9. How To Be A Person: Always Keep One Hog Back
The Newsletter for Tuesday, January 30th, 2024
Gambling
Actors gamble with their feelings, their egos, humiliation. But you don’t want to bet the farm. Not every time. You’ll become depleted. Always keep one hog back. The winters can be long in this neck of the woods.
We deal in feelings and feelings are the reason we are all here however, we cannot be ruled by said feelings or we become victims instead of observers. Lemme explain.
To be a responsible actor means you have to show up early with your homework done. We can’t hope to be employable if we’re having a hard time with everything.
“Choose one thing to be outraged about not the 17 you’re currently juggling.” - David Sedaris.
Our job is connection. The most biggest, bestest amazing thing consistently at the centre of our being is our desire for community. We the actors just have to show that. All of its embarrassing, awkward, messy stuff — the weirder the better. So even if you’re auditioning for shredded cheese if you connect with the other person in the commercial the people at home will see it. They won’t know what it is but they will feel it. Here’s an example: have you ever cried at a commercial? Yes, of course. Maybe not the shredded cheese one but the hospital ads with the sick kid, the phone ad with the daughter and mother separated by geography, the one with the soldier coming home reunited with their spouse (if you’re into marriage).
If it’s humour you’re after then connect in a grounded way with the dialogue or the other actor. If you make it about them and about something other than being clever you will become funnier. First step: stop acting. Stop talking loudly. Tighten the cap on your bottle of effervescence. Dry out your performance. Take it off of your face. We don’t want you to indicate when we should laugh. We the audience wants to discover that for ourselves. Don’t map it for us and for you; live it. If you know the end, if you have a bunch of great ideas you negate the moment. Just stand there and listen. Maintain eye contact. Don’t look away.
The Responsible Actor
If you are the exact same person in all situations then you are a trustworthy performer that people can count on. Show up early with your lines memorized and the go in any direction. Every direction. You are a purveyor of feelings but you are not a victim of them.
What we feel becomes our perspective on how the world works. The problem with a singular perspective is that it can become confused with the only truth. That’s called dogma. Intransigence means we no longer entertain other human’s realities. If we let ourselves become calcified we are no longer open to human experiences. We kneecap ourselves both in our acting range and in our confidence.
To create the artificial connection between people — which actors must be able to do— you must tap into your ability to compartmentalize: feelings are a tool not something that takes over. Learn to manipulate yours and you can manipulate others. Have you seen Godzilla Minus One? It’s incredible in spite of many elements: For one: the acting is overwrought. Two, there’s a giant lizard terrorizing post-war Japan and Three sometimes the CG leaves you with a hollow feeling circa The Abyss. But between the story and the music and the sheer humanity of it all you are moved. Even though you can predict what will happen next. Speaking of predictions: It’ll win the Oscar for best visual effects even though they’re not entirely consistent. Why? Because it’s such a great all-around movie. I’d say, masterpiece even.
Why Story Is Overrated
It’s not about the story. There’s plenty of shit movies out there that are incredibly popular (Marvel Universe) that have no story. We are interested in biopics even when we know how it ends. Because we’re really interested in character and behaviour. It’s why we watch our favourite movies over and over.
So compartmentalize the feelings. The feelings are there. They are predictable. Create a relationship where you are in control and get the thing you want from your scene partner. And hopefully they’ll be doing the same. Now you have two people with goals, agendas and desires. Watch sparks fly.
If you’re out of control and feeling it all. All the time you won’t be able to hear or see the other person. Acting doesn’t have to hurt. We don’t have to live our characters pain. We show the audience ours instead. Take after take. Night after night.
Don’t ever bet the whole farm. Always keep one hog back.
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