ON ACTIONS FROM MATTHEW’S BOOK: I use the words action, verb, and partner-related doing synonymously for a verb that is a specifically externalized transitive verb that must fit into the sentence: I (verb) you.
Some actors and coaches use the word intention meaning the same, but I avoid that word only because intention implies the possibility of future failure: that I intend to do something. That’s much like inserting the word trying in your sentence: that I will try and do something. All characters aim for an objective and take action to do so because they mean to succeed…then half the time, fail because of the other characters actions. Characters expect to win, not fail, or they wouldn’t take action. That is why we are actors and not intenders. In the immortal words of that greatest of teachers, Yoda: “Do…or don’t do. There is no try!”
The actions in life that people take are extraordinarily specific. So specific, that in essence the English language cannot communicate them. But communicate them we must in order to be able to surrender to the music. So actions taken by the actor in the scene as character must be as specific as possible. An actor must articulate the actions in a scene as clearly, profoundly, and precisely as possible.
As an early teacher, I would fall into the trap that so many of us acting teachers do…assume that the problem in the scene is an actor’s problem and not an acting problem. When a scene would struggle along, actors self-consciously attempting to push through a scene, offering the class and audience a hard-to-watch uninspired mess, I would immediately assume it’s a block within the actor…assuming that the psychological and emotional aspects of the actor must be damaged…and so would spend enormous amounts of time digging into their personal history to discover the origins of the self consciousness. Although it is very possible that the actor is suffering from an insurmountable insecurity and shutting down their instrument and so blocking the scene, the first response of the teacher should be: “what actions are you playing…?” Many times, the actor just doesn’t know the notes they need to be playing.
Often, the verb is self-related and not partner-related. To ponder is not a playable action.
Or else, the verb is of the make or get variety: to make her understand. But that isn’t a verb, that’s an objective. That’s the goal. But the question “how” remains unanswered.
Or else, the verb is so general, it means nothing to the player. To convince the other means nothing to the actor, is boring the actor, and therefore boring us.
A verb needs to be as specific as possible. Needs to be hot. Needs to be electric. It needs to excite the actor. Because in life, actions are specific and exciting. A verb should literally light up the actor intellectually, emotionally and physically.
When an actor walks out on to their mark, or hides behind the curtain at “places”, the actor should have one of two, or possibly a third, emotion about their verb they are about to play:
Oh my God, I can’t wait for them to call action…come on!
Or:
Oh my God, I’ll vomit if I have to do this thing to the other person…
…please don’t call action…!
Or best:
Both at the same time!!!
In life we hide behind the general. Our animal instincts, the Cro Magnon / Neanderthal in us wants to not get noticed, and not have to face off a challenger or be the alpha male. We want to check out, hide, and give in to our natural insecurities. It’s HUMAN NATURE. By generalizing, by NOT being specific, we hide away and check out.
So what actors do is give in to their insecurity and articulate the actions of the scene in weak and generalized verbs as a way to check out…to hide. And then the scene becomes weak and generalized.
But the character is NOT general. They are in a heightened, checked in state. The writer did not write weak and generalized actions for you to play. They laid out very specific and exciting verbs.
Your character is not convincing the other. To convince is general. Your character is smashing sense into the other, or is brainwashing them, or arm-twisting them. Or even better is syringing truth into them, or car-salesman-pitching them, or maybe even Einstein-facting them.
Your character is not loving the other. The question is still: how? Your character is balming, soothing, salving (as in putting on a salve). Your character is rose-perfuming him, or warm-blanketing her. Maybe she’s even gifting peace, tickling his soul, or heart-laughing them.
The verb is specific to the scene. The actors aren’t choosing the verbs. The writer choose the action for the actor to play. But in the analysis, the actor needs to articulate it as specifically as they can…so specifically that it may be meaningful only to that specific actor.
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