Connecting Verb Action and Neuroscience in Acting
Personalities are complex and confusing while verbs are direct- containing movement and intent. They are what acting is all about. Can being a verb instead of a personality make us more effective people and our characters more effective characters? Psychology shows ‘I am’ statements to be powerful constructs that help us shape our idea of ourselves, but can also inhibit what we think we can do. If we decide we are verbs instead, our personalities constructed of nouns can no longer limit us.
I tried this out by embodying different action verbs on a piece. Instead of finding a verb for the personality of the character to use, I became the verb in that moment. I am fight. I am annoy. I am deflect. It doesn’t make complete grammatical sense, but I notice a feeling of ownership in the definition, and a lot of the ‘trying’ to do the action falls away. It forms a more direct link to what needs to be done and the spirit it needs to be done in. When we are effective, we become who we need to be to win the day. Can’t our characters also shed some of their self definition in favor of a strong being choice? What techniques help you cut to the meat of the action and deliver powerfully in scenes?
more thoughts at the blog caitlinburt.link
acting is doing. I want to kiss her is stronger than I love her...
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I find that understanding what I want in a scene is more effective for me. If I want something, when I don't get it I naturally respond to that which helps add a real emotional connection to the scene. If I want my best friend to give me a letter, when they refuse to hand it over there will be a real/realistic emotional response to that. I often find that people are very similar in general. What separates them is what they desire/value.