Brian Timoney ActingMethod Acting Classes London | Brian Timoney Actors Studio

Stage Acting v. Screen Acting : Worlds Apart?

oxbowseo — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 10:28:21 +0000

If you speak to fellow actors, you will know that people enter acting with different aspirations. You may have a burning desire to excel in a particular field of acting. The prospect of becoming an international film or TV star may be what appeals to you. Alternatively you may be driven by a deep love of the magic of theatre.

As an aspiring actor you may wish to specialise in the medium you feel most passionate about. The reality is that most people who have completed acting courses won’t have the luxury of choice, and of turning down stage roles for screen roles or vice versa. It’s a tough world and, as a new graduate from acting school, you will need to embrace all opportunities. That means cultivating the versatility to perform both on stage and in front of the camera. To do this, all actors need a thorough grasp of how different stage and screen acting are.

Successful actors choose their acting training carefully, plan their careers and capitalise on their strengths. It has been traditional in the UK for actors to learn their craft with acting training geared to stage performance. That’s no longer always essential. For example, a new trend is standup comedians crossing over into stage and screen acting (think of Ricky Gervais, Eddie Izzard and Matt Lucas). What is vital is for you to appreciate where your talents lie, and to assess which medium ultimately offers you the best opportunity to shine.

Physicality

The key difference between stage and screen acting is the way in which meaning is expressed and conveyed. The stage play relies strongly on language and verbal delivery. First, that means that the stage actor needs a voice that can be heard in a large auditorium. Second, in stage work the voice is central to expressiveness and communicating emotion. Third, timing of delivery, and using the voice to create and sustain dramatic tension, are crucial, since they can’t be tweaked in the editing suite.

Movies create meaning very differently. Montage – essentially the juxtapositioning of shots – is central. A character has received terrible news. Film can convey his or her reaction in several ways, suitably tuned to the narrative: by cutting to a stormy sky; a flashback to a car crash; a close-up of a dropped phone dangling. In a play, it is voice and physical movement that you must rely on for conveying emotion.

Gesture, movement and physicality are also vital on stage. Whereas tiny gestures can be magnified in close-up film shots, as a stage actor you will use your body very differently. You will need to communicate a physical energy and develop a ‘stage presence’. The film close-up permits subtleties of facial expression and movement that don’t work on the stage.

Camera work and editing achieve effects that the stage actor must create largely by using the body. In film, props and settings are also used extensively to convey meaning and atmosphere. As a stage actor, the onus is on you to do that work.

The Experience of Stage and Screen

As a theatre actor you may find yourself, quite literally, centre stage: significantly in control and in receipt of constant feedback from audiences. In moviemaking, the director’s whim is paramount and editing powerfully shapes the product that (eventually) appears.

Temperamentally, you may discover that you are best suited to performing in one medium or another. You may realise that you are one of the many actors who struggle with the lack of continuity associated with shooting isolated scenes, the process of endless retakes and the absence of audience reaction. Three months on location in Borneo might not be your cup of tea either.

Whatever your preference, the ability to cross over and perform on stage as well as film and TV has clear career benefits. Variety can be the spice of life and mastering the different skills needed can help add texture and depth to your performances.

Method Acting: Bridging Media

Acting for stage and screen demands different acting styles and appreciating that fact should be a consideration for you when you are starting out in acting training and deciding which acting courses to take. Method acting gives actors a firm foundation for work in any medium. Creative expressiveness underlies good performances both on stage and before the camera, even though you will use different devices and strategies to convey it. For stage work, method acting will help you to create the emotional depth and intensity that stage performance demands. In film acting, it will help you to get into character on cue – no mean feat.

Because the stage demands a particular style of acting, some theatre-trained actors find making the transition to the screen difficult. Method acting will help you to bring a naturalism and authenticity to every one of your performances, regardless of whether it is for stage or screen.

As well as honing your ability, a spread of acting courses will illuminate the avenues that you can pursue as an actor and the skills you need to get work in different media. This insight you gain into the world of acting, along with self-knowledge, may lead you in directions other than those you initially planned to follow. Appreciating the different media, and the demands of each, will help you extend your range, depth and versatility as an actor.

The World of Drama: How Much Should You Know?

oxbowseo — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 10:23:25 +0000

The western world’s dramatic tradition is more than two thousand years old. That’s a lot of plays. Through the centuries many new forms have evolved and, of course, modern drama has embraced new media such as radio, film and television. Drama is the actor’s bread and butter – but how much in-depth knowledge do you need?

