July 22, 2022
-So, how to create a dramatic monologue? In this video, we will explore that question. So, how to create a dramatic monologue? How do I do that, Tom? -15 guide posts, 6 viewpoints, 4 parts of vocal variation and the 4 agreements. We call this the unshakable skill set also known as the physics of performance. We can break down for you, why something works, why it doesn't work? We'll, start with the guidepost. Number one, relationship, to whom are you speaking and what do you want from them? Now, guidepost 15 the last one is architecture. So, we start with the relationship which has to be very clear, very quickly. So, how to create a dramatic monologue? Make it a minute. Actors love to do four and five. You'll see cumulonimbus clouds going by our irises not good. So, architecture, it must begin in one place but you don't want it to end here you want it to end as far away from where it began as possible. Also known as architecture you may have heard of it as the arc of the role. The more of that distance you travel the more relationship we the audience will be in with you. Gotta have humor, that's guidepost 4. It's got to have mischief, it's guidepost 13. Even if it feels like it's the heaviest subject in the world that's where you especially need to layer in humor, layer and mischief. I often think of writing like musical notes but you can't really... Well, you can teach it, you can make one aware of it. You gotta have feel, don't just play the notes. If you're just playing the words they don't have your feelings in it. You know any piece of music, any good music producer. You know the middle eight we're gonna do this, we're gonna lay this in here. That's your job as an actor and the good news is it's actually your job to make these choices. I find that so many actors come in the door like do you want me to sit and I go, "Oh, wow, this is already over. This person is just a ball of free-floating anxiety", right. You've got to make choices and you've got to come in to change the molecules in the room. So, you got to come in like the fons hey, right. You've got to come in, "Who am I reading with, you? I'm ready, you ready? We're busy let's do this". But that confidence is born of choices that you make and that's what we'll give. So, we're jumping around with humor. Conflict, what's the sexual conflict? But we mentioned that at the beginning. What's the relationship? Conflict what am I fighting for. This is a hard thing to teach in that most of us in life are looking to smooth out the conflicts in our life. As an actor, you're looking for the conflict and how can you dial it up because that's what makes something interesting. Often in casting situations, someone will come in and go you're fighting harder than that and I might even give them an example and they're going thank you, thank you man, thank you and then they do two percent of what I just did. Because that's the relationship they have with their voice with their body and we all look at each other and go, "Wow, the guy seems so right for this picture is fantastic", but we're giving you a directive and you're avoiding the conflict. So, that's something to work on guys and that's why you really need to work on your voice every day so you're not afraid of it. So, when you go into a room you can trust that it'll be there for you and when they say you know and what's your name I go Tom and Tom, right? You want it to be there. You don't want Tom, you don't want that. -So, we'll have more information on how to create a dramatic monologue in just a minute. But take a minute right now and click on that subscribe button below. So, you just made me think also about, this is where having craft is so important and you can listen to these videos and it's all theory and it's so useful. But then you really gotta practice this stuff because it's not what we do intuitively or naturally. When we look at a script most actors if they don't have really solid technique or really solid craft we'll see a scene and they'll think oh, this is a dramatic scene or oh, this is a comedic scene and they'll play one note the whole way through or they'll play what's literally written on the page and they won't find any of the subtexts. They won't give it any structure and that's where you have to be again you have to have this technique and these tools that we're introducing are what give or what set you apart from pretty much any other actor that's going to walk into the room. They're going to walk in the room and they're all going to read it the same way which is why maybe this has happened to you. You've been called in on an audition and they say, "Okay, prepare these five scenes", and then when you get there on the day they go, "Actuall,y we're just going to read just one", the reason that happened is because everyone was reading all of the scenes the exact same way. They didn't give it any architecture as you were talking about before guidepost 15. -Architecture. -Fight, ask and fight for what you want. Say no to what you don't want. But remember folks to walk into a room of strangers or even record yourself this way or it's a live zoom audition and suddenly get vocal with somebody you don't know you're raising your voice. That feels everything inside you goes this is wildly inappropriate. Well, not according to the script. So, we're going to get your blocks and your issues or we're going to get the story. So, beware, understanding isn't enough. Yes, I understand. Okay, can you demonstrate that you understand it? Yeah, that's the difference. -And bringing up I mentioned this earlier but just why is it can you explain, why is it that pieces are not a comic scene or a dramatic scene or this is not an angry scene or a funny scene, it's right? -Well, the minute you say that you've eliminated so many possibilities. So, everything is everything. Haven't you been in an argument with someone and it hit such a feverish pitch that you both start laughing at how ridiculous you are and suddenly it turns comedic. You can be joking about something and suddenly a phrase can turn a certain way and go, "Hey", you go, "What is that that?", and you're like, "Oh, I'm just joking", no, I think you're just choking on the truth that's what I think. -Do I amuse you?. -Yeah, that's what I think. So, humor, Emily Pesci over here. -Yeah, the only way to become a really strong actor to where dramatic choices, choices rife with conflict will become instinctive to you is to work on great plays. There is no shortcut you have to work on the strongest writing, the most challenging writing, to become the strongest actor and the actor who then will challenge other actors, right. But there's no shortcut. Just as to be fit is always going to be a combination of diet, strength training, cardio, some genetics, it's always going to be that. There's never going to be a shortcut. -Yep and come learn about what is the strongest writing, how to find it. We guide you to that and then eventually you really learn how to recognize it for yourself and have a really strong point of view. -So, are you excited? Come see us on Saturday. -So, come observe a class and then let's get to work let's find your personalized strategy for your craft and your career. -You ready to train? You ready to get on the training train? -We'll see you there. Click on the link below.