Acting: Truly THAT Hard?- Page 2

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 12:42pm

But didnt Miss Caswell study at the Copacabana School of Dramatic Art?

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 12:43pm

I think acting truly is "that hard." I've done children's theater and let me tell you, it's a freaking work-out trying to entertain those children. It's not a walk in the park, and it's not as easy as everyone says it is. The point is to make it look effortless - which is why everyone thinks it's so easy. And I do think you need training. Sure, a good director can probably teach you a lot, but there are just some basics that I would have never learned had I not gone to school for it. Just learning how to notice things before you say something, or thinking about a word before you speak it - things that just seem so "duh" but you never realize it until someone says it.

Dancing and singing a tough score 8x a week is work. It isn't easy work, but it something that these people enjoy. Just because they make it look fun and effortless doesn't mean they aren't gasping for air when they walk off-stage.

[colleen_lee]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 12:44pm

^

Exactly.

Emoting. A first exposure, feeling, reading, etc. is often one of the easiest parts. It's spontaneous and genuine. But, when you've entered an extended run following a rehearsal period of any substantial length is when acting really had to come in to play. You're saying the same words, feeling the same things, telling the same truths night after night, sometimes multiple times in one day, and yet you have to live it like it's the first time every single time.

[OnMyWay]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 12:48pm

Acting is hard. It is debatable whether the preparation (aka study) is necessary.

I have had a lot of acting training in several different methods, and I credit any talent I have to that training. However, I have seen many great performances by untrained actors. On a similar note, I have seen many terrible performances by very trained actors.

I have rarely seen great acting (by my standards) from someone who just graduated from high school and didn't go to college or a conservatory. I doubt this is due to a lesser amount of training, but more likely is due to a lack of personal growth and maturity. I don't believe anyone is ready to go "live the dream" and move to New York or wherever until they grow up a few years.

Back to the topic, yes, acting is hard!!! Most needs lots of training to be truthful as many different characters. Even those without training still have to work very hard.

It infuriates me that this is the only career that is judged so subjectively. No one believes they can do their hairdressers job better than their hairdresser. No one believes they can do their lawyers job better than their lawyer. If they thought that, they wouldn't be giving them money. But everyone in an audience thinks they could "act" a role better. YES! IT IS HARD WORK!

[G_Schlozinski2]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 12:50pm

indeed, Miss Caswell's star rose like the sun in the east when she applied the skills she attained at the CSDA!

now... what exactly WAS Miss Caswell's star... er, ... career?

by the way, i've often done my lawyer's work for him... but i'd NEVER attempt to do an actor's job! well... maybe a soap actor's job (three reps of ten, followed by an hour on the stairmaster, then the abs... do you think i should drape the towel over my neck for the scene where edward tells the contessa he's been having an affair with jonathan?)






Updated On: 7/17/07 at 12:50 PM

[Cruel_Sandwich]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 1:16pm

What about film acting?

[siny]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 1:23pm

I think acting is VERY hard. I know I could never do it even with all the training in the world. That said, I wonder if you really need a degree in theater to be a good actor provided you have natural talent. I just saw someone step into an off-Broadway role with no training or experience whatsoever (not even in high school plays) and do a very good job at it. Of course it's not a Shakespeare play, but still..... So, if you are a born actor, do you really need all that training ? I have no idea.

[G_Schlozinski2]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 1:36pm

re: "What about film acting?"

well... what ABOUT film acting? what do you want to know?
film is the director's medium. (consider: Bob Fossee got Marisa Berenson to react as he wanted her to in the scene where she opens the door to find her little dog dead on the doorstep by putting ... no, not a real dead dog, but a hunk of real entrails where the little dog would be...)

different medium, different skills, different motivations, different, different, different... not easier, harder, better or worse, just... different.

that's why it's so unusual to find an individual actor who excels across media.
Updated On: 7/17/07 at 01:36 PM

[broadway86]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 3:14pm

I think it is definitely that hard, but also (at times) very enjoyable. However, cetain individuals have instincts and resources that come more naturally than others (Jodie Foster).

Among other things, my favorite part is finding the specificity in each character I play (their needs, objectives, secrets, etc.). It's the detective work that is fun, making choices that get me excited and curious.

[Mythus]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 3:26pm

I was just talking about this earlier, with my run crew buddies backstage. I've been on both sides of the pond, and I think they can be equally as difficult. It also depends on the show, I think. Right now we're doing High School Musical Jr, which doesn't take a whole lot of depth, but there's big set pieces and fast scene changes. So in this case, it's a lot easier to be an actor, while we wheel you onstage on your wagon.

