-casting and won more awards than you can shake a stick at.
- Overlapping Dialog
Don't be afraid to Overlap Dialog. When actors are consumed, Overlapping appears natural and authentic. When not consumed, the scene will be muddy and confusing. You must also consider the amount of Overlapping Dialog: the more you overlap, the more heightened the excitement/energy is perceived. As you guess, constant Overlapping Dialog becomes hitting the same note on the piano.
Robert Altman is a master of Overlapping Dialog. While you can watch any of his movies and see plenty, I recommend one of his earlier films, "M*A*S*H." There is an early scene where at least half a dozen people are carrying on multiple conversations. And it makes perfect sense!
- Pictures (Opening / Closing)
As my mentor, Ben Taylor said, "Much as I love the art of good dialogue, visuals really are what we remember in film a lot of the time.... Pictures are basically moments that lend themselves to being filmed just as they are, physical manifestations that tell us more than any words could or enhance the ones that are there. They must be honest and inherent to what's going on, and they must be there, period."
I highly recommend following Ben's advice; make Pictures in every scene you're in. Pay particular attention to the beginning and the end of scenes. Make the Opening Picture grab the audiences attention, and make the Closing Picture memorable.
Even if you're locked down: turn, twist, raise your arms, alter your clothing, manipulate props (or hair), be doing something (preferably relevant) that someone can immediate recognize and remember. It's astonishing all the things you can do with your body. For close-ups remember that your face is your primary canvas; paint a picture with it!
- Ping Pong
Finding the right rhythms is the art of Ping Pong. Sometimes you need to play defense and just tap back. Sometimes you need to sieze the opportunity and slam. And sometimes things get so fast you're running on pure reflex. As an actor, you play Ping Pong by working with the rhythms of the scene.
To contrast with swinging where you and your scene-mate augment each other, Ping Pong plays off your scene-mate with divergence. Respond to her actions appropriately for your character's interests. You use consumption and connection to find your Ping Pong rhythms -- otherwise the meaning becomes hollow, and the audience's attention is lost.
Watch Rosalind Russell and Cary Grant in His Girl Friday for Ping Pong at its finest.
- Plant Seeds
Planting Seeds means throwing a tidbit to the audience that will be used later. Secrets are a specific type of Seed, planted to cultivate mystery. If the dialog doesn't supply any seeds, make one yourself using props, the environment, your scene-mate, and SPMs.
- Planned Accidents
A specific type of SPM, Planned Accidents are a stumble, knocking over a glass and catching it, or some other movement that looks like you barely avoided catastrophe, but is really very carefully planned (and happens every take!). To work, Planned Accidents must be natural and effortless, but they must also add to the scene and not distract from your scene-mates (remember consumption!).
Use a Planned Accident to create a picture, to emphasize hills and valleys, or to show create wins or losses.
- The Pleasant Hum
This is something to be avoided.
- Rewrite
Writers have a very difficult job: creating stories and worlds. Actors, because of their intimate connection to their characters, often have much better ideas for dialog than writers can imagine. Therefore, you must Rewrite to make the line better, but you must do so without changing a single letter.
The vast majority of these terms are ways to do this. If you have direct blessing of the writer and the director, go ahead and change the lines. But those are the exceptions. Use these skills and techniques to accomplish those Rewrites.
- Risk
Simply put, Risk is challenging yourself and the audience in ways that are probably uncomfortable. This means taking chances and above all, stop playing it safe!
This can apply not only to your own performance, but to your choice of roles and the character itself. What are the Risks he is taking? How can you reveal the danger? The answer usually involves you, the actor, taking risks in your performance as well.
Great examples of risk-taking abound. And they are usually tied up with commitment. A very famous example would be Malcolm McDowell in "A Clockwork Orange."
- Rollercoaster
Rollercoaster is simply hills and valleys racheted up a notch plus some twists and turns. The moves from high to low and high again should be fast, wild, and thrilling. Not to be used throughout an entire scene (which would be exhausting to watch), you can Rollercoaster with your scene-mate at key moments to make your scene unforgettable.
See Spider and Wasp for a specific type of Rollercoaster.
- Seamless
Seamless is an absolute must for all your performances. The audience should never, not even for a split second, see that you're acting. A Seamless performance never shows that you're concerned about a line, blocking, waiting for a cue, aware of the camera/audience, or are trying to do a lot of things at once (which you are!).
A Seamless performance looks effortless. But we know it's really the result of a lot of practice, preparation, and concentration. So hard. So necessary.
- Sense of Place
In a movie, the crew works very hard to make the scene really look like where it is. If the scene is in an amusement park, they will shoot in an amusement park (or spend a lot of money reconstructing an amusement park). In theater, the actors have to sell the audience on the illusion of the location. In other words, you must have a Sense of Place that's strong enough to make the audience believe you are actually there instead of on a stage, acting.
Establishing this Sense of Place works even better in film as the rich environment provides even more opportunities to convince the viewer of the location.
- modulating your voice
- Think of how differently you'd speak in a church versus a dance club.
- posture
- How you sit/stand/walk depends not just on what your character is going through, but also on where you are. Guys, suck in that gut while walking on the beach. Ladies, do you sit straighter around your mother than your friends?
- responding to the environment
- If the setting is crowded, at least acknowledge that others are around. Consider interacting with extras, playing with props (be sure to ask the prop mistress/master first!), or at least look at the stuff on the set.
