Comments on: How To Get Rid Of Memorized Vocal Patterns http://theactingroom.com/2008/06/06/how-to-get-rid-of-memorized-vocal-patterns/ The Acting Room is a place by actors for actors. Sun, 20 May 2012 03:04:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 By: Kirsten Tretbar http://theactingroom.com/2008/06/06/how-to-get-rid-of-memorized-vocal-patterns/#comment-219 Kirsten Tretbar Sat, 03 Jan 2009 07:02:44 +0000 http://theactingroom.com/2008/06/06/how-to-get-rid-of-memorized-vocal-patterns/#comment-219 Tory - First of all, I find it absolutely the incorrect way to view line readings as having either "the right or the wrong" inflections and emotions. Lines should not, in my opinion, be thought of that way, nor should emotionality, or the way you say the lines. A director you work with may tell you to say your lines a certain way, but in my opinion, that is not a very wise way to direct. Directors shouldn't say to the actor, "Say this line THIS way, which is the way I think SAD should be said!" That's odd. The directory may just be lazy and not want to help you, as an actor, discover the emotion in the line, or how to come about that emotion naturally. When a director is lazy, they often just give up and tell an actor to say the line a certain way. In my opinion, the best kind of acting has an actor just "be" in the emotional reality of the moment, based on the lines and the story, and some times the actor may say the line one way, another time, he or she may say the line a different way. There are a million different ways to say a line as an angry person, or a sad person. An angry person doesn't always yell. Sometimes they whisper. Sometimes they laugh. Sometimes the speak quickly, or slowly. You need to experiment with what the character is feeling, or trying NOT to feel, in the scene, and why they are feeling the way they are, also, what they WANT out of the scene (the objective) -- and then try several different ways of saying the lines. Also, if you, yourself, as an actor, have not ever felt the the emotions of your character, then it's important to find some kind of substitution that you can relate to, and then relive that experience in your mind and body, and try to remember how you reacted at the time. For example, if you are playing a character who is hitting someone, but you yourself have never hit someone, try to imagine a time in your life when you wanted to hit something, and maybe you just kicked your bed, and then try to use that feeling as a substitution feeling for the feeling your character is supposed to be feeling. Substitutions are great for coming up with certain behaviors that you yourself don't feel connected to in your character. Maybe your character is laughing wildly, and you don't find the lines or the scene funny at all. Well, if you remember something silly that your friend did last week that made you laugh hysterically, then just imagine that's what you're hearing, then you'll laugh more naturally during your scene. Good luck, and keep up all your hard work, and just keep trying! Tory - First of all, I find it absolutely the incorrect way to view line readings as having either “the right or the wrong” inflections and emotions. Lines should not, in my opinion, be thought of that way, nor should emotionality, or the way you say the lines. A director you work with may tell you to say your lines a certain way, but in my opinion, that is not a very wise way to direct. Directors shouldn’t say to the actor, “Say this line THIS way, which is the way I think SAD should be said!” That’s odd. The directory may just be lazy and not want to help you, as an actor, discover the emotion in the line, or how to come about that emotion naturally. When a director is lazy, they often just give up and tell an actor to say the line a certain way. In my opinion, the best kind of acting has an actor just “be” in the emotional reality of the moment, based on the lines and the story, and some times the actor may say the line one way, another time, he or she may say the line a different way. There are a million different ways to say a line as an angry person, or a sad person. An angry person doesn’t always yell. Sometimes they whisper. Sometimes they laugh. Sometimes the speak quickly, or slowly. You need to experiment with what the character is feeling, or trying NOT to feel, in the scene, and why they are feeling the way they are, also, what they WANT out of the scene (the objective) — and then try several different ways of saying the lines. Also, if you, yourself, as an actor, have not ever felt the the emotions of your character, then it’s important to find some kind of substitution that you can relate to, and then relive that experience in your mind and body, and try to remember how you reacted at the time. For example, if you are playing a character who is hitting someone, but you yourself have never hit someone, try to imagine a time in your life when you wanted to hit something, and maybe you just kicked your bed, and then try to use that feeling as a substitution feeling for the feeling your character is supposed to be feeling. Substitutions are great for coming up with certain behaviors that you yourself don’t feel connected to in your character. Maybe your character is laughing wildly, and you don’t find the lines or the scene funny at all. Well, if you remember something silly that your friend did last week that made you laugh hysterically, then just imagine that’s what you’re hearing, then you’ll laugh more naturally during your scene. Good luck, and keep up all your hard work, and just keep trying!

]]> By: Tory http://theactingroom.com/2008/06/06/how-to-get-rid-of-memorized-vocal-patterns/#comment-218 Tory Fri, 02 Jan 2009 21:35:16 +0000 http://theactingroom.com/2008/06/06/how-to-get-rid-of-memorized-vocal-patterns/#comment-218 A friend of mine memorizes his lines in monotone speed-throughs. The only problem is then when we actually rehearse he doesn't realize that he does not change the way he performs those lines when actually rehearsing. How do you think I can help him get the right inflection and emotion ? Also do you or anyone else know how to memorize the emotions a character is showing in there voice?The director told me how to say the lines and I think I said them right .But the next rehearsal I forgot how to say the lines the way my character was feeling.Usually I can hear in my head the way my character is feeling and how my lines should sound .But now when I rehearse my lines aloud I have allot of problems with expressing feelings in my voice that I have never felt.Please help me with my question thank you. A friend of mine memorizes his lines in monotone speed-throughs. The only problem is then when we actually rehearse he doesn’t realize that he does not change the way he performs those lines when actually rehearsing. How do you think I can help him get the right inflection and emotion ?

Also do you or anyone else know how to memorize the emotions a character is showing in there voice?The director told me how to say the lines and I think I said them right .But the next rehearsal I forgot how to say the lines the way my character was feeling.Usually I can hear in my head the way my character is feeling and how my lines should sound .But now when I rehearse my lines aloud I have allot of problems with expressing feelings in my voice that I have never felt.Please help me with my question thank you.

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