Biomechanics and Method Acting for Directors -- Camera

2007 : 2007.txt -- google.com/group/acting2

2009 :

stagematrix.com + cine101.com

THR321 Advanced Acting (camera intensive) *

ActJokes:

Bookmark vTheatre! amazon.com *

2004: new pages to use in Acting II and Acting III classes * [ advertising space : webmaster ]

An actor is only merchandise. ~ Chow Yun-Fat Acting One

Fundamentals : BioMethod "Theatre is not a mirror but a magnifying glass." Mayakovsky... Is he talking about camera?

The most precious things in speech are pauses. Ralph Richardson

Theory of Spectatorship

THR221 Intermediate Acting GeoAlaska: Acting, Directing, Theory, Shows, Books

GeoAlaska: Theatre & Film

biomechanics.vtheatre.net

Spring 2003: Don Juan

film books

virtual theatre THR121 Fundamentals of Acting Fall 2004

ShowCases: 3 Sisters, Mikado, 12th Night, Hamlet, The Importance of Being Earnest, Dangerous Liaisons, Don Juan prof. Anatoly Antohin Theatre UAF AK 99775 USA

2006 * * stageplays *

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Summary

Beat: The smallest division of action in a play. The length of time necessary for a character to play an "Objective" (also called "Intention") from beginning to end.

Questions

Quotes & Thoughts:

take my poll at: Best Film Actor:

htmlGEAR.com

Notes

Method: Yoga & Freud

2004 & After

* Shake 2004: Bianca Story
Film Acting * "To fulfill a dream to be allowed to sweat over lonely labor, to be given a chance to create, is the meat and potatoes of life. The money is the gravy." --Bette Davis filmact.txt Eisenstein: Âíå âñÿêèõ ðàçãîâîðîâ î äèêòàòóðå è ïðî÷åì çà öåëîñòíîñòü, çà åäèíñòâî, çà ñòèëèñòè÷åñêèé êîìïëåêñ âåùè ïîñòàâëåí îòâå÷àòü ðåæèññåð. Ðåæèññåð - îáúåäèíèòåëü â àòîì ñìûñëå. Âûðàáàòûâàòüñÿ ýòî ñòèëèñòè÷åñêîå åäèíñòâî ìîæåò è æåëàòåëüíî âñåì êîëëåêòèâîì. Íî çäåñü òåàòð â ëó÷øåì ïîëîæåíèè. Ðåïåòèöèîííûé ýòàï ïðîòåêàåò íà ñîâìåñòíîì ðîñòå è ðàáîòå âíóòðè ïîñòàíîâêè. Îòäåëüíàÿ èíäèâèäóàëüíîñòü âðàñòàåò â îáùóþ êîíöåïöèþ, â åäèíûé îáëèê ïðîèçâåäåíèÿ. Â êèíî äåëî ãîðàçäî ñëîæíåå. Ïðåäâèäåíèå, çàêðåïëåííîå â íîìåðíîé æåëåçíûé ñöåíàðèé, ïî÷òè ïîëíàÿ íåèçìåíÿåìîñòü ðàç çàêðåïëåííîãî íà ïëåíêó - áåç "îòêðîâåíèÿ" íà ïîñëåäíåé ðåïåòèöèè. Ñëîæíåå è ïî òèïó ðàáîòû, è ïî ñòåïåíè ó÷àñòèÿ, è ïî ïðîöåíòó íàëè÷èÿ ñòèëèñòè÷åñêîãî åäèíñòâà â êàðòèíå. È ìîæåò áûòü, áîëüøå âñåãî ïî òðóäíîñòè ñîãëàñîâàíèÿ àêòåðñêîãî ðàçðåøåíèÿ äëÿ ñàìîãî àêòåðà ñî ñòèëèñòè÷åñêèì ïèñüìîì êðûëà ñïåöèôè÷åñêèõ ýëåìåíòîâ êèíî, äàëåêî íå âñåãäà ïîñòèãàåìûõ è ïîíÿòíûõ àêòåðó: êîìïîçèöèîííàÿ ëèíèÿ, íàïðèìåð, êàäðà è ìîíòàæà, î÷åâèäíî, äîëæíà áûòü â åäèíîì êëþ÷å ñ îñòàëüíûìè ýëåìåíòàìè. Íå âñÿêèé ñòðîé ìóçûêè, íå âñÿêèé îòòåíîê òðàêòîâêè ðîëè, íå âñÿêîå ïîñòðîåíèå êàäðà è íå âñÿêèé ñòðîé ìîíòàæíîãî ïèñüìà áóäóò ñîîòâåòñòâîâàòü äðóã äðóãó. Êàæäûé èç ýòèõ òâîð÷åñêè ñîåäèíÿþùèõñÿ ýëåìåíòîâ, òàêèì îáðàçîì, óæå íå ñâîáîäåí. Âûïàäåíèå èç "êëþ÷à" åìó óæå íåïîçâîëèòåëüíî. Èíà÷å íåèçáåæíûé áåäëàì.

