Brian Timoney ActingMethod Acting Classes London | Brian Timoney Actors Studio

Tips For Actors: Understanding the Industry

oxbowseo — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 16:14:16 +0000

You probably wouldn’t go to a foreign country without a map, or at least something to help guide you to your destination. The same applies to anyone starting out with acting courses and hoping to carve a career path in acting.

Think of acting as a kind of foreign land. You’ve seen it on TV and in brochures but of course the reality isn’t quite the same. Residents of that land (established actors) know that even reading the guide books doesn’t give you anywhere near all the inside info you need.

In your acting courses you’ll soon learn about the different roles that people play in the industry and how and where you can slot into the structures. That’s part of the battle, because acting is not the easiest arena to succeed in.

The longer you spend creating your acting career, the more you’ll discover – including the unwritten rules. You’ll learn a lot as you become a part of an acting community, even if you’re only on the margins. You’ll probably get some hands-on experience of the terrain of the theatre even if you only have a part-time job manning the box office, for example.

Members of all professions indulge in ‘shop talk’. If people are talking about something, maybe you need to know about it. You never know when snippets of information about the workings of the industry will come in handy. From casual conversations you can pick up tips to help avoid the pitfalls as well as identify the opportunities for you as an actor.

I keep mentioning ‘the industry’ but it’s not a solid or unchanging thing. Keeping tabs on developments is always worthwhile. Fashions and social currents shift. Think of burlesque, which sank in the thirties and came back as humorous theatre sixty years later. Think of the openings for actors that new technologies have created.

Being an actor is more than about honing your dramatic skills. If you don’t know the lie of the land you can make mistakes and miss opportunities. You can’t start exploring too early either. You can start checking out this new world you plan to live in even if you’re a first year student at one of the acting schools.

All careers need some planning, even if there’s no guarantee that your well-laid plans will come to fruition. Getting to know the world of acting extends well beyond your acting courses, but if you’re dedicated it will be a journey of discovery rather than a chore.

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.

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.

Acting Courses

oxbowseo — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 09:53:06 +0000

Designed To Take Your Acting To An Exceptional Level

…Even If You Have Never Acted Before In Your Life!

One of the most common reasons I hear from people who want to start a career in acting but haven’t done so yet, is that they don’t want to make a fool of themselves.

Let’s face it, you don’t want to turn up to an acting class where everyone is experienced and you feel out of your depth, but you do want an environment that is serious about acting, and delivers a safe and encouraging atmosphere for you to start to develop your ability.

I realised some time ago that it is difficult for adults to find this kind of course, so I developed my own actors’ studio to allow people with little or no acting experience to begin their acting journey.

But I wanted to do more than just create a great environment. I wanted to create exceptional actors. To be honest with you, I have always been a bit obsessed with outstanding acting. Not ‘ok’ acting or ‘middle of the road’ acting, but truly brilliant, outstanding, eye-popping acting.

This is what led me to Method Acting many years ago, and it’s the acting technique that will allow you to take your ability from basic to outstanding.

I love Method Acting, and I love educating people in the approach and giving them the chance to understand and practise the approach used by the world’s top actors.

Now, I’m not saying that’s an overnight process, but I do have a process, and a process that is used by the top 1% of the acting elite.

Many top film actors like Al Pacino, Robert De Niro and Meryl Streep all started just like you. They didn’t know how to achieve great acting, but they studied it in earnest. They studied Method Acting as opposed to any other acting technique because it has is proven to achieve outstanding acting.

I specialise in Method Acting, and most of my students start off with no experience and begin to develop their technique and confidence to a top professional level with me and my specialist coaches.

If this sounds like what you’re looking for, then the first step is becoming a beginner… Before beginner there is just wishful thinking and ‘what if’s’.

To start the process, come along to my Introduction to Method Acting Boot Camp, where you will have an inspiring and potentially life changing experience.

What is method acting?

oxbowseo — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 16:12:26 +0000

As a method acting coach, I am often asked this question. The thing is, there has been so much reported on the technique, that it can be hard for the untrained eye to understand what the approach is all about.

Many years ago I was discussing this with my old mentor who described it as ‘the reality of truth brought into performance’.

Nice quote, but how on earth is this achieved?

Well, in the main, the actor has to do a challenging acting training which involves acting courses focused on bringing the authentic ‘you’ into your work.

Many people think that Method Acting is all about being ‘natural’. This isn’t quite true. It’s all about being ‘real’. Ellen Burstyn, co-president of the Actors Studio in New York, described the difference between being ‘natural’ and being ‘real’ as the same as being ‘asleep’ and being ‘awake’ respectively.

When aspiring actors go to drama school or acting school in the UK, they are predominately taught a technical approach, an approach that is focused on representing the truth rather than recreating it for real.

The Method is about recreating the reality of real life as accurately as possible. It is about capturing humanity in its fullest, most expressive form and turning it into a piece of theatre or a film.

The Method also takes no prisoners. It’s not the easiest of techniques, but then again, most things in life that are worth having don’t come easy. They generally require hard work, but the rewards are there for those who are willing to commit themselves.

Method acting classes bring together the inner emotions and experiences of characters together with the external elements. By ‘external’ I mean, predominately, how the character walks and talks.

Some say that The Method is an emotion-only technique, but that’s untrue. This sort of opinion is usually propagated by people untrained in the technique who form their own opinion based on limited knowledge.

The Method covers all the acting bases and is about creating full and varied characters which are grounded in reality.

If you are someone who is obsessed with acting excellence, then there is only one technique to consider.. and that’s Method Acting.

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

Develop your acting potential through use of emotions

oxbowseo — Tue, 19 May 2009 15:24:38 +0000

Most people assume that actors use their emotions. Not so. Many actors come from the ‘faking it’ school of acting. In many UK Drama Schools and Acting Schools, they actually hold acting classes and acting lessons on how to fake crying and laughing.

The technique used by many of the drama schools involves the actor using their diaphragm (the area below your stomach) to fake crying and laughing. You basically pull the diaphragm in and out rapidly to stimulate your solar plexus to hopefully produce the desired result. It is also assumed that because the two emotions come from a similar physical area, the same approach can work for both.

There is another method acting school of thought.

In Method Acting, the actor is required to stimulate, for REAL, the appropriate emotion within themselves for the scene. The human being is a complex instrument and is capable of creating emotion at will – no need for faking.

The way that this is achieved is through the senses. We experience the world through our senses. We see things, we hear things, we touch, we smell and taste things. This is how emotion can be recreated.

For example, have you ever heard a song from your past that reminded you of someone or a particular moment, and started to feel emotional? Or, have you ever been really hungry, and started to salivate when thinking about your favourite meal? This is what Method Actors call ‘sense memory’.

Method Actors have acting classes and acting lessons on how to use their own memories in conjunction with their senses to recreate emotion, which they then fuse with the imaginary character and events they are portraying.

This is extremely effective for the actor in their actor training. It also allows a more interesting journey through their acting training. The actor works through a series of predefined exercises, and builds up a bank of memories which are then used when required.

In much the same way that a plumber or joiner selects the correct tool for a particular job, the Method Actor selects the appropriate memories for a particular scene.

Acting courses should be designed to empower the actor, and give them a way of working that is both creative and progressional. For the Method Actor, the more they experience in life, the more they have to bring to their acting. It is a continual process of improvement for the actor, and all actors should continually experiment in acting classes and acting courses.

Best wishes

Brian Timoney