Misc. Thoughts: WHORE! edition

[thehefner]

PROFESSORS ON MY ACTING "STYLE" AND FUNDAMENTAL "JOHN HEFNERNESS": So according to my professors, I am a "whore for the audience." Referring to how I do anything to get a laugh, I suppose. They want to see me move away from that, citing how "the quiet moments in Vigil were the really outstanding ones," and that I should do more of that in my acting. Basically, less "John Hefnerisms" as Jason's been saying.

Jesus Christ, it's not like I haven't been trying. disc_sophist will likely recall how I tried to play Silvius straight in AYLI, play him as sincere. And eventually she gently nudged me back to John Hefnerness. Similar with Blue Surge, to a lesser extent, considering the larger-than-life character. I've been really trying not to do the big HEY, I'M WACKY, LOOK AT WHAT I'M DOIN' NOW!!! thing, but either because it's a comfort zone or people like seeing it (or both) it's how it seems I'm percieved as an actor. Fearless, brave, they say, but that I have "17 things going on all at once, all of them interesting, but needs to be pared down."

After "Good" and "Vigil," I finally had some chances to do that. Now, the professors would say that I had those chances before, I just never took them, but I dunno, I don't think I've had that many missed opportunities. I'm neurotic enough as it is. I wish I could have gotten a bit more of what it is I do well from the Prof's other than "fearless." Sure, having little to no inhibitions on stage is all well and good, but without the talent or skill to back it up I might as well be the big ol' loudmouth I am in normal company.

Any imput from you peeps would be appreciated.

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PERHAPS THE GREATEST BATMAN MOVIE EVER IS BEING MADE: And it AIN'T live-action. For those who remember the wonder and glory that was the Spider-Man Lego movie, there's a new short student film coming out in the coming months. It's a computer-animated Lego-style Batman movie starring Dick van Dyke as Jim Gordon, Courtney Thorne-Smith and Catwoman... wait for it... Mark Hamill as the Joker and... wait for it! Adam fucking West as Batman. And it's the modern dark Batman!

No shit. Check out the trailer here. Dude, it's Mark Hamill Joker vs. Adam West Batman! Roll that around in your head for awhile.

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WILLIAM SHATNER'S LATEST ALBUM IS DAMN GOOD: Seriously. It is. I've been listening to some of the tracks here and I couldn't have been prepared for what I heard. It's like music... with monologues. The first, the Ben Folds track, and the Henry Rollins track are all great. I'm gonna be listening to this all day. Wow. Consider my mind blown.

Comments

[pokeyburro.livejournal.com]

Well, you'll kick my thespic ass any day of the week, but I'll say this: whenever I'm on stage, the urge to steal it is strong. It's fun. It'd probably take some courage (or rationalizing) for me to settle back into the background of a scene, and be subtle.

It also takes experience, I reckon. Not just acting experience, but rather, knowing those characters. I get the impression you're rarely subtle. :) Remember Allison Janney's character in American Beauty? I do. Maybe that's not the right kind of subtle, though; that was creepy subtlety. Maybe a Jean Reno or something. It's hard to remember the quiet characters...

from one acting student to another

[findingjuliet.livejournal.com]

remember that the profs have the best view of you...no matter how zany their advice may seem, what you think you're giving off may not be what they are seeing. my acting teacher at studio is a hardass and rarely full of praise, but usually that is because he is on the mark, he can tell when people have worked and when they have not, and he pinpoints weaknesses within five seconds of an actor's scene. i always take what he has to say to heart no matter how good i thought my work was...I never marry myself to any of my choices, there's always another place i could be looking, another level i could explore.

I'm at a point in my career when I want all the critcism I can handle and that's alot. I think consistent praise is bad for an actor's ego and most of the time not entirely sincere (or from a voice of experience). There will always be work, always places to go. Undergrad is just the beginning and you'll be surprised once this becomes a full time job (career) how much learning/training you still have to do...the fun never stops :) Be consistently dissatsified with your work because then you won't stop looking for that extra level, those multiple layers, those fascinating bits of character that keep us marching on.

Have you read Smart Actors, Foolish Choices? It was required reading in my senior seminar. If you haven't you should.

I for one would love to work with you...I'd love to tug on your strings and see where I could get you to go...hopefully, I'll have a chance to before I head off to the la la land we like to call GRAD SCHOOL :)