Êèíîàðòèñòó ïîòðåáíà åùå áîëüøàÿ èíòóèòèâíàÿ ÷óòêîñòü ê ñòèëþ è êëþ÷ó, â êîòîðîì âåäåòñÿ ïîñòðîåíèå â öåëîì. Ìèíèìàëüíîå âòîðæåíèå ñâîåãî, ñòèëèñòè÷åñêè ïðîòèâîðå÷èâîãî âíóòðü êîíöåïöèè, îáíèìàþùåé åäèíûì êëþ÷îì è ñòèëåì è êîìïîçèöèîííûé ãðàôèê ñêâîçü âñþ öåïü ïëàñòè÷åñêîé ôîðìû êàäðîâ (äî òî÷êè ñúåìêè ïîëåé ðæè èëè õàðàêòåðà íî÷íîãî îñâåùåíèÿ). Âåäü èíàÿ íîòà èíòîíàöèè, èíîé ðèòì äâèãàòåëüíîãî ñî÷åòàíèÿ - ÷àñòî âîâñå íå ðàçíèöà âíóòðè îáùåãî ïëàíà ðîëè, à ýëåìåíò èç "äðóãîé îïåðû" - ýëåìåíò äðóãîãî ïëàíà, ïðè÷åì ïëàíà, îòâå÷àþùåãî ïëàíó... èíîé êàðòèíû!

2006: Total Directing = stage + film

...

INDEX * fundamentals of acting * Theatre w/Anatoly * Virtual Theatre * Theatre Theory * Virtual Theatre Forum * Classes * Method * StageMatrix: Directing * Script Analysis * Shows * Spectator * Plays * FilmMaking 101 * vTheatre * 200X Aesthetics * Mailing List & News -- subscribe yourself * BM+ *

& thr blog

Method + Biomechanics: Camera

The secret is how to use both -- Method and Biomechanics -- for ACTING with CAMERA.
Semantics? Acting for the camera? Acting with the camera?
Important, camera is more than your PARTNER.
I spred the film acting pages in several directories: the tasks are different. In METHOD acting -- about the subtext, and -- how do you act without any text.
He, we have to see how the two main motions (primary -- actors, secondary -- camera) are used.
The actions of camera is on Film Directing pages (Eisenstein, photo left, is the main master-teacher in film classes); you have to understand the nature of your silent partner.
Again, two main motivations for camera motions: Camera acts as you actor-partner (POV issue) and as spectator. The second is most important; the reaction shot is still motivated by the interest of spectator. Camera follows the focal point of dramatic action. It could be on you or the sky, depending which image expressing better the specific dramatic moment.
Aha, this is what camera is searching for! Now more than ever actors realise that acting is reacting!

In Film Directing we talk that your "dance" with the camera consists of two motions (primary motion -- in front of the camera: you [and everything else "real"] + secondary motion: camera's movements). Yes, I said that camera in the last account is there to serve the drama -- and you are the main medium in expressing the conflict, but you must remember that we are talking about subjective time and space. Camera comes closer to you, when action asks for it. You have to know it -- and react (the way you react to your partner)!
[ the images are connected with different film directors in my film.vtheatre.net -- Film Analysis class; each filmmaker has his own style of organizing the narrative, this is why they prefer to work with "their" actors, the ones who feel/understand the "style" ]

