Marketing guru Seth Godin had a blog yesterday that really struck me. This was worth sharing with anyone in ministry. It's a good set of questions we should always ask ourselves.
http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2008/04/self-promotion.html
Christian drama blogger Ray Deck III sent in this article about Method Acting. Hope you all find this useful. Check out Ray's blogs at the links below.
I have been asked, on several different occasions, a question that is
nearly impossible to answer. People everywhere have asked me: "Ray,
what
is Method acting?" Usually I laugh at them.
It is almost impossible to define, and equally difficult to describe.
In
truth, people spend years in the most prestigious acting schools across
the country to answer that very question. If you've done it then you
invariably know what it is. Otherwise, there is not really a way to
explain what Method Acting is. What I can do is tell you what Method
Acting is not:
- Method Acting is not pretending or make-believe. If there is
anything fake in your performance, it isn't Method Acting. This is the
hardest hurdle for most young actors. "Do I really have to hit him?" or
"Why do I have to cry?" are the kinds of questions that non-actors ask.
The answer to all of them is this: The audience can always sense the
pretense. If it's fake, they are going to know it.
- It is not over-dramatization. Once an actor has accumulated a
few experiences, Method Acting is not a total stranger to him and he
tends to start exaggerating simply for the sake of exaggerating. Yes,
everything on stage must be exaggerated to a certain degree, but to
blow
an action/line/facial expression out of proportion just to expand one's
own role is not method acting. Method Acting requires realism.
- Method Acting is not pageantry. To showcase a figure, costume or
face is not acting. That is modeling. Many people have considered
themselves not to be stage material because they do not possess a
certain facial structure of body type. Those things don't matter.
Acting
is an exploration of the human condition, not a showcase of physique.
Usually when I am asked the dreaded, "What is Method Acting?" question,
I respond by saying that I can't really define it, but I can teach them
how to do it. That's the approach that I like to take, because a
definition just doesn't cut it. Genuine acting must be experienced in
order to be understood. So, how does a person go about method acting?
I'm glad you asked.
- Put yourself in that place. Imagine what it would be like for
you to be a part of that scene. What would you feel? How would you
think? Which of those feelings/thoughts would you suppress? Which of
them would you let fly? Injecting your own personality into that
setting
is the first step on the journey to Method Acting.
- Study. Study. Study. Method Acting, as I have said, is an
exploration of the human condition (which, by the way, is what makes
drama such an effective ministry tool) If you are going to portray a
part of that condition on stage, it is important to understand all of
the elements that contributed to that condition. All of my
pre-rehearsal
work on a character revolves around answering the "why" question. Why
does this character act in this way? Many different factors can come
influence a character's actions/emotions/words and thoughts. It is the
job of the actor to determine which factors influence a particular
character.
- Image Transference is a big part of effective Method Acting.
Image Transference is a method whereby the actor substitutes something
familiar for one of the elements of the scene.
For example: if a character is supposed to feel uneasy, an actor could
substitute the setting for something else which makes them feel uneasy.
(I know an actor who uses a dentist's office for this) A feeling of
betrayal can be produced by imagining what it would feel like if one's
own friend acted in that way.
Method Acting is harder. That's for sure, but I believe that it is well
worth the extra effort. The real challenge comes for those of you who
are directors of youth/children's teams. It is very tempting to resort
to "do it this way" directing. That sort of direction, especially for a
young person, can effectively eliminate any hope of reality on the
stage. Sadly, that is how the majority of directors are operating these
days because it's easy.
Are we interested in the easy or the excellent?
Students, non-actors and even children can learn method acting, if we
are willing to put in the investment of time and energy required.
For more information about Method Acting and Ministry drama, check out
my blogs at: www.thepreachingthespian.com & www.ministrylive.org
Hey, folks! Righteous Insanity has a brand new store on our website, http://shop.righteousinsanity.com
The new store will allow you to order skits with one click. No more choosing the quantity and emailing titles. Plus you can more easily search for certain topics and even do keyword searches.
The store is still a work in progress, but the good news is NEW SCRIPTS ARE AVAILABLE! With the launch of the site comes 100 new skits plus a new skit collection for Christmas called Stages of Christmas.
