Acting

John Leahy
Digital Film and Video Production

Acting
Is the work of an actor or actress, which is a person in
theatre, television, film, or any other storytelling medium
who tells the story by portraying a character and usually,
speaking or singing the written text or play.

History of Acting
Acting first originated in Greece in the 6th century BC
This art form has evolved over its lifetime and continues
to evolve today
Greek actor Thespis is widely regarded as the founder of
acting
Aristotle, Greek philosopher, defined acting as the right
management of the voice to express various emotions
While acting started to decline, the tradition was kept
alive by jugglers, acrobats and mimes who entertained
crowds at town fairs

History of Acting Continued

Acting takes an enormous jump in the 16th century, when modern
professional acting began to emerge through Italian comedy. William
Shakespeare was the most skilled in this particular style of playwriting and
certainly one of the best
Centuries later the introduction of motion pictures and television
entertainment began to offer a wealth of opportunities and associated
stardom to aspiring actors and actresses and began to change the art of
acting forever
In the early 20th century, the Academy Awards were launched and the
profession of acting finally began to be properly recognized as an admirable
and authentic professional pursuit

Movie and TV Acting Versus Theater Acting

Theatre acting is considered to be more prestigious than

film and TV acting.
Film and Television acting occurs in segments and scenes.
Where as theater actors act out entire stories from start
the finish every night.
A film or TV actor can spend an entire day shooting only a
few scenes. The worst takes will be edited out in the final
version. A theater actor cant hide bad acting
For TV actor looks are more important with talent being
secondary.

Movie and TV Acting Versus

Theater Acting Cont
Not all theater actors can make the transition to film and
TV. While some TV and film actors cant make the
transition to theater.
Theater acting is more demanding and his more
responsibilities. As a theater actor you must perform night
after night and the reaction from the audience will tell you
what works and what doesnt. Performing for the camera
doesn't let you know the audiences reaction until the film
is released.
Acting in film and TV allows actors to experiment more
freely with their acting and then the director will choose

Movie and TV Acting Versus

Theater Acting Cont
Most stage actors have to work on their craft for years
before they can even be the lead in a hit Broadway play.
Acting on a TV show or film can launch a career over
night.
A lot time in filming TV shows and movies, many scenes
are shot out of order. Sometimes the final scene may be
shot on the first day of shooting.

Training Techniques
Affective Memory- used to refer to use of the actor's
memory to find things in his/her life that are similar to, or
could evoke, the emotions required by the character on
stage.
Emotional Memory- been able to remember feelings from
the past.
Sense Memory- remembering sensations.
Substitution- mentally replacing the thing / person in the
play with something / someone in real life).

Types of Acting and

Techniques
Meisner Acting Techniques- is an acting technique developed by the
Sanford Meisner, which develops acting from an internal source,
through emotional recall and sense memory.
Method Acting- in the dramatic arts this refers to a range of techniques
for training actors to achieve better characterizations of the characters
they play.
Classical Acting-based on the theories and systems of select classical
actors and directors including Constantin Stanislavski and Michel
Saint-Denis, including the expression of the body, voice, imagination,
personalizing, improvisation, external stimuli, and script analysis.

Types of Acting and

Techniques
Improvising- create and perform (music, drama, or verse)
spontaneously or without preparation.
Experimental Acting- the presentation of innovative works and the
development of new concepts and techniques in stage production.
Motion-Capture Acting- is a type of acting in which an actor wears
markers or sensors on a skintight bodysuit or directly on the skin.
Character Comedy- genre in which a comedian performs as though
he were a character created by himself or herself.

 List of Actors and Actresses from the Golden Age of Hollywood

Charlie Chapin
James Cagney
Jimmy Stewart
Humphrey Bogart
Marlon Brando

Lucile Ball
Katharine Hepburn
Judy Garland
Marilyn Monroe
Lauren Bacall

Cary Grant
John Wayne
Mickey Rooney
Margaret Hamilton
Laurel and Hardy

Golden Age Films 1930-1959

A List of New Hollywood Actors and Actresses 1960-1980

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Woody Allen
Jack Nicholson
Robert De Niro
Al Pacino
Harrison Ford
James Caan

Carrie Fisher
Gene Wilder
Susan Sarandon
Peter Boyle
Meryl Streep
Clint Eastwood
Barbara Streisand
Robert Duvall
Liza Minnelli
Christopher Walken
Richard Dreyfuss
Donald Sutherland

New Hollywood Films 1960-1980