What makes a great actor?

Discussion in 'Free Thoughts' started by Carcano, Aug 2, 2008.

  1. Carcano Valued Senior Member

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    I think all great actors have some sort of method.

    For Marlon Brando it was to always use a prop.

    Jack Black uses his highly trained eyebrows in the same way Marilyn Monroe used her lips to emote.

    All of them understand how to use stillness to add contrast...in the same way music uses silence.

    Your thoughts please???
     
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  3. superstring01 Moderator

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    The ability to act.

    ~String
     
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  5. Mr.Spock Back from the dead Valued Senior Member

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    the ability to make others think he is a great actor. the more who think of him as great, the greater he is.
     
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  7. BarbieGirl14 Registered Senior Member

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    i think its the ability to litterally put yourself in your characters place... to actually feel your characters emotions and firmly make yourself belive your that person... then to be able to step out of it when your done.
     
  8. cosmictraveler Be kind to yourself always. Valued Senior Member

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    The ability to convince those watching you perform that they are involved in whatever it is your doing. By making them fel a part of the play, movie or whatever you involve them and draw them into the event.
     
  9. Cazzo Registered Senior Member

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    The ability to "put-out" occasionally for some of the gay producers, writers, directors, and other bigwigs in Hollywood.

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  10. Carcano Valued Senior Member

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    Theres a good answer...but how is this accomplished???
     
  11. Carcano Valued Senior Member

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    Marlon Brando commented on this theory once. He said something to the effect that accuracy of portrayal isnt enough...it also has to be beautiful.

    The best actors can make even ugliness a beautiful thing to behold.
     
  12. BarbieGirl14 Registered Senior Member

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    umm.... well... ok this is kinda making myself look bad.. but its the internet so i dont care what you think of me... besides you may learn something and since this is science... thats good


    ok.. i think... like lets say you stole a cookie from the cookie jar... and your dad is like... it was either you that took it or it was your brother....

    you in your mind know it was you right... so your going to have alot harder time convincing him it wasnt you then your brother.. who is truely innocent..

    i remember doing this one time when i was younger... i would kinda ask myself in my mind.. "what if i really didnt take it.. how fair would this be" and then i play of that.. in the event that i didnt take it.. this would suck that im getting blames for somthing i didnt do... and then you defend it to the end.. keeping in your mind that i didnt take it!! THIS IS SO UNFAIR!

    so i guess you just tell yourself.. what if this really was me... then play of that...




    other times you want to choose the correct attitude... like when im talking to my dad... if hes mad at me.. i have to choose.. do i want to act confident... uncareing... extremely scared... nervous? what behavior should i act to best benifit my situation...

    recently i got in trouble with my dad for sneaking out with some boy.. "as you know".. and i told myself.. i will act as nervous and scared as possible... so when i was talking to him.. i was thinking to myself.. omg im so nervous omg omg and i put on the face that you would have... big wide open eyes.. mouth patially open.. occasionally take a deep breath letting your body shake when you let it out which makes you shake more... playing with your hand.. like squeezing your hands REALLY tight together like your scared... ummm... studdering.. like exhale right before you are about to say it.. and then in the middle of the exhale you speak.. stop.. finish... totally mess up your words and then that sends your mind into panic mode and it almost messes them up for you.. i mean i guess you just really convince yourself that your scared... i mean.. like when i was done talking to him he was like omg whats wrong.. and i was litterally in tears.. i had nothing really to be sad about.. he hadnt even told me i was grounded yet or anythihng he was just simply asking about it... its just that i made myself so nervous and scared that i was in tears...

    this is the best way i can explain it... im not EXACTLY sure how i do it.. and like its not somthing you can just like turn on... you have to run it through your mind a couple times to review it and stuff... but idk...

    maby there is someone in here that can explain to me what exactly im doing that makes it work... maby a physocologist or somthing?
     
  13. Carcano Valued Senior Member

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    What youre really saying here is that...you lie to others best when you lie to yourself first.
     
  14. BarbieGirl14 Registered Senior Member

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    hmmm... that sounds so so bad... but i think thats completely accurate..

    but i mean.. you still KNOW the truth.. its just you put it in the back of your mind for that moment... its not like your in denial to yourself. your just using the best strategy to seem as real as possible.
     
  15. cosmictraveler Be kind to yourself always. Valued Senior Member

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    By understanding as best you can the part or the portrayal of whoever or whatever you are acting about. To become as close to the part as you can without sacrificing your sanity while doing so. Trying to figure out a character is a very hard thing for actors so I'd think if they could talk to the writers that made up the characters would be a good idea or reading what the character is all about and interpreting them in your own way would also be interesting as well. A great actor can see what must be done with every role they play and mold it into something that others will be drawn to.
     
    Last edited: Aug 2, 2008
  16. Orleander OH JOY!!!! Valued Senior Member

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    a great actor makes you care about the imaginary character they are portraying. I cried when Wilson the volleyball got lost at sea in Castaway. Tom Hanks made me care about a damn volleyball. That is a great actor.
     
  17. BarbieGirl14 Registered Senior Member

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    i dont think you cared about the volleyball...

    i think you felt more sorry for tom hanks LOSING the ball, and feeling bad... then you cared about the ball...


    besides the ball left him... he was yelling for the ball to come back but it didnt.. its the balls fault for leaving lol
     
  18. Orleander OH JOY!!!! Valued Senior Member

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    No, I cried for the ball. All alone on the ocean. Lost forever. I'm lame like that.

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  19. cosmictraveler Be kind to yourself always. Valued Senior Member

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    I think Tom mistreated that ball and it wanted to get away from the treatment it was given. Being kicked around isn't something anyone should have done to them...freedom for balls everywhere!

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  20. lucifers angel same shit, differant day!! Registered Senior Member

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    Martin sheen is a briliant actor because he has expierence, and he can make people smile, he seems to act to the audiance, he makes us see what he is seeing
     

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