The closeups are to see the hidden (subtext); XCU -- eyes only...
Director (camera) works around you, trying to find the most expressive action (it could be cutaways -- hands, subjects, which substitute the emotional state [symbols] and etc.) Mind your business (acting), let props, light, lenses, filters, cuts get the spectator ready for your act. Working with those elements of mise-en-scene means RE-ACTING to them.
Imagine: everything that goes on theatre stage at any given moment has to be squized into one closeup! Your CU!
Relax. This is not how the mind of film public works. It's always extremely contextual: whatever we see before is given to your CU as hidden expressions (your acting). Camera and me, the viewer, we do a lot of acting for you!
Do you see how drama becomes more condensed when we move to CU from MS (Al Pacino is the same)!
[ image ]
... 3.10.04. [ continued on video ]
[ To put clips from Acting II "Monologues for Camera" on the web? ]
...
* Look at this: "ACTORS' BASICS [Safety Tips] Find out how to spot a casting couch, photo mill, or SCAM! [Be Safe - Cautious]. Another collection of warnings about castings, etc, by Editor Ivan Saltz. [Getting Started]. Wonder what this is about? Duh. By Gena McCown. [Nurturing Talent] A guide for would-be stage moms from Ruth Resnikoff [How To Write A Cover Letter] - And you definitely should -- every time you send out a headshot to an agent or casting director. [How To Write A Resume] - The nitty gritty by Linda Zerne. [Take Your Best Headshot] - Tips on choosing a photographer and getting a good headshot. Written by photographer Christine Rose. [The Do's and Don'ts of Demo Reels] - The definitive guide by casting director Lori Wyman, who's seen some pretty awful reels. [Marketing] ..is not a dirty word. What to do now that you have your headshots and resumes... "
Nothing of this sort is on my film acting pages.
Sorry, this is about the business, not the craft of acting! What's the point to learn biz without learning the craft?
Do you understand the techniques of subtext? In film acting it's even more important than on stage -- words mean nothing on the screen! Cinema is the ultimate SPECTACTLE! We do not listen, we watch movies! Without subtext there is no conflict, without conflict -- there is no drama. What do you do when there is no text (words)? Nothing. Period. Remember, stage acting lessons -- we say one thing, think (feel) another, and do the third... Forget the first, the words. We still have the dichotomy: what we feel and what we do. Can I see it?
Yes, most likely you will get bad directors -- mind your business, I say -- do your stuff, act! So, you got yourself a lousy partner (if it never happened to you before)!
Work around! Even with the bad script, bad directions, bad cinematography, bad cast -- you still have a chance. How do you thing the big stars made it?

Do you see how camera does the focusing on "Body Parts"? (read the page). Smart Camera has straight motivations, it's very mechanical. Like a magnet it goes where the center of action is at the moment. Do you want camera to love you? Love it back! Give it what camera is asking for -- small action, which it will make big on the screen. Camera like a dog, it will follow you, if you know how to lead. It's an illusion that you are "directed" -- no, you DIRECT camera! Well...

Well, the problem is that you don't trust ... yourself.

This is why you need METHOD acting; you need to meet yourself, to know yourself, before you ready for love with the camera.

[ image ]

PS

I don't want to talk about Method on BM pages. I better speak here about 'camera acting" -- camera reactions to your actions. Directors know that every shot and cut must be motivated, but you, actor, should understand that camera reacts to feeling and thoughts (themes, symbols, images) within the screen sequences. When you see Eastwood riding into sunset, this is the emotion of the character -- relax, let the camera to do some acting. You do it whan it's your turn. Don't you do the same on stage, when you are not in a scene? You left the story evolve -- and you come back when they are ready for you! The puiblic, which have to wait for Hamlet, because they are not ready yet. And do you think the camera is? Yes, yes, the public! Who else?

Method Acting:

Heights 4.7.04. The page will stay messy until the next redraft. Anatoly

NB

I will write about the mise-en-scene in Stagematrix (screen), about Actor & Camera -- in biomachanics (Video), about Actor & Text -- in my Method pages (Camera acts).

Actors page in Film Directing is the summary. All Film Acting pages are in a menu (right table).

Oh, yes, another page in Acting One -- Shoot! To understand how the takes frame your beats of action (the action between "Action!" and "Cut!" calls).
2004+ new:
projects: BM software
texts:
webpages: new BM directory for Spring 2004!
Links
Shrew04
Chekhov, Ibsen, Shakespeare
Actingland.com - Acting resources, career guides, and casting information.
2008 --

Next : Actor & Camera

HOMEWORK: Deep Blue Sea, John Patrick Shanley

Danny: I was at this party. A guy named Skull. Everybody was getting fucked up. Somebody said there was some guys outside. I went out. There were these two guys from another neighborhood. I asked 'em what they were doing there. They knew somebody. One of 'em was a big guy. Real drunk. He said they wanted to go., but something about twenty dollars. I told him to give me the twenty dollars, but he didn't have it. I started hitting him. But when I hit him, it never seemed to be hard, ya know? I hit him a lot in the chest and face but it didn't seem to do nothing. I had him over a car hood. His friend wanted to take him away. I said okay. They started to go down the block. And they started to fight. So I ran after them. I hit on the little guy a minute, and then I started working on the big guy again. Everybody just watched. I hit him as hard as I could for about ten minutes. It never seemed like enough. Then I looked at his face... His teeth were all broken. He fell down. I stomped on his fuckin chest and I heard something break. I grabbed him under the arms and pushed him over a little fence. Into somebody's driveway. Somebody pointed to some guy and said he had the twenty dollars. I kicked him in the nuts. He went right off the ground. Then I left. [ drama 2 min ]

Do the shot-breakdown.