Check it all out at http://shop.righteousinsanity.com
Kobe Bryant once took over a game and scored 80 points. Wilt Chamberlain scored 100. One person can take over a basketball game. Try pulling off the same feat in a football game, and you're liable to fail. True, there are guys who appear to take over a game at times (i.e. Brett Favre), but it takes a team effort - 11 on offense, 11 on defense - working in coordination to win a football game.
Theater is very much like football in this regard. One director can not "will" a play to happen. You have to get actors and crew to buy into what you are doing. This is true with any age group, be they students or adults.
From the very beginning, when you hold auditions, sell the show to your actors. Get them to take ownership of their roles and the play. Get them involved creatively, and give them some freedom in developing their characters.
Same goes for the crew. Be open to creative ideas from them as well as your actors. The more they feel they have a part in the creative process, the harder they will work toward your common goal.
When you're working with students, get the parents involved as well. Find out who can help you with preparing meals in between shows, tech work, sewing costumes, making props, applying makeup, marketing, and put them to work.
Empower your students and parents. Share the show with them, and together you will achieve so much more.
The word "bling" is dead. Thus saith Kanye West.
Not that I put a lot of stock in anything Kanye West says, but there's a lesson to be learned here. The English language is ever-evolving. Slang words pop up every day. A few make their way into the dictionary and stick around, words like "diss" and "d'oh." ost, however, die a very quick death, so quick that by the time you, the youth pastor, minister, or parent, discover its meaning, it's already dated.
Don't date yourself, and don't date your dramas with slang. Use good grammar and English rules.
And while we're on the subject, unless you plan to unleash that new drama script on your audience this week, avoid using pop culture references. Today it's Miley Cyrus/ Hannah Montana; yesterday it was Lindsay and Hillary; before that it was Britney and Christina. Anyone remember Tiffany and Debbie? Certain as the sunrise, tomorrow it will be someone new.
There are exceptions to every rule. If you're playing to an audience of thirtysomethings, there's no harm in getting a groan/laugh out of some blast from the past by having characters break into the Macarena. Just make sure you use it properly - as a VERY cheap gag - and don't try to play it off as today's runaway hit.
Credibility is important, especially when you're working with young people. And the best way to stay credible is... to avoid pop culture and slang period.
The Golden Compass is poised to unleash a second wave of evil and pagan conversions around the world with its impending release on DVD. Is your congregation ready?
Don't let Hollywood dupe you into selling tickets to their over-rated movies any more! Get "The Big Bad Movie" today, and let the truth come out.
Yes, I know the guy who wrote Compass is an avowed atheist who set out to write the "anti-Narnia." But they wouldn't have sold half the tickets they did without the word of mouth "don't see this movie" campaign we unwittingly waged on their behalf.
"The Big Bad Movie" is a free downloadable script from Righteous Insanity. (A royalty is due if the play is performed.) Get it at www.righteousinsanity.com/bigbad.html
Use public domain plays. Rather than playing up to $10 per script plus royalties, find a public domain play on the web to use. There's a lot of free Christian material, but don't feel constrained to that genre. Shakespeare, the Greeks, Marlowe, the Miracle Plays, Moliere, and plenty of other classic playwrights are available with no royalty. Download a script, edit as needed, and print as needed.
Borrow as much as you can before you buy or rent. We've been lucky at Christian Academy to have a parent on the board of a local theater. For four plays in a row, we have costumed as many as 30 kids without paying a dime in rental fees. If there's no theater to help out, find a church with a good prop and costume closet. If that's not available, poll the parents of your cast. Someone still has grandma and grandpa's old wardrobe in the attic.
Advertise your needs. Use message boards, email lists, church bulletin boards, newsletters, and any other resource available to make your needs known, be it as small as a derby hat or as large as a light board. Churches recycle lighting and sound equipment all the time. So do theaters. When you hear someone's getting new equipment, call and find out what they want. And don't forget to stock up on furniture. People toss out old couches and chairs all the time. You will need these, so grab when you can! For custom costume needs, find a seamstress. It's much cheaper to get some discount fabric and make your own costume than to buy or rent something elaborate - and you'll have that costume handy to use again one day.
Go to auctions and garage sales. Keep an open mind, and look for things that might have a good use. Don't spend money recklessly; those 10 matching genie costumes are cool, but when will you ever use them? Stock up on things that will get used over and over: Biblical costumes, robes, period dresses from the 19th and early 20th centuries, hats, coats, cowboy boots, etc.