Perhaps you were attracted to acting because it’s a practical, hands-on kind of thing. Acting is active (from the Greek meaning ‘to do’). It’s the opposite of sitting at a desk. Studying Hamlet (let alone Aeschylus or obscure avant garde theatrical works) might not be what you had in mind when you embarked on your acting training.

The good news is that a Masters degree in literature might give you valuable insight into appreciating writing, genres and the history of expressive forms but it isn’t necessarily going to boost you all that much as an actor. That said, a good understanding of the rudiments of dramatic works can be vital. That’s why it is taught as an integral part of many acting courses. A grasp of the language of drama is crucial. A tragedy, for example, is a whole lot more than a sad story.

The role of an actor is to interpret dramatic works, roles and characters. Interpreting texts and understanding how they function is what literary scholars also do. Cultivating some of those skills will help you understand characters and bring them to life. You will appreciate how dramatic tension is created and the importance of structure. Unless you’re a mime, an appreciation of language and dialogue is crucial to effective acting.

Some understanding of the development of dramatic forms will help you appreciate the possibilities of drama and the range of choices and ‘treatments’ available to actors and directors. Understanding the innovations of the giants – the playwright Chekhov, the dramatist Brecht, the films of Bergman or Tarantino – enrich the actor’s dramatic imagination.

It’s about appreciating content as well as form. You can’t understand Ibsen without also understanding how his plays challenged Victorian morality. You can’t even get a grip on Eastenders without appreciating how it is a product of our times. If you land a role, some knowledge of dramatic traditions may also help you get your head around your director’s approach.

Practical Issues

Let’s say you’ve struck it lucky. You have a good chance of a role (maybe just a small one) in production A or B. Which should you choose? There may be all sorts of considerations (pay! hours! commuting!) but you’ll certainly want to go for the one that will bring you to attention and best showcase your talents. A general appreciation of drama will help you evaluate the script. You need to be a good critic to be able to evaluate whether one might be a hit and the other a bomb.

To assess a script you also need to appreciate the differences in dramatic media. Scripts for film, TV and the theatre have very different requirements and demand different ways of working from actors. If you have a feel for your medium then, as an actor, you’ll gain a sense of what rules can be bent or broken and which to leave alone.

All actors learn from watching other actors and assessing their performances. A good actor is one who interprets the script and character well (in one of several possible ways). To emulate good acting, you’ll need to recognise it when you see it. So what was it that was great about performance X? One dimension of that will be the actor’s dramatic intelligence.

Some actors may have that intelligence without knowing their Shakespeare from their Schiller. But as a general principle, the wider your knowledge of your subject, the better-equipped you will be to act and to carve a path in the acting world. Obviously, your exploration of your materials may vary, depending on whether you’re aiming for the RSC or voiceover work.

If you love acting and the world of drama, learning about dramatic works will hopefully be enjoyable, not a chore.. It may be more interesting if you recognise what a knowledge of text and performance can do for you as an actor. If you’re taking an acting courses or drama lessons here and there, it’s something you might profitably consider learning more about it.

Natural Born Actors

oxbowseo — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 10:14:54 +0000

Do you feel as if you were born to act? If acting feels like your destiny, that says a great deal about your conviction, which is something all actors need in a profession that can be tough going, even for those who’ve ‘made it’. Acting training, let alone all those auditions and casting calls, can be draining, even demoralising, and you need resolve to persevere.

But are actors born to act? If you read or watch interviews with leading members of our profession, you’ll have heard some say that from early childhood they had a need to show off and be the centre of attention. Does that mean you need to be some kind of exhibitionist to succeed in the acting world? Is acting ability dependent on personality attributes or innate ability?

Think of the acting greats of our times and it immediately becomes apparent that, personality-wise, the luminaries of stage and screen are a diverse bunch with equally diverse motivations and backgrounds. It’s hard to find any obvious common denominator, except dedication to their art.

Some natural ability to perform (perhaps a gift for mimicry and voices) has no doubt led many actors to enrol in drama school. How ‘natural’ these abilities really are is debatable. They may be picked up from others and actively cultivated because they bring a child attention and approval. Also, an extroverted personality isn’t necessarily the mark of a good actor. The flamboyant, gregarious ‘luvvie’ is one of those enduring clichés. In reality an introverted personality isn’t a barrier to acting achievement and you don’t have to be a party animal. Robert de Niro allegedly began acting to overcome shyness.

Raw talent surely exists, to some degree. But raw talent doesn’t cook on its own (and even today’s PR machines can only take people so far). Actors must learn their craft, from diverse teachers: in acting classes and from directors, fellow actors and the responses of the all-important audience.

