Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Why Act?

Why Act?

by Eugene Buica
Artistic Director
The Acting Corps

Just ask anyone in this town what acting is and what it takes to become an actor. And every acting coach in every acting studio will tell you without hesitation that he knows the way, the way to greatness, the way to personal brilliance on the magical side of the footlights or on the business end of a film lens. And so it goes, this most elusive, mysterious and often misunderstood art form, the art of acting (and acting training) lends itself to endless interpretation, endless speculation, and varying degrees of charlatanism.

Yet if there is an authentic desire to study acting and become an actor, who do you trust? How do you find an acting class in Los Angeles, or how do you find an acting school in Los Angeles? And how do you tell the genuine from the sham, the well intentioned but obsolete old time theater school that teaches a 1950's approach to acting technique, or the too good to be true casting director workshop which promises exposure to agents and managers and thus the possibility (and probability) of overnight stardom - how do you tell these from the real thing?

The answer, like it or not, lies with you. When pursuing the craft of acting a lot depends on your objective, or on what you want to get out of all this and where you want to be at the end of the day. In other words, why act? Why? There are other things you can do with yourself. Is acting a need to express your authentic self? There are other forms of expression. Is it a need to help humanity? There are more practical ways. Is it a need to receive love on a global level? You can always be a rock star. So why acting?

The answer is as personal and unique as every one of us who takes this most seductive plunge and it will only come with time. Certainly along the way some will concede that acting was only a diversion, a procrastination of sorts until they settled down to the serious business of a mortgage and a steady paycheck while some will go into writing or directing and find great satisfaction there.

But if you have a fire in your belly and only acting will put it out and only acting will fan the flames- (we are not always looking to put out our fires, sometimes we require them to consume us)- then embrace this art form and you will have your answer. You will be guided to the right teacher, the right school, the right life choices, you will all of the sudden begin to listen to the previously ignored yet profoundly authentic voices in your head which have been trying to guide you all along. And you'll always be in good company, if only in the company of your own personal truth.

A renowned jazz musician once summed it up by saying - "Will your music be enough when you got nobody to hold?" It's a hell of a question. Should you answer it in the affirmative day after day, year after year, you are one of the lucky few (a mixed blessing, really) for whom this is not a passing fancy or infatuation. It is indeed your life's work, your métier, your reason for hanging around this troubled sphere.

And around this time two things occur. One, you finally know who you are, you are free - Henry Miller talked about everything falling away, all lies, or artifice, or notions of ego, he knew he was finally an artist. And the second thing that occurs is that you suddenly feel like you are in some sort of trouble. After opening in my first real play and having some success the director came up to me and said "You are no longer a civilian, now you're in trouble." What could he mean? Now I finally know.

He was referring to the trouble of creative responsibility. It is the forbidden fruit and there is no re-entering the Garden of Innocence and lounging about – no one has stamped your hand at the door, you are gone for good. You have chosen between truth and rest and now that you have made that decision, you will have only truth, and should you choose rest, you will discover that it is no longer available to you. It belongs to civilians, and what a beautiful thing that is.

Really Real

Really Real

by Eugene Buica
Artistic Director
The Acting Corps

Reality is an extremely subjective medium; in L.A. it's downright bizarre. We live in an improbable place, threatened and plagued by earthquakes, floods and fires, a place lined with imported palm trees (from Egypt), a place where people never age, the sun always shines, and happiness is always just around the corner. And that is the reality of Los Angeles. Yet a handful of fin de sicle East European immigrant dreamers, men like Sam Goldwyn, the Warners, and Louis B. Mayer, dared to make manifest their vision here, a vision that would almost overnight become the world's factory of fantasy. How shocked and amused they must've been to see their invention, Hollywood, become the leading source of global entertainment, influencing millions, and changing the course of history. And also how dedicated they must've been to creating the medium of the American Cinema - controlling it so specifically that they even defined what its ambassadors, the imminent movie stars, would look and sound like.

