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A reflective analysis of my understanding of the importance of being receptive to my surroundings and my impulses as an actor to enhance truthfulness on screen. $15.43   Add to cart

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A reflective analysis of my understanding of the importance of being receptive to my surroundings and my impulses as an actor to enhance truthfulness on screen.

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This reflective essay will delve into the crucial exploration of receptiveness and its profound impact on the authenticity of my performance as an actor on screen. Moreover, I will reflect on the focus required to immerse myself in a state of receptiveness and the transformative adjustments to my a...

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  • September 21, 2024
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Acting for Screen


A reflective analysis of my understanding of the importance of being receptive to my

surroundings and my impulses as an actor to enhance truthfulness on screen.



This reflective essay will delve into the crucial exploration of receptiveness and its profound

impact on the authenticity of my performance as an actor on screen. Upon reflection, I

particularly struggled throughout this module with the truthfulness of my performances,

sensing when watching myself back on screen that I was more often portraying emotions

rather than allowing them to unfold naturally. In an attempt to improve the authenticity of my

performances, I was influenced not only by following specific models of acting taught in

practical sessions and through individual research but also by constructive feedback received

from the module convenor, Dr Bryan Brown. Bryan consistently underscored the idea that in

acting, receptivity, impulses, and the significance of listening are essential elements that

contribute to a performer's ability to deliver truthful performances on screen. These were

commonly related to the Meisner techniques, a distinctive approach to acting developed by

Stanford Meisner himself. Kevin Otos identifies three fundamental principles in the Meisner

Technique; ‘The Importance of the Other Person, The Reality of Doing, and Impulse’ (Otos,

2021: 27). As a technique that is often regarded as one of the most impactful methods for

performing on screen (Otos, 2021: 155), I intend to explore these core concepts and discuss

the extent to which acting methods have been instrumental in enhancing my acting on-screen.

In learning to apply these acting theories, I particularly feel the most transformative outcomes

of my acting stemmed from a concentrated state of receptivity and a commitment to

understanding the importance of relying on my instincts. I aim to reflect on my progress in

understanding these concepts and explore the resulting implications and outcomes. Although

it has been exclaimed that ‘Acting in any medium requires a constant state of receptivity’

(Anon, n.d.), my reflection will delve into the essential reliance on receptivity as a screen

, Acting for Screen


actor. In contrast to a stage actor, the fragmented nature of a screen actor's performance

demands complete receptiveness in the immediate moment of a scene, as opposed to drawing

on the emotional momentum built from previous moments on stage. In explaining the

importance of focusing on your responses as an actor, Patrick Tucker recognises the necessity

for actors to adapt their technique from the stage, acknowledging that a character's reactions

hold greater importance (Tucker, 2023: 12). In explaining his insights on the essence of

compelling screen performance in his book "Secrets of Screen Acting," Tucker underscores

the significance of reacting when performing in front of a camera. He articulates that ‘screen

acting is as much about reacting as it is about acting’ (Tucker, 2023: 81) and emphasises the

notion that ‘movie acting is reacting’ (Tucker, 2023: 81). Moreover, I will reflect on the

focus required to immerse myself in a state of receptiveness and the transformative

adjustments to my acting process. In alignment with this perspective, Churcher also

subscribes to the belief that ‘Acting is interacting, reacting, and being in that moment’

(Churcher, 2014:152) which resonates strongly with not only Tucker's argument but also the

essence of the Meisner technique. Furthermore, these statements encapsulate the focal points

of my analysis in this essay, emphasising the significance of being fully present mentally and

physically, relying on my impulses, and maintaining an active engagement with fellow

actors.



As I reflect on the practical exercises we undertook this term, the significance of

receptivity was consistently emphasised and, therefore, heavily influenced how I performed

in both my monologues and duologues. This theme resurfaced notably during a repetition

exercise where Rachel and I had to repeat “You have brown eyes” back and forth to each

other. This repetition exercise is one of the key training associated with the Meisner

Technique and is seen as, according to Otos, ‘one of Meisner’s great contributions to actor

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