It would be foolish to think that anyone can reach the pinnacle of the acting profession with raw talent alone, purely through will power or without additional training. Genius is famously 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration. Acting ability may similarly rest on the foundation of some mysterious and indefinable quality, but the rest is learned through hard slog – and good teaching.

For that reason, attending professional acting courses is the route taken by the vast majority of successful professional actors today. Lack of professional acting training is a prime cause of career crash. Complacency about one’s supposed innate ability is also a sure-fire career killer. Acting classes are only partly about ‘how to’ lessons from a drama coach. Interactions with fellow students, and their feedback, can teach you vital lessons about your strengths and weaknesses as an actor. (See my article on ‘Common mistakes’ for more tips on what not to do. . . ).

If there is a personal attribute that the best actors share, it is surely their insight into human behaviour (including awareness of self) and the ability to translate that into their performances (if not necessarily their personal lives!). The introvert, with a rich inner world, may have some advantage here. This ‘people-consciousness’ and inner reach may be partly innate, or subliminal, as well as a product of our upbringing and personality. But, as with so many skills, it can be honed. Method acting, for example, provides actors with techniques for accessing inner realms, evoking sensory experiences and expressing emotion authentically and powerfully.

When the news of actor Natasha Richardson’s tragically premature death broke, a New York newspaper ran a story with the headline ‘A woman who was born to act’. How so? The answer is surely this: whatever innate ability Natasha Richardson possessed, it was nurtured in an environment which gave her detailed knowledge and a deep understanding of her art. Those of us who weren’t born into an acting dynasty can take advantage of acting training and actors’ studios instead.

The Biggest Common Myth About Method Acting

oxbowseo — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 09:54:34 +0000

One of the biggest misunderstandings about Method Acting is that it was invented by Constantin Stanislavski. Mr Stanisnlavski was alive at the end of the 1800s/ early 1900s, and did contribute significantly to the later developments within ‘The Method’ but let’s be clear, he didn’t invent ‘The Method’ he invented ‘The System’.

The amount of Drama Schools and Acting Schools that continuously get this wrong is staggering.

Lee Strasberg invented The Method.

Not Sanford Meisner, Stella Adler or any other practitioner, which is another common misconception.

The Method is very different from the teachings of Adler, Meisner and Stanislavski.

One of the main differences is the use of Affective Memory. Stanislavski initiated this concept which was later explored more fully by Lee Strasberg.

Affective Memory is the use of the actor’s own personal memories to produce the correct emotional content for a scene.

This tool is only used by Method Actors and is probably one of the most important tools for the actor.

Basically, it ensures that the actor can create emotion on demand. When action is called or when the curtain rises, the actor has emotional memory tools to produce the inspired emotion at will.

Otherwise, the actor is hoping that inspiration will turn up.

I have always been obsessed with developing dependable reliable tools for actors. There is nothing worse than turning up for an acting job and not being able to produce what the Director wants from you emotionally.

A final misconception of The Method is that Method Actors are emotionally out of control. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, they are extremely adept at manipulating their emotions to deliver the correct emotional content for scenes.

Method Acting courses cover this important acting tool within the method acting training.

Acting Classes In London

oxbowseo — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 09:53:54 +0000

That REALLY Teach You How To Act

I am a very positive and optimistic person. In fact, when I choose students who study with me, I also look for these traits. That being said, what I am about to say may seem slightly negative, but I tell you in order to let you know the truth.

Ok, here it is…

Most acting classes in London are terrible.

This is not ‘sour grapes’ on my part or a ploy to get you to take my classes. I have too many students as it is, so it’s not that.

It’s just that many acting classes are badly designed and taught.

For example, there are the light runaround classes, which may be good for a laugh but no good if you are serious about acting. There is the pseudo intellectual class that pretends to be serious and deep, but is in actual fact self indulgent and pretentious.

I know this because during my own training many, many years ago I experienced these acting classes, and not very much has changed since then.

This is why I decided to give London what it really needed. Acting Classes that really teach you how to act. No hidden agendas or pretentions, just honest, high quality teaching in a safe and creative atmosphere.

Actually, I am always touched by the way students on my 3 day Introduction to Method Acting Boot Camp bond and become encouraging and supportive with each other. They become a mini-family for the weekend.

My teaching is always in depth and honest. Also, the focus is always on YOU. You wouldn’t believe the amount of acting teachers that have egos the size of small houses, and spend most of the time talking about themselves. I like to talk about you and your ability and how to move it on. That is what interests me.

When you are looking at taking acting classes in London, have a look at the technique they teach. I teach the world’s most successful acting technique – Method Acting – because I am obsessed with acting excellence. If you are too, then you may want to join me?

I can promise you an amazing experience.

