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The Great Acting Blog: “David Mamet Directs”

02.07.2013 , The Great Acting Blog , 29 Comments

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQiGspS6rVg I stumbled upon this old, 1980 Creative Arts Television production about David Mamet rehearsing two of his plays, Dark Pony and Reunion, at The Circle Repertory Theatre in New York City. It's like drama school in 30 minutes, not to mention fascinating in it's own...

The Great Acting Blog: “The Transformational Magic Of Art”

01.07.2013 , The Great Acting Blog , 0 Comments

I recently watched an old, Italian giallo from the early 1980s, called A Blade In The Dark. It's about a sound artist who is holed up in a country mansion in order to work on the soundtrack for a new movie. Strange things start happening,...

The Great Acting Blog: “Dealing With Obnoxious Colleagues”

30.06.2013 , The Great Acting Blog , 34 Comments

Somebody once said that obnoxious behaviour was really a cry for help. Fear manifests itself in strange ways. A colleague's actions may appear to be incomprehensible to you - they suddenly become rude, obstreperous or arrogant - your hitherto good working relationship deteriorates for no...

The Great Acting Blog: “There Is No Hiding Place”

29.06.2013 , The Great Acting Blog , 0 Comments

Somewhere along the line you'll get found out. That's the great thing about acting, it will always find you out. It always reveals the truth, despite our best efforts to hide it. Acting will unmask your true intentions. The lifestyle and the work will bring...

The Great Acting Blog: “Do We Need Great Acting Anymore?”

28.06.2013 , The Great Acting Blog , 1 Comment

A strict form ( i.e. - precise script, blocking, actions) tests the actors skill and dedication. To fit himself into that form successfully, the actor needs to have superb technique. If everything is loose and open, then the performance will only be crafted to the...

The Great Acting Blog: “There Are No Excuses”

27.06.2013 , The Great Acting Blog , 2 Comments

It's never been a better time to be an individual creative artist. Especially in the field of cinema, where digital technology and the internet has made it cheaper and easier to make work and find an audience. Yet, so few actors take this route, chained as...

The Great Acting Blog: “The Toil And Glory Of The Right Road”

26.06.2013 , The Great Acting Blog , 30 Comments

Mediocrity is comfortable. It's cosy and popular because it enables us to maintain that pleasant feeling of complacency. Mediocrity is safe, it's blameless, it's nice and quiet. Mediocrity means we never break into a sweat, it makes us seem as though we are in control,...

The Great Acting Blog: “Reverse Bad Habits”

25.06.2013 , The Great Acting Blog , 4 Comments

Someone asked me recently if there was a shortcut to learning lines. There isn't one, or if there is, then I don't know about it (if you do have one, I'm sure you could probably make a fortune with it). For me, line learning is...

The Great Acting Blog: “Quit Complaining, Focus On Being Brilliant”

24.06.2013 , The Great Acting Blog , 38 Comments

You need to look at the beam in your own eye before criticising others. Is your work brilliant? It better be if you're going to spend time moaning. In fact, it's probably best if you refrain from criticising others altogether and put all of that energy into your work....

The Great Acting Blog: “Why The Cynics Are Wrong”

23.06.2013 , The Great Acting Blog , 7 Comments

A denial of acting technique is a denial that acting is an art and that actors are artists. Those who have no technique (many more actors than we might think) are on the make. They are obsessed with self-consciousness, that is, terrified of it, because...

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