From its inception Tinseltown has clearly been in the business of make-believe, the business of making the artificial seem life-like, yet at the same time better and more eventful than ordinary life. We have always been and still are after a heightened reality, one where people are born and die and fall in love and write bad checks and visit other planets, all in the space of that magical two hours we call a movie.Yet, and this always baffles me, when it comes to acting, we are after one thing and one thing only. "I want to be real," is the battle cry, "I want to be so real that I actually believe everything I say and do. And if I don't believe everything I say and do and it doesn't all feel real to me, like my real life does, then I might as well go home where I can just be my boring self." And so it goes, casting directors and agents only fanning the flames and adding to the confusion from time to time with their well intentioned invitation to "Do it again, but this time a little more real."

Now I pose the following question, and I know it's heresy, but what does "real" have to do with anything when it comes to acting? Let's leave "believable" alone for now, that's another can of worms, let's deal with "real" – what does "real" have to do with acting? Because I know that Tom Cruise can't really kill the villain, the police (real) would certainly curtail his dramatic activity, not to speak of the disciplinary action SAG might take after a board meeting or two. And I also know that Renée Zellweger isn't really a flapper, because in Jerry Maguire she was a single mom. And that the woman up there playing Cleopatra can't really think she is Cleopatra, because then she wouldn't remember her blocking(why can't her servants move her about?) and she certainly wouldn't stick to the stiffly scripted text, she would say her own words - why the hell not?

The answer to this, like most answers, has to do with good old common sense. While everyone asks for real, it only needs to look real, and it only needs to feel real to the audience, but it doesn't have to be real to the actor. Does that mean that actors ought to phone in their performances? Not at all. Does that mean that actors should indicate emotions? Not one bit. It just means that the house of "real" has no front entrance - there is only a back door and the occasional window. The great Liviu Ciulei, an amazing director, once put it quite elegantly to a very annoying young actor. He said to me, "We are always striving to create reality in our work and we never get there. But when we merely suggest it, we come a little closer."

What a beautiful statement, and how freeing. You mean that if I just suggest an alternate reality in the context of a good story, and I lie truthfully with all the tools I bring to bear, then the audience might be moved? Yes, definitely. And will they be moved even if they don't really believe? Absolutely, belief isn't what they came for. Then what about acting, isn't acting really feeling? No, acting is really doing and telling a story through conflict, or like Sanford Meisner would say to his students who could handle the truth, "Acting is lying very well."

And incidentally, that's why we go to the multiplex. We are prepared to be lied to, actually looking forward to it. And we are disappointed when the lie doesn't entertain; we feel like victims of false advertising and contemplate asking for a refund. But when we are pleased with the lie, when we are lied to masterfully (Finding Nemo anyone?) and come away satisfied, we say, "That was really good, I'm going to tell all my friends." It never occurs to us that we were duped and the whole thing was a shameless conceit (talking fish?), all we care about is that it was two hours well spent.

Chop Wood, Carry Water

Chop Wood, Carry Water

by Eugene Buica
Artistic Director
The Acting Corps

Nothing in this world gets done without effort. It is a modern fallacy, tried and false, that simply intending to do something and feeling inspired about it will result in positive, life affirming action. Perhaps psychology is to blame, specifically the attitude that careful examination of our behavior and a perfect understanding of our neurosis will result in perfect or improved action. Huh? I once knew a man who had been in therapy for 67 years and had had a very unfulfilling life, yet he knew his issues better than anyone alive, especially as they related to his mother…

Let's be honest about it, we are on the whole an undisciplined lot, we actors. Part of the motivation of going into this whole thing is "I don't have to do a 9 to 5, I can wake up when I want, go to a couple of appointments here and there, and show up on a movie set from time to time so that the camera and everyone behind it, i.e., all those uninteresting technical people, can capture my unique feelings and immortal soul."

Certainly a media movement gone awry (an easy scapegoat) has something to do with it. We are told that acting is something that only special people do - those lucky few anointed by the Gods of Entertainment who can without training or effort transform into kings and villains, temptresses and scientists, next door neighbors and extraterrestrial beings.

