I’ve been sitting here at my desk pondering how I should begin this entry in my “Teacher Musings.” What would be of value to anyone who might want to spend a bit of time musing along with me for a few minutes? How about this? From Bryan Cranston’s autobiography, A Life in Parts. And by the way, do yourself a real favor and get this book. Mr. Cranston knows how to create a tapestry of personal stories that will entertain and inspire you. He’s been there, done that…like all the rest of us…and succeeded in theater, television and film.
Here’s his advice/reflection on an approach to auditioning:
“I wasn’t there to get a job. I was there to do a job. Simple as that. I was there to give a performance. If I attached to the outcome, I was setting myself up to expect, and thus to fail. My job was to focus on character. My job was to be interesting. My job was to be compelling. Take some chances. Serve the text. Enjoy the process.”
You might be thinking, “Yeah great, Warner… easy if you have his talent.” Hope that thought didn’t cross your mind. Hope instead a light bulb went off and you took the time to break down his advice into process…ways to put this advice into practice…thusly:
Focus on Character – Not yourself. Get off of yourself, bury your worries, your fears and think about how you can create an “interesting” and “compelling” character. Do your job.
Take Some Chances – Work to prepare three distinctly different ways to present the material. If you faithfully and imaginatively take the time to discover three different choices then I guarantee that you will to in a better place to be bold and original. How is this accomplished?
Serve the Text – Work to attach yourself (physically, vocally and internally) to the imaginary circumstances. Check out what Mr. Cranston says about this: “My goal when I prepare isn’t to plot out each action and reaction, but to think: What are the possible emotional levels my character could experience? I break the scene down into moments and beats. By doing that work ahead of time, I leave a number of possibilities available to me. I stay open, susceptible to whatever comes.”
Seems to me if you work in this manner you will serve the text, take some chances and…
Enjoy the Process – Because you will be alive to the possibility of moment-to-moment character life. I really like it when Mr. Cranston says he wants to be susceptible to whatever comes. Susceptible – isn’t that a great and useful word? The dictionary tells me that it means,”likely or liable to be influenced or harmed by a particular thing.” If you allow yourself to be “harmed” it means you are in a vulnerable place…exactly where you want to be in an audition or in a scene. And influenced by a “particular thing.” Our acting becomes bold and alive when we create opportunities to explore our sensory, emotional, and imagistic inspirations with specificity.
