Asking the Right Question. Acting with the Right Intention.
One of the most challenging elements for actors is to bring real life dynamic into the imagined scene. Let's be honest, it's not a simple task to have an intimate moment of joy or sorrow while being a center of attention.
From my personal experience, observation, and research, I have come to a conclusion that any actor can do it by simply switching his/her focus from feeling or thinking something to making others feel or think something. It is a simple but universal formula of success in any aspect of life. In other words, you need to worry less about you and care more about your acting partner.
I hear actors asking the same question over and over again: How does my character feel or think in the scene? Usually, this question brings too much pressure on you and leads to artificial choices that have no life in them. Although your emotions and thoughts are important, they are often energy draining and can easily turn into a boring moody choices. That's why, the better choice is to ask: What do I want my partner to think and to feel? Then make sure that your ACTIONS are aligned with your OBJECTION so that every word you say, every pause you take,or gesture you make can affect another person in a way that eventually will help you to achieve your goal. This simple but effective approach will give you way more space to be creative, specific, and active in your performance. When filming The Omega with Steven Michael Studios, we had a powerful scene where the main heroine was holding her brother in her arms while he was dying from a knife wound. It'd be easy to make a choice to play an angry, devastated, and sad sister. However, it also would be very boring and would not really tell us much about the strong character of the heroine who actually is a supreme soldier. That's why, I simply asked our actress to make a choice of comforting her brother and making him feel like he is not going to die while containing all her anger and desperation as much as possible. She cares more about her brother than anything or anyone else on this earth and her only mission in that specific moment is to make him feel safe and peaceful. The actress did just that and her performance was specific and engaging. Next time you watch your favorite actor, look closely if he or she feels or thinks something or rather makes you feel and think something by doing a very specific internal and/or external action.
Moreover, think about how much your whole life will change once you start doing things to make other people feel better and think deeper rather than feel and think about yourself all the time!
The Omega is a sci-fi action adventure created by Steven Michael, a filmmaker based in Philadelphia. The pilot will premier on our YouTube channel on July 13th. Enjoy its final trailer and get to meet our talented cast too. Please subscribe and follow us if you like and learn something from what you see, read, and hear. Thank you.