[Tkt2Ride]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 3:51pm

I like the "anyone can cook", obviously, you never met my Mother. For some, talent is innate but for others, it takes more perspective. Experience in life is good but you are speaking from living a full life. Very few have the real courage to do that. If you are a very nervous person, acting may not be the best route for you. Some though overcome it. It is really a choice. Whether you are enjoying yourself is truly the result of what you put into it.

I give you the "liar". Some people are so good, they fool everyone. Then there are others, who are so bad at it, you see right through them. What Acting School gives you is perspective. We are not always our best judge. Someone who has succeeded in the business and has experience does offer Actors technical skills.

It also allows those who are inexperienced to act in a environment that can be encouraging, if you have the right coach. As with all schools, you go by their success' to be your judge.

So everyone can pretend to be someone or something. The difference comes from the Actors ability to let go and be someone else. The more they allow themselves to be that character, the better the performance. That is why we give more credit to Actors who aren't afraid to cover their faces or drastically alter their appearances because it is truly the test of vanity.

Most people have their limits of what they are willing to do in front of a lot of strangers. You have to be willing to fail and work can be very random. So I would say, everyone can pretend to be some things, some won't, others can't and the rest who aren't, just don't want to.

There are so many things to do in life. I have seen people overcome so many obstacles because they really wanted to. I think those who truly want to do well, usually do. It does however take time and practice to turn into someone you have never been before. I have noticed, many Actors don't bother doing their homework or practice as much as they should and you see it on the stage. It is their Career though. Some try very hard and fail because it just isn't something they are very good at.

This is true however in all things. Some people are bad with numbers, can't write or shouldn't sing. Some can't talk, hear or listen. So, for some it is that hard, for others it is easy. Just like everything else in life.

[touchmeinthemorning]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 3:54pm

For some, training helps. For some, training hurts. It depends on who is training and who is being trained.

Overall, acting is like anything else -- it can be as difficult or as simple as you allow it to be.

[Sister George]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 5:15pm

Acting is not that hard if you're good at it - but if you are good at it, it is hard to be great at it.

Not everybody can do it and I speak as a very happy failed actor, (I knew I was Ok but I wasn't great, so why bother?).

I think 'acting' really is a natural talent, in much the same way that somebody could teach me to play the piano every day for the rest of my life and I might finally (and in my case I emphasis might) achieve competence, but I would never progress beyond that. Where as some people could become a competent piano player in a day.

But let's face it if we're being honest in terms of effort and enjoyment there are a great many professions that are a great deal harder.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 5:23pm

Acting isn't hard at all. Acting well is extremely difficult. Not everyone needs "training", it's true, but you will notice that most of the best actors have received training of some sort whether it is through an accredited school or through the experience of working with several talented directors and artists. There is a LOT of training involved when working with a good director.

And then there is the issue of talent. Some have it and some don't. The amount of natural talent one has usually determines the amount of training required. Some can train for years with the best instructors and still only achieve mediocre results. Life experience does not automatically assure anyone they can be a good actor or require less training. A 65 year-old woman who's been to hell and back and kicked Satan in the ass can't necessarily pick up a script and go home with a Tony.

Acting well is something very specific, incredibly complex, yet instantly recognizable in many cases to most audiences, trained or not. And in my experience, it is achieved through a combination of experience, talent, and training in different schools of thought so that you may assemble the tools required for your own specific needs. No one particular style or method works for everyone. That is why training can be very important. The more you learn about different methods and styles, the more tools you have at your fingertips to create the desired effect for a given period, style, setting, dialect, and genre.

Knowledge is power. Training is knowledge.

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 5:49pm

Ask Mozart if playing the piano is hard.

Some people can do it, and some can't.

Some have a natural gift, and others have to work ten times as hard to achieve the same results.

I think the problem here is you're only looking at yourself, if you've reached this conclusion.

Something that is perceived as "easy" for you... so you think it must be the same exact experience for everyone else, because you represent "all people." It's not. And you don't.

That's true with everything, not just acting.

But acting is more than just tapping into your emotions and being able to communicate them effectively. That's fine if you always want to "play yourself."

If you want to be a versatile artist, you'll need to study or practice a variety of things from accents to movement, etc. You'll need to be able to research your characters, and study history and the history of human nature, not just throw on the costume and "behave." Again, this can come easy to some, or not.

But most of the really good actors I see are aware of life, not just self-aware. The more that actors become wrapped up in themselves the less they will have to pull from as artists, and the more limited they become in their work.

[ashbash1990]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 7:55pm

yes, Acting is hard... i think that at least SOME training is needed (Boleslavsky's "The First Six Lessons" is a MUST), but some people emote and get away with it...

[me2]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 8:03pm

I think acting IS hard work. I know a young girl who has had natural stage presence since childhood. She lights up the stage and has the natural ability to give things life on stage. BUT because she's never had training, she's not that strong of an actress. With strong directing, she does well because she's not making the choices, but she could be amazing, if . . .