But anybody with two weeks worth of LA under her belt will tell you the contrary. Successful actors are VERY hard working people, including movie stars. And it is real work, even though the result, if any good, appears effortless. Learning and practicing this most challenging and encompassing of all the arts takes a great deal of dedication, focus, and discipline. No one would ever believe that Mr. Armstrong eats pancakes all day long and only visits his bicycle for the occasional Tour De France, would they? Same is true of acting. Before there is an acting career to speak of, there is always a serious effort applied to paving the way.

Everyone (everyone) has trained, even those who say they haven't. Everyone has studied and learned this craft, and all things being equal, it is because of this that they succeed, not because some ethereal innate talent they posses. Truth is, those blessed with this quantity called talent don't put in as much work into their acting, and they fall by the wayside. They show up late to auditions, come to class unprepared, have little regard for their fellow actors in or out of class, and generally behave like they're on a perpetual spring break.

And speaking of talent, it is a verifiable waste of time to even discuss the idea of talent. If you don't have it, you can't acquire it, so get to work and build a great career - just look on any movie screen and you will not find the most talented, but you will find the most driven. And if you do have it, it is a double edged sword which can destroy you, so if you can navigate the tricky waters of living in this crazy town while you find the humility to learn and build a craft on a daily basis, then you also may have a shot at a career. Either way and for all practical purposes, talent is meaningless.

What's meaningful? Work, dedication, discipline - chop wood, carry water. I am always shocked by people who other people have written off, and even people who I write off in my infinite wisdom. These so called uninteresting actors (in the theater affectionately known as stiffs) often do the work that is suggested and required and wind up improving and blossoming as they exceed all expectations. Then one day there is silence at the end of a scene or a monologue, and everyone looks around in a daze - the person in front of them has just acquired the ability to move an audience.

And it is this journey, the journey of the ordinary man thrown into extraordinary circumstances that is ultimately moving to everyone, on or off screen. It is these ordinary people (another misnomer) who ascend to the heights and breathe the rarified air of success, a success achieved and evidenced by the sweat on their brow and the look of earned satisfaction. Maybe the media is right after all; our movie star deities are chosen people, chosen to work harder than everyone else; ordinary people who have made an extraordinary effort.

Why We Fail and How To Win

Why We Fail and How To Win

by Eugene Buica
Artistic Director
The Acting Corps

Question. Why is it that some of the best actors can do brilliant work in class, they can do sublime work at some point during the run of a play, they can even do wonderful work once they're on a set, but when it comes down to auditioning for that job, they fall to pieces?

As far as acting training into the 21 st century goes, that is really the big question on the table. Mastering acting technique is all well and good, and no doubt the study of this most elusive art form will help you immensely and bring you much joy, but there is something else (and I challenge every acting guru in town to prove me wrong) that no acting technique can touch.

What is it? Well, some people call it self-sabotage, some people call it fear of success, and some people call it neurosis. Whatever it is, it is not pretty. We show up late to auditions, unprepared, full of excuses, we give "appropriate" line readings as we beg for acceptance, we treat casting directors as parental figures hoping that they either reward or punish us, we try way too hard and end up alienating everyone with our neediness. And finally, when we leave the scene of the crime we are baffled and demoralized. It's OK though, since we didn't really try we didn't really fail, we feel safe. Had we really tried, we say to ourselves on our way to our restaurant jobs, we would've easily booked the job.

We pledge that NEXT time, next time it'll be different. We're going to really prepare and do everything right and persevere. But of course we repeat the same behaviors again and again. Pretty soon we throw up our arms in the air and say, "I'm just not good at auditioning." Which only means that I give up, there is nothing I can do, and all my training, all my hard work, has been for naught. I am a brilliant actor, but I will no longer share it with the world, I will just tell people that I am an actor and live in that cocoon of self-delusion.

So what is there to do, how do we fix this? A lot of it will take care of itself, i.e., if you hang around this town and this business long enough, you will eventually develop the tools to stop sabotaging yourself. But that is not true in all cases, and where it is true it may take twenty years. The answer then is this: nothing short of a radical life change will make a difference. This seemingly trivial issue that holds you back from living your dreams will not go away until you change everything that keeps you small.

It means that you have to clean up your ENTIRE act if you want to succeed at acting.

