The Secret To Good Acting

This is a clip from an interview with William H. Macy on the Offcamerashow in which Macy explains the acting concept called practical aesthetics originally conceived by David Mamet and William H. Macy, based on the teachings of Stanislavsky, Sanford Meisner, and the Stoic philosopher Epictetus.

[charlotteferrarei]

Why doesn't this have more views? He spilled the tea on a simple technique to great and effective acting! Wakey, wakey, thespians!!!

[samuelli-a-sam]

Billy Boyd who plays Pippin in the Lord Of the Rings once had a reddit where you can ask questions and I asked "What's advice would you give to a young actor"
He said "React don't act"
And that is so true in a sense as a character you are reacting to the other character just like you would react in real life to someone talking to you. Pretty fascinating stuff!

[natashanaples]

This is so true!! It gets you in the present moment and then you're actually creating *real* human behavior, aka the whole point. Instead of just "indicating" or mimicking. Makes a WORLD of difference and is way more fun.

[AFO_AnalyRics]

I've said it and I'll say it again. All of the best acting advices work only on one condition: YOU ALREADY KNOW YOUR SCRIPT BACKWARDS.

[akarty]

⚠ !!!BEST ACTING ADVICE PLS READ THIS!!! ⚠

- Don't plan anything out. don't plan how your gonna scream, say something, how your gonna cry, just read the script and each time let it be different.

- Do what feels right. if your in an argument with someone (in your script or scene/lines whatever) and it you feel like yelling at the person even tho there isn't an exclamation point ( ! ) then just do it. if you feel like lowering your tone a bit then do what feels natural cuz acting is about making it seem natural.

- Try method acting, which is becoming and thinking as the character even off stage. like for example your character is rude and obnoxious so you go home and act like your character to people and put yourself in that rude mindset and even go outside and be rude and it's just you really believing your that person, so when you go on scene it would be easier.

THIS WAS ALL WRITTEN BY ME A 14 YEAR OLD :P

[philesq]

This really can open up a person's choices and allow viewers to judge the performance with semi-objective markers. Did the actor's delivery and blocking successfully convey the message to others in the scene and the audience in realtime?

[alesiadaniele]

This needs more views!! A great technique definitely.

[kiungaskiung]

I wanna kindly invite to buy Ivana Chubbucks Book “The Power of the actor” I wouldn’t even wanna share it cause it’s such a gem.
But guys GET IT! She goes into what he says in much more descriptive detail and it’s PURE GOLD

[hannahfenzl]

I've been really into Stanislavski's technique lately. Something about it just makes so much sense and is so effective. Currently reading "An Actor Prepares, " and I think this video touches nicely on what all of chapter three teaches. Love it!

[franzhaas]

To act is to be willing to be vulnerable.

[HumbleWordsmith]

so is he basically saying.. "convince your co-actors that you are not acting"

[BeingMe]

I have been a local Actor for about 6 years. I can watch movies and TV shows and see Actors faking it. Just no real emotion just going thru the motions.

[thislife_]

didn’t really understand that ngl but i love this man

[criticalbil]

Man those interviewees must get so pissed when that piano player starts up

[gunikocak]

Practical aesthetics is just another term to re-invent the wheel. Stanislavsky has been there before. There can't be any new/more acting methods as we as human beings are still the same.

[KwaidanShamanic]

This is one method. I like David Mamet because he calls out a lot of the dogmas of acting teachers.

[mdw]

What is an example of setting a goal one can accomplish during a scene? I don't get that part

[dhdyrjfmenrydka]

Present YOURSELF at auditions. They want you, not “how good” you are !!!!

[pod]

If a method that allows normal people to create medium quality to AAA quality acting can be developed, You can lower the cost of good acting astronomically. It could open up so many possibilities for smaller budget movies

[shirogane]

Can somebody please explain this? i don't understand :""