I do think that many people could be Tom Cruise or Sandra Bullock, they just don't get the breaks, aren't willing to work hard, or don't train themselves.

I don't think anyone can do the stage. There are some people who naturally get it, but that's very few and far between. If that were the case, who'd need Broadway? We could go see ANNIE at that community theatre and be wowed. But we're not. We're usually shaking our heads and wondering how the original ever made it out of previews.
Broadway Blog: 50 Amazing Broadway Performers in 50 Weekdays

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 8:14pm

I think you're all forgetting what happens beside the actual acting. There is so much work to be done before you're in front of an audience - sometimes THAT'S the hardest part. The research. The decisions. The risks, choices. The sheer exhaustion of a creative process.

[elphaba.scares.me]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 8:15pm

Yes. Acting is that hard. At least if you don't want to suck.

No. Not everyone needs training. But most benefit from it. For every Johnny Depp, there are ten thousand Richard Griecos.

You can learn a lot on the job, but there's no substitute for studying Ibsen and Williams and Miller and Pinter and the Greeks and Shakespeare and Chekhov. You will never do as many shows in your life as you can cover in class.

The best teacher I ever had (who used to run the grad program at Yale, so he knows of what he speaks) said that "talent is merely the willingness to live under imaginary cirumstances. All the rest is technique." I think that's genius, and I think there is a hell of a lot more to acting than just that willingness. How does the character stand? How do they speak? How do they listen? What do they see in others? What do they value?

And may I respectfully submit that in my experience, most people who don't take the time to train are not JUST THAT AMAZING. They're...well...lazy.

But by all means, if you think you've got the stuff, drop out of school and prove me wrong.



Updated On: 7/17/07 at 08:15 PM

[Raviolisun]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 8:22pm

It's the hardest thing I've ever done. So I'm going to go with yes.

[rgaywrites]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 8:52pm

Is acting hard? Not necessarily. Is acting well hard? Yes. As with any artistic endeavor, you don't absolutely have to go to school to be a good actor, but it helps to learn the history of your craft and to learn the many different approaches you might take. And as most working actors will tell you, what you learn in school is only a foundation. You learn most on the job. And acting isn't just doing the job once, its doing it over and over and finding ways of keeping the performance fresh both for you and your audience.

As a writer, people often ask me what it takes to be a good writer. You don't necessarily need to go to school, but it helps to have a diverse and liberal education. It helps to know about mechanics. It helps to know how to conduct research. The creativity and the passion, the original ideas, the qualities of good writing (or acting, painting, or singing) that are hard to define, are all the things that cannot be learned in the classroom.

[Thesbijean]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 8:59pm

Training isn't aimed at making you a good actor. Training is (supposed to be) about the "actor" learning about themself: their emotions, their bodies, their minds. Opening yourself up. Any serious acting instructor will give you the same answer. Simple as that. That is why training I believe is a necessity. I'm not saying you need to major in it for 4 years at college, but training will ONLY help you, and make you stronger, on and off the stage.

As for acting being hard, it shouldn't be viewed in that mindset. Acting isn't easy, acting isn't hard. Acting IS reacting. Being able to be in touch with oneself while inhabitating another character. This ties into what training is really about. Updated On: 7/17/07 at 08:59 PM

[Ourtime992]

Posted: 7/17/07 at 11:31pm

I appreciate all of you who have given thoughtful answers to this question, but if you'd ever paid attention to the other threads Cruel_Sandwich started, you wouldn't have bothered. Great discussion anyway.

[G_Schlozinski2]

Posted: 7/18/07 at 12:12am

Now here's a concept wherein stage performers wouldn't have to work hard honing their acting skills, or even act at all:

Reality Broadway

Anything on the Bravo TV Network would work.
How about, "hey paula: the musical"
or, "top chef" a dark journey into the mind of a young man obsessed with beef wellington,
or, "workout" starring KD Lang, with book and lyrics by Melissa Etheridge,
and the limited engagement, "QVC at the Palace" - running while supplies last!




Updated On: 7/18/07 at 12:12 AM

[flicker_]

Posted: 7/18/07 at 12:13am

Acting is not hard.

Acting WELL is VERY hard.

I think that the main reason that acting well and acting genuine is so difficult is that you have to allow yourself to be vulnerable. And, being vulnerable is not something most humans want to do. But I think it is only through this vulnerability that emotions can be fully and truthfully tapped into. You can't be strong. You have to allow yourself to be emotionally affected by the material and your character. You can't resist, but rather allow. In addition to this, you have to remain genuine while playing something that may be completely different from your actual self. It's like being unnatural, in a completely natural way.

Point is, acting well is hard. While not everyone needs professional or college training, I think every actor who intends to act well should have as much experience as possible, both on stage (or film) and in life.