How does one clean up his or her act? Look at your life; look at what is holding you back, what is, again, keeping you small. Which habits keep sidetracking you from being focused, centered, and strong in your acting? Is it your overeating, an attraction to loser boyfriends or girlfriends, a gambling problem, procrastination, smoking, drinking, drugs, bad financial planning, or just plain laziness? Which of these are holding you back? Perhaps you have some of your own…

If you are like every actor you are indulging in some sort of behavior that encourages the voices in your head that say no, not you, you don't deserve this. And the more you try to control that behavior, the more you realize as time and opportunities pass you by that these behaviors control you.

But don't despair. You cannot do this alone and you don't have to. There is much help out there, there is therapy (be careful that you choose the right kind), there are support groups, twelve step groups, there is yoga, running, meditation, volunteer work, there are TONS of things you can do. No, you don't have to join a cult on Hollywood Boulevard or run to your shrink every five minutes, but you also can't ignore your self-destructive behavior and vaguely wish for success. If you ask for success, and all of us do on some level, be prepared to receive it. It's funny that while we think we want careers in this town, only a handful of people actually prepare to have one. Create that expectation, set the stage and it will come.

If acting is only a diversion for you, a putting off of real world responsibility, you are guaranteed to fail. It is, after all, a meritocracy, though most people don't think so. Yes, it is true that people who make it may not be the most talented, or the most beautiful, trained or experienced, but they do keep their eye on the ball and show up for their careers like true professionals. L.A. restaurants are full of brilliant food servers waiting for their big break, and there is nothing wrong with that. You just need to decide which category you fall into, the uncommitted many or the dedicated few - and then immediately take action.

Actors, Acting and Agents – What It Takes

Actors, Acting and Agents – What It Takes

by Eugene Buica
Artistic Director
The Acting Corps

It is the same old story. An aspiring actor comes to town and quickly discovers that no one will just walk up to him and offer him an acting job. Stories about being discovered still abound, but the reality of show business is that it is just that - show BUSINESS, which implies that a commodity is being bought and sold, in this case acting and actors. What then, is your next step? It's easy, you say, everyone knows that without an agent, a good talent agent, an actor doesn't get anywhere in Hollywood . But how do you get a good agent, one that believes in you and will pull out all stops to get you auditions?

The answer is actually quite simple. You have to create a product and a marketing plan that will allow agents to smell the money. And no, talent agents are not interested in your immortal soul and unique natural ability. They may be interested in your immortal soul and unique natural ability as well as anything else about you if it will fill their coffers. Meaning agents are people, just like you and me, and they have dreams of their own, mortgages of their own, families of their own. And if you don't hold the promise of making them money not in two years but in two weeks - they will ignore you.

How do you then go about creating the product and marketing it? Well let's start with the product. Your look is your look, and that is pretty much a given. What is there to change then? The answer is again, quite simple. It is what you really bring to the table, your ability to do the job and do it well - your acting. Which means you must be the best at what you do. Your competition is certainly very good at what they do, with years of experience in some cases. Ask yourself, how do you match up to them? Are you a raw beginner with some community theater experience? Or have you been studying acting for years and many film and TV credits behind you? If it's the former rather than the latter, before you get those TV and film credits, you must train. You must find yourself a good, efficient, practical, professional acting training program and work hard to get in shape. Acting is a muscle, exercise it frequently and you will quickly become proficient. Avoid acting schools that require one or two years of your time and money - you can get your training much faster and far more efficiently. Just look around.

Now, say that your training is in place, the next question is, do you know what you're selling? You had better know because no agent will be able to pitch you if you can't pitch yourself. Are you the young mom? Are you the ingénue? Are you the leading man with an edge? Are you the goofy best friend? Are you the librarian, the plumber, the lawyer? Watch television, ask your friends what roles they see you playing, ask your parents, your siblings, people you can trust, and you will soon figure out where in show business you belong. And when you do so, put that information in your headshots and resumes you will then finally be ready to present yourself to an agent.

It still won't be easy, but now you will show up like a professional actor with a shot at a career in the film and TV industry. And if you have done your work they will smell the money.