Hey everybody,
a few teachers out there are "claiming" to teach techniques that teach actors to cry on cue and/or access any state of being/emotion on cue. Does anyone have experience with any such technique(s) and if so please talk a bit about it, what is being taught, how and so on?
Teachers that come to mind are amongst others: Stephen Book - something with improv and breathing, Jason Bennett - especially archetypes, Doug Warhit - has a whole list on his website fx reversed physchology...and probably other teachers claim to teach how to do this.

Please anyone trying to turn this discussion into a discussion about "acting should be organic" or that "you can't and shouldn't push emotions" and so on...PLEASE DON'T PARTICIPATE HERE because I just want to hear opinions and personal experiences from people who have personally learned or taught this, thanks

/Foreigner

There was a great article on Emotional Recall on Backstage last year maybe? Do a search for it. My kid had an audition for a part she was too young for, she really had not had any bad things happen to her up until that time, so the director started telling her about how she felt when her best friend died. Got the kid upset, stopped the audition. Now if you asked her today about bad situations, she has a ton of them and can reach that core emotion and can squeeze out a tear or two. She understands that it's just "acting" and that's what you do to get into a role. Kind of cold but it works for her.

Thanks for your reply nonstagemom, but I totally disagree that, that is what you do to get into a role and I think that way of working is old and outdated and harmful in the long run and that's why I want people who work in "new" ways to tell me more about that...like the people I mentioned and the things they teach - archetypes for instance...
And I think it's totally nuts that you have to have had something bad happen to you in order to bring out tears (on cue or not) and I hope and believe there must be other ways of bringing up tears or other emotions without having to think about bad things that happened to you....

And with all due respect, you sound like you're proud of all the bad things that has happened to your kid?

O.K., first off, you said you didn't want any responses from people "organic" or otherwise. She's twelve, the most trauma she's experience to date is the death of her gold fish Sandy and her little boyfriend dumped her for another 6th grader. I guess that's nothing to sneeze at if you are twelve, but to me, I'm not so concerned. But prior to that, she didn't know how to react to something bad cause her life is simple. Now she knows a little pain, a little empathy. I'm not going to get into some intellectual debate about training youself to cry or emote on cue from physiological stimuli. It's just acting, for pete's sake. Not emotional baggage. Good Luck in your quest.

When I said "organic" I meant what people usually think of as "organic" that one shouldn't push or work for a certain emotion or result and I wanted response from people who actually teach or know of newer and more modern way of working as an actor (my mistake that I didn't make that clear enough in my first post), and as far as I know Emotional Recall is not a newer or modern technique, am I wrong??

I didn't mean to put you down or mean any disrespect, however, I still believe that Emotional Recall is stupid and harmful in the long run even if it's just a gold fish in the beginning, maybe when she's 20 the gold fish won't "work for her anymore" and then what? Something a bit more dangerous like maybe a dead family member(God forbid!!)?? She's an adult now and she knows it's just acting...until she thinks about dead people all the time....and that can fuck you up whether you're a child or a grown up!

Now, another outdated way of working is the "as-if"....as if your best friend just died!! What was the reason again why the director stopped the audition...oh she got upset! Yeah but she knows it's just acting, doesn't she??? Believe me, I did this in a Meisner class and used my grandmother as an as-if and you know what, even as an adult it was a bit too hurtful thinking of my grandmother as-if she was dead, and somehow you do carry it with you even after class, emotional baggage like you put it yourself! I don't want to do that throughout my whole career because I agree with you, it's just acting for crissake...That's why I want to know about new and more modern ways of actor training that doesn't use those exercises!

Now, I've studied Strasberg, Adler, Chekhov and Meisner and yes some of it from every tech. is useful but then one day I took a class at the Groundlings some years ago and we were doing improv and during an exercise the teacher told me to have a big emotion to what I was just doing, whatever emotion I wanted, "just do it" she said and voila I really laughed and really cried....no emotional recall or as-if needed in order to FEEL!
Unfortunately I'm not located in LA or the states at the time so I just want to know more about new ways of working (I know improv isn't new). And like I said, I've heard about teachers that teaches techniques that supposedly let you do it without these old-fashioned ways of working.

