Page 116 - Theatre_Arts_Form_5

Theatre Arts for Advanced Secondary Schools

emotional or physical behaviour in the screen story. For Strasberg, it was
never enough to recreate emotion on stage, rather, one had to release it.
The actor therefore must spare time into training of their internal skills
through a process of ‘relaxation and concentration’ so as to personalise
the performance.
FOR ONLINE READING ONLY

Screen performing techniques
Although performing for screen has its root in stage acting, the following are
some of its unique techniques.

Relaxation
Film actors must learn to interact with self and extend interaction to the character,
the script and other actors. This interaction is easily observed through facial
expressions through the actor’s face. To master the interaction, actors undertake
relaxation exercises. Actors must learn to remain relaxed regardless the situation
they face. This is true of all acting, but it is particularly true of film acting, where
the camera reads everything and the actor is often confined to little or no movement.
Therefore, the actor must be prepared to face the cameras for long periods of time
and repeatedly do the same things over and over again without becoming tense
and tired. Thus, before getting to the set, actors’ face muscles must be trained to
tolerate lengthy expressive sessions.

Concentration
Film actors need a big deal of concentration in every aspect of their work. In order
to concentrate, actors need to focus on something. Concentration is cultivated
through observing. Film actors have to be aware that there is something that exists
around them, make efforts to see, notice, discover, investigate, wonder about, and
care about it. By so doing, the actors are eventually focusing and turning their
concentration on it. What an actor chooses to focus and concentrate on comprises
the elements of playing a role or part. Playing a character starts by investigating
the actor’s own raw material as well as discovering one’s responses to stimuli. In
film acting, once a choice has been made, it must be executed successfully while
the camera is rolling, and it must incorporate the moments of surprising discovery
that will bring the character to life.

Sense memory
Film actors are supposed to use their five senses so as to translate everything
they experience into a film language. They should use their senses to be able to
communicate back to the world around them. First, let’s take a brief look at what
are and how the sensory memory can be used in film acting.

Form Five 106

28/06/2024 15:05
THEATRE ART F5 fnl.indd 106 28/06/2024 15:05
THEATRE ART F5 fnl.indd 106