Simplify your set design. A black backdrop is extremely versatile. Put a couch and chairs in front of it, it's a living room. A desk and chairs, it's an office. A few fake trees, and it becomes the jungle. Some used cardboard, duct tape, and whatever paint you and other parents have left over in the garage can probably create anything else you need.
Set up your own storage area. Whatever you buy, whatever gets donated, save it and use it until it falls apart at the seams. Keep your storage area neat to prevent excessive wear and tear. And for the actors sake, have the costumes cleaned after every show.
I used to yell a lot. Particularly in the last week of rehearsals, I would yell. I wouldn't say I screamed, and I never, ever cussed. But I got upset, and I yelled.
The kids? They laughed.
There's something about me angry that people find funny. I've been told I have kind of a George Costanza way when I get angry. I thought I was convincing. I did marching band staff for years, and I yelled a lot. (Granted, most of that yelling was simply to be heard.) But when I yelled in an environment where the kids were not at attention, they laughed. Worse, they pandered to me. "Okay, Mr. Cosper, settle down, don't have a heart attack, It'll be okay."
I took a new approach when I took my current teaching job. Having heard Tony Dungy on Focus on the Family radio discuss his own approach to leadership - to talk, to correct, but never to yell, especially in anger - I resolved I would not yell. The occasional call for quiet still happens; when thirty people in a big auditorium are jabbering and you don't have a megaphone, you have to get their attention. But when action was needed, I resolved not to yell.
Four days before opening night was my biggest test. The kids at school are all very busy, and many frequently miss rehearsals for athletics and other events. One scene in the play was suffering terribly because of absences, and the actors were in the mood to play. We stopped, and we talked. I didn't yell; I simply told them the scene was a disaster waiting to happen. It was bad, and had always been bad. And they all needed to work together to fix it.
That was all it took. The scene got better. I didn't have to scream. All I had to do was make it clear they had to do the work.
Happy to say what works on the football field also works in the theater. As Christians we can set an example and be a light, not just in Christian settings but beyond. I've seen directors rail and scream and swear, in high school and in the professional realm. It gets the job done... but it's terribly unattractive. I think Coach Dungy's kinder gentler approach not only does the same job, but it would definitely leave a more lasting impact for the kingdom.
1. Speak loudly, clearly and slowly.
2. Do not turn your back to the audience.
3. Do not upstage your fellow performers; don't stand in front when someone else should be center of attention.
4. Don't just memorize; learn WHY your character is saying the words they say, not just what they say.
5. Don't miss your cues; stay sharp and pay attention
And one more thing... no the gum on stage!!!
Which is more important: acting talent, or a heart for ministry?
No one can underestimate the value of a servant whose heart chases after God. When the heart is there, the Spirit is free to work. Egos are set aside, and the cross of Christ is put first in all things. When the heart is lacking, egos, busy schedules, and other priorities will quickly push your ministry to the backburner. Exalting of the self takes priority over exalting Christ.
But what if you have heart and no talent, no gift for acting? You might as well not do drama in the first place. Drama is useful because drama can reach where preaching cannot. When the skeptic, the seeker, or the doubter sees actors on stage, they relax. "I'm not going to be lectured; I'm going to be entertained." The mind is open, and the viewer sits up. "Here we are now, entertain us."
But if your actors are all heart and no talent, they'll sit back disappointed, mroe closed off than before. "Well, that was lame." You've lost them from the outset.
When you find people with the heart, cultivate the talent. Take them to acting classes and workshops. Study the craft of acting, and bring what you learn into rehearsals. Teach them about projecting their voices, portraying emotions, identifying character and subtext. Empower them to draw every ounce out of the 3-5 page script you downloaded of photocopied.
Odds are you won't have a lot of time to do this. None of us do. But make the time you have count. Make time to prepare for rehearsals. Plan ahead so you will come in prepared to teach and empower your actors, and not waste anyone's time. Know your crew, know what it takes to challenge them, and come ready to draw out the best in them.
The ones with heart will heed your challenge and rise to it. Give them and God your best, and they will do the same. Pursue excellence, so no person will have an excuse to not sit up and pay attention when you teach the gospel through drama.
We have a message that needs to be heard; do everything in your power to speak it well.