In Meisner, we did an exercise called Emotional Preparation.

It was for the first moment of a scene, like if you have to come onstage crying, angry, etc. And it works.

It's basically a really focused daydream. You might imagine a family member dying or losing an important relationship. Everyone does it differently.

Some people use songs that have a special significance. Daniel Day Lewis liked to listen to "Lose Yourself" by Eminem to get pumped up for...I think it was Gangs of New York?

But honestly, just really digging into the circumstances helps the most for me.

Hope this helps.

To the OP -- Have you taken any courses related to this? Then maybe you can give us the pointers you have learned. Sorry, but your post sounds like you are trying to get a free class out of this. *LOL* No offense.

Anywho, I can't relate to doing an emotion on an intellectual level. I'm actually connected to my emotions and am usually not afraid of having them.

What the prior poster said, about emotional recall posting on backstage, is how I roll.

And pro actors have had trouble not letting go of the character they play. You learn to leave the character and their baggage behind and if you can't, you go get a good therapist to work out your issues and help you gain useful tools and technique to help you come back to yourself.

Kevin Bacon actually, when he made his Golden Globe acceptance speech several days ago, brought this up. You should check him out. He's a very respected actor.

O.K., I apologize. I'm glad you are seeking a new way to do things. My kid takes improv any chance she gets, cause basically, it's awesome. It allows you to feel and be a kid again. That Warhit guy sounds like a real piece of work though. Life coach, acting coach, addictions specialist. Good luck to him. But one thing he really does stress and it's important to you is that he teaches visualization. Imagine yourself in that role and see it all the way through. Good luck in your quest and realize that my kid acts, she calls on a few emotions, then she takes off and plays with her friends when she's done. She's not taking it so seriously.

KSharma, yeah I know the exercise - doesn't work for me. But the song thing is good and works to an extent!

Ressydm: non-taken, free class hahaha....but you are aware that this thread is called "acting methods and approaches" and so you actually discuss those things in here!
And if you read my post again I just explained that I had that experience at the Groundlings (and I explained what happened in class - so there's your pointer to my experience) but I would like to know more about other ways, NEWER ways and know about other teachers. Now some people don't mind giving advice and I'm sorry if you're not the type who likes to help or advice others, hence the reason why I write in the original post...DO NOT PARTICIPATE...

I never talked about relating to emotions on an intellectual level, just in NEW WAYS than what we already know, but then again what did I expect, some people are afraid of new things!!! Have you ever been outside America

And from what I've learned from reading these boards and researching teachers then there are actually new and more modern ways of acting that doesn't require emotional recall etc and ways that will let you play a character just as believable and truthful but without the exercises that might leave you in a shrinks office!
BUT I'M TRYING TO FIND OUT WHAT THE HELL THEY ARE AND WHO TEACHES THEM AND HOW THEY WORK! And again that's why I ask and hopefully someone who knows and are generous enough to share and guide will come along.
And I must say I think there's something wrong with acting or the way people work if they can't leave their work after they're done shooting and need a therapist to help them out, it's depressing! And I don't care if your name is Daniel Day-Lewis or Kevin Bacon (whom I both respect tremendously for their performances but not their approaches if this is what happens to them!)

Now here are some of the teachers and schools I've read about and find interesting! And no, I don't work for them!!

The Acting Center, LA
Josh Pais, NYC
Jason Bennett, NYC
Richard Seydways, LA
Groundlings, LA (not new, but from personal experience it was new to me and not related to emotional recall etc)
Stephen Book, LA
Doug Warhit, LA?
Lesly Kahn, LA
The Actors Gang, LA

And there are probably more that I wouldn't know about but would like to know about. And I would like to know EVEN MORE about these places and teachers from people who studied with them. Or from teachers! Capice?

