James was at NODA too as a student...here's his take on it...
“A
dancer can practice their dancing, a musician can practice their instrument or
singing and an artist can practice their art… but what about an actor, what
exactly can they practice when
they don’t have a performance coming up?”
This
is just one of many questioned I got asked whilst at this year’s NODA summer
school’s The Method course. During this week I have learnt so many things and
met so many great people from literally all over the world, but I’m only going
to touch upon little bits of what I have learnt and found.
The first is that there are no limits to what an actor can perform, when we get asked to play our character at a level 10 what exactly is level 10? Well the level 10 is just a limit we as people put on ourselves, we can always take it further. But we seem to refuse taking it further so we don’t feel we are going to make fools of ourselves, so look at your characters, and look at your characteristics and see how little you can play them, then see if you can play that even lower if possible, then how big they can be played and just take that even further there really are no limits to what an actor can do with a character, and the director tries to make sure that it is balanced enough to make it truthful. Second of all is to be truthful to yourself and for me this meant a lot, as I have realised so much about myself as a person and as an actor, what things mean to me and where I want to go and do.
The first is that there are no limits to what an actor can perform, when we get asked to play our character at a level 10 what exactly is level 10? Well the level 10 is just a limit we as people put on ourselves, we can always take it further. But we seem to refuse taking it further so we don’t feel we are going to make fools of ourselves, so look at your characters, and look at your characteristics and see how little you can play them, then see if you can play that even lower if possible, then how big they can be played and just take that even further there really are no limits to what an actor can do with a character, and the director tries to make sure that it is balanced enough to make it truthful. Second of all is to be truthful to yourself and for me this meant a lot, as I have realised so much about myself as a person and as an actor, what things mean to me and where I want to go and do.
None
the less this week has opened so many opportunities for me, given me a new game
I shall be introducing to Crimson Company when the new term starts back up and a
brand new nickname that no doubt Sarah shall be using on me. I have met some
great people who love acting and theatre, people who work in the industry and been
given some fantastic advice, from people I have met from the first time to the
people I have spent an intense week with.
I would like to tell you all it is an experience that needs to be given to everyone, yes it is expensive but whether you want to take acting seriously, or go to learn a new skill such as singing, dancing or even conducting an orchestra this is where you go with great teachers across the board, a bunch of lovely and supportive people who will eventually become your friends and just a fantastic atmosphere this is the place to be.
I would like to tell you all it is an experience that needs to be given to everyone, yes it is expensive but whether you want to take acting seriously, or go to learn a new skill such as singing, dancing or even conducting an orchestra this is where you go with great teachers across the board, a bunch of lovely and supportive people who will eventually become your friends and just a fantastic atmosphere this is the place to be.
Oh
and to answer the question at the beginning… an actor practices by observing
the world and people around them, so when they next go to rehearse their
knowledge on what people and experiences are like are far greater than before.
Muchos
love, James Loughlin
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