The Vs. Studio Blog

Suffering and uncertainty go hand in hand.

One big help is to release the need to be certain.

One day at a time.

“You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” -C.S. Lewis

It doesn’t matter what you did or didn’t do prior to this moment. You cannot change the beginning of your story.

But you can start from where you are right now and change the ending. What decisions will you make? What actions will you take?

Just like those Twistaplot books, you choose how your story ends.

“Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.” – Helen Keller

“You may not always have a comfortable life and you will not always be able to solve all of the world’s problems at once but don’t ever underestimate the importance you can have because history has shown us that courage can be contagious and hope can take on a life of its own.” – Michelle Obama

Hope by itself is not a winning strategy.

But you must cultivate hope. For that spark of hope fans the flame of optimism. Which then gives you the confidence to dream. And dream big. And when you have big dreams, you’ll be inspired to take massive action. And when you take massive action, you can change the world.

That’s a winning strategy.

A well known and excellent actor once gave me terrific advice about listening. He equated it to hitchhiking. You get into a car with a complete stranger and you better believe you’re gonna listen to every word that stranger says and pick up every nuance and gesture that stranger makes.

In short, you’re gonna listen like you’re life depended on it.

Because when you’re hitchhiking, it truly does.

As such when you’re acting. For if you give yourself the highest stakes possible, you will “die” if you don’t get what you want.

One final note about listening…Listening doesn’t mean staring intently in the other person’s eyes for long periods of time. Showing everyone that “you’re really listening.” We don’t do that in real life. Nor should we on stage. Listening just means being deeply invested in what the other person has to say. That’s it.

P.S. – Another idea to add to yesterday’s post about “your personal scene study“…If you can’t find a great two person scene, how about you and your partner write one? Or even better ask a writer friend to write one? Now you’ll really be practicing the full enchilada of producing.

Actors…

Wanna keep your skills sharp?

Wanna work on amazing material?

Wanna learn?

Wanna work with great people who share your work ethic and love of the art?

Wanna experience working with a certain director you’re curious about?

Wanna practice producing?

Wanna have an incredible artistic experience?

Wanna do all of the above and not spend very much money?

Create your own personal scene study.

Originally inspired by an actor friend of mine who called me up to do this once, I’m now sharing with you. Here’s how it goes…

Step One. Find a scene from a great play that you’re passionate about. Make sure it’s meaty and challenging and has great parts for two actors. (Maybe it’s from your anchor play.)

Step Two. Make a list of all your actor friends you’d love to work with. Those who share your work ethic and passion and would be down to do something for just the pure love of doing it. (AND of course are right for the part opposite you.)

(Note: If you’re having trouble finding a great scene, you could skip step one and start with step two. Call up your actor friends and say “I’d love to work with you. Are there any scenes from plays that you’re passionate about? A part you’re dying to play? Does it have a good scene for the both of us? If not, let’s start thinking brainstorming together.”)

Step Three. Once you’ve identified a great scene, make a list of all the directors you’d like to work with. And also the ones you’ve worked with before and would want to work with again. Between the two of you identify some candidates you could approach.

Step Four. Call the director(s) up, tell them that you and your partner are gonna work on a scene. See if they’d like to work on it with you. Invite them in right away or if their schedule is busy, let them know that you’ll both be working on it and can they come in at the end. After you’re off book and have fully explored it, can they come in for a couple of rehearsals and work with you two?

Step Five. Find a rehearsal space. Could be your residence. Could be a theatre or classroom. Could be over Zoom especially in these times. Whatever works best for everyone. Start rehearsing! And go all out. Costumes, props, etc…

Step Six. Once you’ve fully explored the scene with the director, that might be the end. Or you could think about filming it or inviting a few friends to watch. Or again do it over Zoom. Maybe record a podcast of it. Or all of them.

This whole process will probably take about 2-3 months. Hopefully, like I did, you’ll have an amazing, enriching experience. And who knows?….It might inspire you to then go produce the play.

For the actor…

Someone who’s got it all together?

Not fun to play. Not interesting to watch.

Someone’s who’s trying desperately to keep it all together?

Super fun to play. Riveting to watch.

“Flow in the living moment. — We are always in a process of becoming and nothing is fixed. Have no rigid system in you, and you’ll be flexible to change with the ever changing. Open yourself and flow, my friend. Flow in the total openness of the living moment. If nothing within you stays rigid, outward things will disclose themselves. Moving, be like water. Still, be like a mirror. Respond like an echo.” -Bruce Lee

“How do I know if I’m working correctly?”

You’ll know when you’re not wondering if you’re working correctly. You’re too busy being immersed in the moment.

Just flow my friend. Just flow.

“As soon as anyone comes close to me, his personality begins to oppress my vanity and restrict my freedom. I’m capable of hating the best men in twenty-four hours: one because he sits too long over his dinner, another because he has a cold in the head and keeps blowing his nose. But, on the other hand, it invariably happened that the more I hated men individually, the more ardent became my love for humanity at large.” -Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov

“You can bind up my leg, but not even Zeus has the power to break my freedom of choice.” -Epictetus

“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” -Viktor Frankl

Jean-Paul Sartre famously wrote that “Hell is other people.”

Not exactly.

Hell is our response–specifically an uncontrolled and thoughtless one–to other people.

“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” -Ferris Bueller

There’s a classic Paul Newman story…I can’t recall which film or director, but supposedly after several takes, the director approached Newman, said the scene was dragging and politely asked if he could he speed it up. Maybe talk faster?

Newman replied, “Sure thing.”

They went back, did the take. The director LOVED it. He came running up to Newman saying how wonderful the scene was. It was a print. They could move on. The director then asked Newman what he did to make it so riveting.

To which Newman replied, “I went slower.”

P.S. – Apologies. In yesterday’s post, I had the incorrect link for the Jack Benny clip. Here is the correct link. Enjoy!

An unfilled pause is death.

A filled pause, especially when connected to authentic behavior, is life. It’s riveting We can watch it forever.

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P.S. – For a master class on pauses, watch this classic routine from Jack Benny. Count how long he pauses towards the end.