How To Be A Naturalistic Film Actor… No Luvvies Allowed!

oxbowseo — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 16:10:28 +0000

Having been in the industry now for over 20 years, I have come to understand that there are at least two types of actors.

There is the actor who is all about the high drama, it’s all about them and they are the quintessential ‘luvvie darlings’ of the industry. The other type is the down to earth, hard working actor whose work is based in realism and naturalism. The latter are the types who thrive particularly well in TV and Film.

The type of acting that is required for film is acting that is so real that we forget it’s acting. That is how great acting is achieved on film.

There is no place for over the top, hammed-up theatrical acting. You would be laughed out the door! In fact, many actors that go through a typical drama school training in the UK really have to readjust as they enter the TV and Film arena, because so much of their training was based around theatre.

Now, I don’t have anything against theatre. In fact, I love theatre and film… when it’s done well. The thing is, a great actor will bring that sense of realism and believability to both mediums.

My acting courses and classes are focused on achieving this sort of acting. My yard stick is that if I don’t believe it, than neither will anyone else. In fact, the first step is getting you to believe what you are doing, and then so will the audience.

I believe a lot of drama schools and acting teachers don’t give enough of this kind of critique. Sometimes too many concessions are given to the fact that it’s acting, and we should ‘suspend our disbelief’.

This is absolute nonsense.

Why should we suspend our disbelief. I want it as real as possible please. I want to believe every syllable. Why? Because it’s possible. It can be achieved with some hard work and honest feedback.

But the other thing is that many acting coaches, believe it or not, don’t have an eye for this. I have met some and employed some over the years that do have a great eye for truthful acting, but the vast majority whose work I have seen and experienced, sadly, just don’t have an eye for it.

My advice, when considering your acting training, is to work with the best. A great training is worth its weight in gold. We are talking about your talent here, and you want to hold that precious, and nurture it by working with the best.

Summer Acting Courses for Those Seeking to Become Professional Actors

oxbowseo — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 13:32:27 +0000

It’s summer again in London, when many potential acting students turn their attention to summer acting courses.

The problem is there are so many of them that it’s difficult to know the good from the bad.

A good starting point is to look at the acting technique the Acting School or Drama School focuses on.

Many Drama School and Acting School acting courses focus on a mixture of different approaches, which, on the face of it, you would think is a good thing. However, whilst you get a broad exposure to different techniques, it doesn’t give you a defined process. You end up knowing a little about a lot of techniques rather than mastering any.

I favour acting courses and acting classes that impart a definite process to get your acting to a top level.

Throughout this summer, I will be holding 3 Day Boot Camps on the world’s most successful acting process – Method Acting.

Method Acting is used by many of the world’s top actors and produces real, in-depth and highly believable acting.

Why mess around with other techniques when, quite clearly, The Method is the undisputed heavyweight of actor training?

If it’s good enough for Al Pacino, it’s good enough for me.

I would describe my 3 Day Introduction to Method Acting Boot Camp as an inspiring and life changing event. If you don’t believe me, you can listen to the video comments of my past students at www.briantimoneyacting.co.uk/introduction-to-method-acting

My forte is taking people’s current ability and taking it to a top level. The first step in the process is understanding where your ability is, and how you can develop your inner talent. Most acting courses focus on the actor saying the lines effectively and not bumping into the furniture. That is all too easy, and certainly not enough to develop your talent to a top professional level.

The next step after my Boot Camp is my part time One Year Ultimate Acting Programme. This is the ‘mother’ of all acting courses, which includes comprehensive and challenging method acting training, an LA Boot Camp with world class teachers, a Casting Director and an Agent visit, and an exclusive end of year career launch at The Groucho Club, Soho, London – where Casting Directors and Agents will see your work.

If you want a sizzling and inspiring summer this year, come to my Boot Camp. You will find full details at: www.briantimoneyacting.co.uk/introduction-to-method-acting

Best wishes

Brian Timoney

Tips for Getting Into Drama School

oxbowseo — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 13:29:58 +0000

Getting into Drama School can be a difficult and, sometimes, traumatic process.

I have been on both sides of the fence. Many years ago now, I went through the London Drama Schools‘ auditions to gain entry to start my actor training. Now, I audition students for entry onto my Acting Programmes.
Here are 5 points that will help you get through the Drama School audition and get accepted.

