Thursday 3/24/2016
Peter Valentino Acting Studio
Actor Training for film & television in Los Angeles
Bryce Harrison: Notes and Analysis
- We are trained to fight as human beings, learning no from parental figures in our life has created a construct that repels a sense of acceptation. Disdain this construct by just accepting the reality for what it is.
- The actor must cultivate the ideal of “Suspension of disbelief.” This means that you literally suspend your disbelief for the imaginative world and consume it with all of your consciousness. You must believe everything you are engaging in if you wish to be as natural as possible for the audience.
- For auditions, it is best to have a comedic monologue as well as a dramatic monologue in your arsenal of skills. This creates a deeper sense of range and opens up more opportunities for roles in your acting career.
- You must create the proximity of your monologues scene with the immense powers of your imagination. You are essentially creating the person and inventing them into reality. You have to be so into your performance to where the imaginary character(s) in your monologue are willing to shut up and listen for the whole duration. What is your moment before? What just happened previous to your monologue? Get into it.
- Get inside the character’s psyche, and penetrate into the core of their spirit by suspending any disbelief you may have or feel towards your scene.
- Audition tricks: Keep your thumb down on your next line so you pay more attention to listening to your scene partner’s delivery. “The more you listen the more you know what to do” – Peter Valentino.
- Acting is a no fail thing. You make the choices and you commit to them. Devote yourself completely, and leave the analysis for the various directors and casting directors. Then be open to adaptations. Develop a sense of adaptability. Actors MUST be able to take direction. Let go of your precious ego.
- The more you practice and engage fully into the imaginative world, the more you will find acting to be natural and integrated with everyday life.
- Progress through the whole body, and keep a deep sense of wonder; this will help you with discovering deeper layers in your performance.
- Deepen your connection to reality. This is also a valuable strategy to apply into everyday life.
- There is no audience in film, just life. Be in the moment.
- The actor must study human nature and the different roles status; as well as the power games that different status’s might be inclined to partake in. By knowing your character’s status, you are deeper into the reality of your scene. “50% of your character is determined by Status.” – Peter valentine
- To the timid actor: You are closer to natural acting than you might think. You have this perception of acting being this pretend game of saying words in make believe land. You are making a terrible mistake. Drop all preconceptions and open yourself to integrating the natural behavior of real life into the actor’s space.
- “Beauty of acting: Changing yourself, and being able to go further away from your reality character. Take a vacation from you and enjoy being this other character.” – Peter Valentino.
- You must honor the craft and honor your character. Cultivate a youthful spirit and love what you’re doing; not too many people have the courage to pursue acting. If you’ve already gone this far, especially by reading these notes, you might as well go even further.
- If you believe your emotions strong enough, they will become real.
- Attend more classes and take more notes. We humans learn best through taking action and physically engaging into the craft. You don’t learn to master guitar, riding a bike, or any skill in the world by reading a book that shows you how… do you?