Who makes you feel wounded and in need of
them as a crutch

There I just saved you thousands of Dollars
...Establish you're technique through on the job
training with real projects
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0006718/
is
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1125351/

What????? Elaborate please!

Not sure what the links mean but I agree. Take in as much as you can from all different philosophies.

I totally get what he means, and agree. I am not against acting classes, but I am very against using them as a crutch, and doing nothing but sitting in class waiting until you are a good actor or famous. i have seen THAT happen dozens of times!

Yeah you don't want to get institutionalized by the acting school system which can happen. The perpetual student is not a life you want.

quote:

Originally posted by harlemhippo:
I totally get what he means, and agree. I am not against acting classes, but I am very against using them as a crutch, and doing nothing but sitting in class waiting until you are a good actor or famous. i have seen THAT happen dozens of times!

really why would somebody do that... take acting classes and never audition until they were good....

I agree with eclecticism being 'the way to go' conditioned with the idea that certain communities are out there that nurture one's approach to the complex art of acting. Acting is a public profession that is deeply dependent on the actor's ability to produce private moments at will. You know before auditions how actors seem to be in their own bubbles, making faces, pacing and whispering lines, psyching themselves out? Then they enter the room and it time to be alone again in their imaginary world. So it is isolating yet public. Yet in acting classes, actors find community, they find support, they find that they are challenged to step up their game for critical eyes that share and nurture. Depending on where one is in their process, an acting class can be futile or beneficial. It is my belief that acting teachers should not limit students in any way. But let's say an acting teacher is unaware that a student is auditioning, and that student has placed the acting teacher's name on their resume. If they flub an audition, does that reflect upon the teacher?

Not wanting students to be addicted to acting classes is why I shove actors out the door into the audition world when they are ready! And reading David Mamet's book is a must!

However, David misses the boat on all sorts of things, too. So, if you only pay attention to his book, you're likely in big, big trouble...

Thus, eclectic IS the way to go. But eclectic would INCLUDE studying acting with the best teachers...and reading the best books about acting...anything less is just willful ignorance and disrespect for the art and science of acting. - Jason B.

I agree.

All acting techniques have little kinks and stuff. So I prefer to take the best of all of them.

I am a fan of Stella Adler and Meisner, however.

I think a lot of actors miss the point of Mammet's book.

I always took the meaning to be that you have to have courge in yourself, and you gotta get out there and work!

Its worded pretty harshly because its aimed directly at the people we are talking about.

Morgin, I am always so impressed with you! You're a great reader and life adventurer for being so young! Kudos to you for being familiar with the methods!

Thanks!