Pick Appropriate Audition Speeches

You will be required by most acting schools to learn two audition speeches. One modern and one Shakespeare. Modern means any play written in the last 100 years (roughly). An audition speech is a monologue given by a character in a play directed to another character or given by a character speaking out their own internal thoughts to themselves. The latter, Shakespeare referred to as soliloquies.
I would recommend finding speeches said by characters of a similar age and type to you. If you are 18, it‘s easier for you to relate to, play, and be convincing to a panel, as an 18 year old character from a play. Obviously, you can widen the age range but I would veer away from characters that are much older than you.
Also, find characters that you can relate to and who are of a similar type. It‘s best to make the process as simple and enjoyable as possible. Find characters you resonate with and enjoy playing. If they are of a similar type to you, it will be easier to produce high quality acting for the part.
Get Professional Coaching

Most Drama Students take professional acting lessons and acting classes run by professional coaches to practice and perfect their audition speeches. If you decide not to do this, remember you may be up against students who have been perfecting speeches for years with professional coaches.
Know the Character and Play Inside Out

You MUST know the character and play intimately. During your Drama School auditions, you may be asked questions by the audition panel on the character and the play. The panel will know many of the plays very well. They will ask you questions to make sure you are committed and to ensure you‘ve done your homework.
Take Re-Direction

If they ask you to do your speech in a different way, this is called re-direction. They are doing this to see if you can do it differently when requested or if you keep repeating it the same way. You MUST take the re-direction fully. However they ask for it to be redone, don’t question it, and fulfill it as fully as possible.
If you fail to take the direction, it will be a mark against you.
Don‘t Block In Improvisations

If they ask you to improvise, just throw yourself in and don‘t block the other actors. Here is an example of ’blocking‘.

Actor A: Hello, would you like to go for a walk?

Actor B: No, I don‘t want to.

Actor A: Oh, go on.

Actor B: No, I want to be left alone.

Actor B is blocking and that won‘t be liked by a panel.

They are looking for people to join in, communicate, and create.

Also, don‘t take yourself out of any group situation they put you in. If you don‘t join in or are reticent, they will think you‘re not a team player.

It would be a wise move, in advance of your acting training, to take acting courses in improvisation so you are at home with this acting technique.

Following these five points will help you gain entry into Drama School.

Best wishes

Brian Timoney

Great acting is about emotional intelligence

oxbowseo — Tue, 19 May 2009 14:49:51 +0000

Creating great acting has always required the actor to be highly emotionally aware. Not just regarding their characters, but of themselves as individuals.

In the early 1900s there was an amazing actress called Eleonora Duse, who was arguably one of the greatest actresses that ever lived. When she was interviewed regarding her acting, she said that one of the reasons her acting continued to grow and get better was due to her ability to use her own experiences within her acting. Instead of seeing her personal life issues as distractions, she saw them as potential inspiration.

To this day, many actors struggle with this concept within their actor training. Many acting classes and acting courses tend to veer away from this area, as it is felt that it is very psychological.

This is an interesting standpoint for an industry that is built on revealing the psychology and lives of characters. Surely this requires the actor to delve into the emotional states within themselves to recreate those states for a character? This was what Duse did to create her outstanding body of work.

There is an actor training that does focus on emotional recreation – Method Acting.

Method Acting lessons focus on allowing the actor to get in touch with themselves to recreate emotion, consistently. Its foundations were borne out of Behavioural Psychology, where it was established that humans react to sensorial stimulus.

During Method Acting courses, the actor spends a lot of time reliving personal memories from their past in conjunction with their senses. For example, to recreate joy, they may work on a memory where they experienced extreme joy – and relive that event by recollecting the sounds, sights, tastes, smells and feel of the event. During acting classes, the actor carries out these acting exercises to recreate the correct emotional content, as emotion in itself can only be recreated through the senses.

In the UK, Brian Timoney Actors’ Studio is the only UK acting school or drama school in London to solely focus on this approach. The acting course is focused on recreating real, in depth, believable acting of the highest standard.

Brian Timoney recently said “It’s important for the actor to be emotionally aware. My approach to acting training is to get the actor to get in touch with this side of themselves to build their ability to express themselves without fear.”

Best wishes

Brian Timoney

Brian Timoney ActingMethod Acting Classes London | Brian Timoney Actors Studio

Stage Acting v. Screen Acting : Worlds Apart?

Physicality

The Experience of Stage and Screen

Method Acting: Bridging Media

The World of Drama: How Much Should You Know?

Practical Issues

Natural Born Actors

The Biggest Common Myth About Method Acting

Acting Classes In London

That REALLY Teach You How To Act

How To Be A Naturalistic Film Actor… No Luvvies Allowed!

Summer Acting Courses for Those Seeking to Become Professional Actors

Tips for Getting Into Drama School

Pick Appropriate Audition Speeches

Get Professional Coaching

Know the Character and Play Inside Out

Take Re-Direction

Don‘t Block In Improvisations

Great acting is about emotional intelligence