Have you been to America

I believe that there must be some form of emotional preparation. Some form of self stimulation. Meisner recommended fanatasizing in the extreme with the element of truth as an integral part of the preparation. I once saw an interview with the wonderful Gena Rowlands. She mentioned in the interview that she was very susceptible to her own thoughts. She said, if I think about something it immediately effects me. that kind of vulenerability is part of her gift. Not everyone is that easily affected. Working off is a wonderful way to achieve results. Listening, leaving yourself alone and being available to your scene partner. Taking what's given you and allowing yourself to be affected. Going fully with your choices is also a key to acheiving truthful results. The more fully you do what you do the more active you become. Hope this helps. Alan Gordon ajg0103@yahoo.com if you have questions

I have cried several times on a stage (as it just so happens I did so today) so I do know a thing or two about this subject.

Emotions are a RESULT of being concentrated and working well. It's impossible to do them on cue. I've personally never seen it done. I've seen people try and I have tried, but all that ends up happening is you strain and squeeze out a tear or two and it looks terrible. No one wants to watch an actor full of strain.

So the best advice I can give you is to make sure the instrument (meaning your mind, body, and voice) is concentrated. There are several benefits of being concentrated, and one of them is that it makes you a lot more emotionally alive and volatile.

So how do you get concentrated? Here are a few ways I know of:

-Listening to a song you like (this is why actors listen to music so often on set)
-Noticing sensory details in your environment
-Creating sensory details with your imagination (this is really what Strasberg was about - using sensory details to concentrate yourself - NOT to get an emotional response. Unfortunately it's miss-taught by 90% of the instructors that teach it)
-Listening to and observing the other actor(s) (this is what Meisner is all about)
-Sometimes if the text has significant meaning for you, just saying the words will concentrate you.
-Getting very involved in a physical task
-Having someone point a loaded gun in your face (you will find dangerous or near death experiences will concentrate you VERY quickly - no joke)

You will know you are concentrated because you'll feel alive and you'll have a tremendous amount of energy pulsing through your veins. You'll feel like you're "in the zone." Maybe you've felt it before a time or two in your acting.

Great guys, thanks for the responses, I do appreciate it

However, there are actually schools/teachers claiming that you don't need this emotional preparation - the as-ifs or the emotional recall etc etc.
Jon_K I know you studied with Jason Bennett and he claims that you don't necessarily need emotional prep if you work with archetypes, yeah?
And I audited an introduction class at The Acting Center in LA and they too claim that you don't need any emotional prep whatsoever and that you can actually just do it...on cue! No prep at all, the Acting Center claims if someone tells you "cry, now!" you can just do it right there (crying that is )....the guy running the introduction did it and cried on cue and it seemed real enough but unfortunately I know nothing more about that approach or the process they use to achieve this and that's why I was hoping there would be someone here that knew more about these "new" approaches...

Does anyone have any experiences with that, do you know anyone who've studied those things?

quote:

Originally posted by foreigner:
Great guys, thanks for the responses, I do appreciate it

However, there are actually schools/teachers claiming that you don't need this emotional preparation - the as-ifs or the emotional recall etc etc.
Jon_K I know you studied with Jason Bennett and he claims that you don't necessarily need emotional prep if you work with archetypes, yeah?
And I audited an introduction class at The Acting Center in LA and they too claim that you don't need any emotional prep whatsoever and that you can actually just do it...on cue! No prep at all, the Acting Center claims if someone tells you "cry, now!" you can just do it right there (crying that is )....the guy running the introduction did it and cried on cue and it seemed real enough but unfortunately I know nothing more about that approach or the process they use to achieve this and that's why I was hoping there would be someone here that knew more about these "new" approaches...

Does anyone have any experiences with that, do you know anyone who've studied those things?

It's been a while since I've sat in Jason's class, but as far as I know he agrees with me that you should not be "looking for the emotion" while you work.

But first I'd like to discuss this business of "crying on cue." First of all, any director who gives you the direction "begin crying now" clearly has no idea what good theater/film is and clearly has no idea how good actors work. Yes, it's possible to squeeze out tears on command, but it's full of strain and it isn't pleasant to watch and it isn't what good acting is.

