Sunday, March 18, 2012

(Video) WHAT IS "METHOD ACTING?"


John jokes about the fact that he is not a "method actor." When Em quizzes him about how he produces tears, or anger, he reveals some of his inside secrets, on what makes him do what he does as an actor.

John speaks about inner and outer feelings, and also talks about using "contraries" -- when a line is sad, it often works better if the actor laughs a little. If an actor weeps too much it stops an audience from weeping. Contraries also works with humor -- if you want an audience to laugh at your joke, DON'T laugh.

5 comments:

Unknown said...

Good Sunday morn Ms. EM & John Cullum! Sunday is starting out well watching this video with the both o you. I had fun watching.
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And now not for just practicing penmanship I need to go and long hand write on a page at least 100 times ~ "cutting off your contraries" is the intellectual property of John Cullum & Emily Frankel.
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Should that particular phrase turn up in any o my 'stuff' be advised I will 'source' or 'credit' it. That's a hey of a great phrase!
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Luv to all Ms. EM & your John Cullum & FAM. I'm @grammakaye on twitter.

Anonymous said...

John had fun with you today Em! Love his facial gestures of acting. Great ideas and tips about acting in general. John and you are the best team! Thanks for sharing. kam

Carola said...

This is a video you really have to watch, not just listen to. I enjoyed John's "face" language.

Linda Phillips said...

John Cullum has always been one of my all time favorite actors. Clearly, he has been doing something right all along to get to an emotion and move an audience. So, I don't care how he gets there (well yes I do, or I would not have found this video so interesting), but I know that John knows how to get there. He always does and with such apparent ease at that (or so it would appear).

Ameer S. Washington said...

Interesting. I always imagined actors using a great deal of what I now know as method acting. I definitely have to check out some of John's work. I'm not sure what I have seen if anything. You guys seemed like you has a lot of fun with this one.