- off-camera
- The Sense of Place doubly applies to any object or person you must interact with that is out of the shot. For close ups, ask the director exactly where the other people/things in the shot should be (good directors will have them placed, even for your close ups). And now that you know where they are, be consumed with them!
- Shared Moments of Joy
This technique is so effective that I can't believe it's not taught everywhere and practiced all the time. Shared Moments of Joy are those little things that differentiate between a strong performance and an unforgettable performance.
In the bitterest fight between a couple there is still some sort of common ground. And you as an actor must find it, even for a moment, or else the performance is hitting the same note on the piano. We need to see those hills and valleys to keep from becoming bored from repetition.
And during one of those lulls, a good writer may plant something small that you as an actor may use for a Shared Moment of Joy.
And this goes for all sorts of scenes: the football team that is playing a far superior foe finally makes a first down; the class clown gets a key concept (shared moment between the class clown and the teacher); a woman in a suit smiles at a homeless man holding a sign asking for pot.
The key is that the Shared Moment of Joy should be planned, should be done without a hint of irony (see heart), is the result of convergence and connection, and embodies consumption.
- Slow Burn
Sort of a combination of heat and moments of stillness, the Slow Burn tells you to let the emotions take their sweet time before bursting to the surface.
- Spider & Wasp
When the spider and the wasp fights, sometimes the spider wins, sometimes the wasp wins. We don't know until the fight is over. That keeps us on edge, participating in the drama of the situation. And that makes good acting.
So when someone suggests that a scene needs more Spider and Wasp, they want the actors to keep the audience in more suspence about the outcome. Work harder to make the participants equally likely to prevail. And show us the fight!
Note that this is a special case of Rollercoaster.
- SPM
SPMs or Specific Physical Movements cannot be over-emphasized! SPMs make a character novel and unique, and you can do them without a word. A perfect SPM takes a character with no dialog and makes her essential to a scene. Learn to make SPMs a natural and automatic part of your acting, and make them consistent so the editor/continutity people won't go crazy.
To quote Ben Taylor (again):
These [SPMs] are the tiny mannerisms that look accidental and aren't.... It's what you do with that wine glass in your hand, it's whether you take that piece of pizza and if you just pick at it (and then quickly drop it back out of scene so you don't have to keep up with it in continuity). It's the biting of the nails, the scratching of the nose, the unique pictures you bring even when you're sitting down and it's just your head on an audition tape.
Learn to walk through your life with an internal mirror, noticing all those SPMs you do in everyday life. How do you wipe your nose, scratch, prepare to sit? What do you do when waiting at the check-out line? And watch other people around you, especially during those moments when (they think) no one's watching. Be a sponge, absorb, remember, and then reproduce during your acting.
- Surprises
Surprises are simply another way of saying turn left when we think you're going to turn right. You'll often hear this: "I'd like to see more surprises." That means to turn on your creative cap and get thinking.
- Swinging
While others use this term differently, I use swinging to be fully engaged in the moments of the scene. Use the setting, the props, and especially the other actors as inspiration. The more you swing, the more the others will too. It heightens the energy and authenticity of the performance which audiences will eat up.
But be careful: this is not group-think. While your co-actors are your teammates and you want them to do their best (don't forget consumption!), you still need to differentiate yourself from each other. In fact, most of the time you will be acting contrary to them. But use the energy they are throwing into the scene and act on it. Then you'll be swinging like the best of 'em.
- Take it Back
In real life, nobody is perfect. We step in the wrong place, not know where to go, even trip on our own toes. And we may be thinking so hard, we actually misspeak. Since everyone does this, we simply apologize (if needed) and redo/re-speak.
Actors sometimes get so caught up in doing their lines and blocking perfectly that we forget to be human, full of mistakes. But go ahead, do something wrong (or make a false start). You can then take it back. You'll look very human, and this will add a realistic dimension to the moment.
Taking it back is essentially a specific type of spm. A well-timed take-back can turn a simple line into something memorable.
- Take Your Beat
A beat is simply a pause of just a few seconds. Lesser writers will actually write them in the script, not trusting your judgement.
But in the stress of auditions and performances, actors often neglect using beats. That's so unfortunate: it's the pauses that create power and cues the audience that something important is happening here!
So don't forget to take your beat, especially during auditions.
- Toss Off
Absolutely beautiful and effective, tossing off is playing the most important line in a scene as if it's nothing–just a trifle or an after-thought. I can't emphasize enough the power of this technique.
As an exercise, pick a random line in a scene and toss it off. You'll be surprised how important that line becomes because you understated it.
- Trap
Traps are those gotchas that we all make from time-to-time that keep our performances from being as good as we want. Most traps stem from laziness or ignorance. For beginners and intermediate actors, we may not even know that we're doing traps or that there are different and better ways of achieving our goals. More experienced actors fall into traps out of habit or because they don't have the energy to avoid them.
All these excuses are unexceptable. And it's the mission of the Actor's Gym to help each other see the traps we fall in and find solutions to avoid them.
The most common trap is playing the part on the nose. Read that section, learn to recognize OTN writing and acting, and then do anything and everything to avoid it.
- Turn Left When We Think You're Going to Turn Right
- Pure Attraction
- Urgency
- Win in Different Ways
- Wins / Losses
- Your Hook