Why would you want the ability to cry on cue? Think about some of the iconic performances of our time. Brando in streetcar. Al Pacino in Scarface/Godfather. DeNiro in Casino. Brad Pitt in Fight Club. Tom Cruise in Jerry Maguire. Johnny Depp in Edward Scissorhands. Tom Hanks in Forrest Gump. Did any of those movies have scenes where the actors wept profusely? No. Ever seen a Spielberg film where the actors wept profusely? No. So you need to get this notion that "weeping profusely is great acting" out of your head. It isn't. I have seen actors who have very good access to their tear ducts get up and weep in scenes that were just terrible to watch. To tell you the truth, it's actually quite painful for an audience to have to sit there and watch an actor "cry on cue" because he wants to show-off to the audience how good of an actor he is...

However, when crying happens organically as a RESULT of the actor working well and concentrating - then yes, it's very moving to watch, but it's not something an actor should ever look for or try to make sure occurs. There are two reasons for this:

1) The human psyche doesn't work that way. If you try to cry, the psyche looks up and refuses. This is a basic fact that Psychologists have known for a long time.

2) Theatre is a living, breathing organism. A scene changes every time you do it. The play is slightly different every night, and the film is slightly different every take. Even if "emotions on cue" were possible, you have no idea which emotion ought to be present at what time because it changes every time you do the scene. Predetermining that sort of thing leads to bad, uninspired work. It's something a director might care about in the editing room, but other than that it's not useful at all.


Another thing I recommend is that you get involved in a good scene class and start experimenting with these things on your own - that's the only way you'll learn for yourself. Talk is pretty cheap when it comes to learning how to act. Doing is a lot more useful.

Jon_K I totally agree that directors who give that kind of direction sucks. But most importantly for you to understand I NEVER EVER SAID THAT CRYING ON CUE OR ANY OTHER EMOTIONS ON CUE IS GOOD ACTING!!! Let's get that straight alright, all I'm after is getting to know more about those teachers who claim they teach that and why?

I think it's interesting that there are people out there trying to teach something "new" (for lack of a better word) and people trying to "renew" acting or create new things as they claim but never ever did I say anything about it being good acting and neither did I say I wanted the ability to cry on cue although I find it an interesting idea and again the reason why I keep asking is because some of those teachers actually claim that even though crying on cue or forcing a fake emotion is fake it will eventually become real! For instance one teacher said something in the line of: if you force yourself to cry it will seem very fake in the beginning but if you keep doing it enough then at some point it will become real and if you practice it enough then at some point you can just do it and it will be a real emotion. I guess the reason why to do this is in case you do get to work with a director who tells you to cry.
William H. Macy talks about crying on "Inside the actors studio" and he hates emotions and when he was supposed to cry for a shot in "Pleasantville" he says that he went to make up and asked for help and told them to put that stuff in his eyes (eucolyptus(?) or whatever it is they use) that will make you cry or for any other trick that would make him cry....I still consider him a good actor even though he uses "tricks"....

But remember I never said crying on cue or forcing emotions is good acting....

I performed the leading role in a play where my character cries (I'm talking truthfully induced emotion, I was uncontrollably bawling, snot dripping, etc.) at the end of the final scene, eight shows in a row and made some of the audience members cry themselves. You can only imagine how I feel reading a thread like this with many interesting posts!

My contribution: Find what works for you. The technique I use (combination of Meisner, Adler and my own) to induce that emotional openness and self-expression may work for me, but it may not work for you.

My only advice: No matter which technique you use make sure its truthful to a reasonable extent accordingly to the situation, because the audience can tell if it isn't, and you may end up looking silly instead of getting the desired reaction from them.

P.S. Even I don't fully understand how my technique worked for me, but whatever! I pulled the audience in and for a moment, they forgot they were watching a play.

P.P.S. It wasn't the director nor the script that instructed me to cry during that scene. It was my own creative decision that the director allowed cause I felt it was necessary reaction for my character.