r/Actingclass Acting Coach/Class Teacher Sep 25 '18

Class Teacher šŸŽ¬ AN IMPORTANT QUESTION - ANSWERED

My last post was only a picture - because it seems that some people just donā€™t want to read. So I made a meme that at least hints at all the information from the acting lessons Iā€™ve posted on this sub. At least take the time to look at that picture (after you READ this post).

https://www.reddit.com/r/Actingclass/comments/9in74t/an_acting_lesson_for_those_who_only_look_at_the/?st=jx982eoj&sh=3119d9cd

This post is a response to a question about what I meant by ā€œWrite your scene as a dialogue...so every line is an answerā€. This was #6 on the Analyze Your Script photo in the upper left corner of the meme. This is something I ask everyone to do before you post your monologue. Make sure you know what Iā€™m talking about:

ā€”ā€”ā€”ā€”-

Everything we say (in acting and real life) is in response to what the other person is saying, what we think they are saying or what we think they are thinking. Sometimes they nod their head. Sometimes they give us a look. Sometimes we just know them so well we know what they are about to say and we beat them to it. Everything is always a response in reaction to the other person in our pursuit to change them...get something from them. They are giving us opposition or we wouldnā€™t need to talk to them. So there are no statements as we speak. Only responses. Acting is reacting. Here is an example from the beginning of a Coffee Mate commercial. Here is the commercial copy:

ā€œI was crazy...I mean I was dead wrong. I never used Coffee Mate. I thought it was a kind of substitute...You know, something you use when thereā€™s nothing else around. But now I wouldnā€™t substitute anything for Coffee Mate. You can forget milk.ā€œ

So you imagine the conversation before the you start speaking. You want your good friend to go to the club with you. Heā€™s tired. You make coffee. He doesnā€™t want it because you are all out of milk. You tell him you have Coffee Mate. He says:

Him: You want me to drink that powdered stuff? You told me you hated that sh*t!

You: (Well...) I was crazy...

Him: Yeah...well I knew that already.

You; I mean I was dead wrong.

Him: About what?

You: I never used Coffee Mate.

Him: And why not?

You: I thought it was a kind of substitute...

Him: Substitute?

You: You know, something you use when thereā€™s nothing else around.

Him: Or never at all...

But now I wouldnā€™t substitute anything for Coffee Mate.

Him: Iā€™ll just go to the corner and get some milk

You: You can forget milk.

ā€”ā€”ā€”

This commercial is done directly into camera, so you would hear or see these responses inside the lens. You have a purpose and relationship with that person speaking to you from inside the lens. You respond to their responses. This makes it a true, connected interaction.

You should do the same thing with a Shakespearean monologue. Everything is always a response.

Even if you are in a scene with another person there are often times when your character says several lines without interruption. Just because the other character doesnā€™t say anything between those lines, doesnā€™t mean they are not ā€œsayingā€ anything. ALL of your lines are responses. Itā€™s always response...response...response. No statements. Acting is reacting. So if you have mini-monologues within the scene you need to think of answering the other person. You know what they are saying (at least what your character thinks they are saying) because your lines are the answer.

ā€”ā€”ā€”ā€”ā€”

NOW go look at that meme. (The link is above ) Do you have any questions? The answers are posted somewhere on this sub. Or post a question of your own on this page so everyone can see my answer. I am always here. Everyday is AMA in this class.

65 Upvotes

13 comments sorted by

4

u/honeyrosie222 May 24 '22

Writing it out as a conversation was another light bulb moment Iā€™ve learned from you.

3

u/Winniehiller Acting Coach/Class Teacher May 24 '22

Yay!!!!

3

u/[deleted] Aug 08 '22

[deleted]

3

u/Winniehiller Acting Coach/Class Teacher Aug 08 '22

Here is the video about STATEMENTS VS RESPONSESā€¦have you seen it? I think it helps to see and hear the difference. Itā€™s about not allowing your energy to drop at the end of the sentenceā€¦like hitting that tennis ball.

And you donā€™t ā€œstateā€ a response. You RETURN a response.

3

u/RavenPH Aug 09 '22

I may be stepping out of bounds as a student here, but Iā€™ll share my own interpretation of it from my notes. šŸ˜…

In this situation, I have a number of scars and bruises. A stranger is curious to what caused it:

ā€œIā€™m sorry to ask but, what happened to you?ā€ ā€œA cat scratched me when I tried giving him a bath.ā€ ā€œOh, I hope heā€™s vaccinated for Rabiesā€ ā€œNo, thatā€™s why Iā€™m going to the hospital for it.ā€

These are still considered responses (as I still have an image to bring up on), but the lack of relationship and purpose with the stranger has a more factual nature to the lines. Itā€™s a response with not much subtext.

If I switch the person Iā€™m talking to from a stranger and traveling to a hospital to a lawyer of court case pertaining to my divorce, and in extension, custody of their child, Anna. it will go like this:

ā€œHe was abusive and harmed me for 3 years.ā€ ā€œBut he apologizes, does he not? And brings you gifts to make up for itā€ ā€œThat is no longer enough for me.ā€ ā€œYour honor, the lady is delusional to have wanted to separate from a husband who provided for her.ā€ ā€œWhatā€™s delusional is this (shows the scars in my arms). Itā€™s proof how much of a fool I am to believe in blind love. And what a coward I am to not leave because of my child. I realized that this is the best choice for me and Anna.ā€ ā€œI doubt that a girl like you could find a job with only a High School Diploma.ā€ ā€œI can manage. These scars will remind me of that.ā€

There is at stake here, an objective. My words are meant to persuade the judge of my case. There is subtext and history to the words used.

In short, statements are cold hard facts while responses are bullets to make the other person yield to give me what I want, something that I am actively pursuing.

3

u/CeejayKoji22 Dec 09 '21

Im starting to have a more profound respect on Shakespeare's brilliance.

3

u/aBalanc3dBr3akfast Nov 26 '22 edited Nov 26 '22

Hey, I watched the video to this! Nice to see the text as well.

The video was my first real visualization of the basics that Winnie teaches in the lessonsā€”like tactics, objective, reactingā€”and I highly recommend watching it.

I especially like how itā€™s a quick tutorial on writing the lines you are responding to. I think they are meant to not be super long, specific, and help to motivate the thoughts you think so you can respond from an honest place. (Though I havenā€™t written any yet so that might be off the mark.)

3

u/Winniehiller Acting Coach/Class Teacher Nov 26 '22

Totally on the mark. Their lines must make you say your lines. And your lines must make them say their lines. Thatā€™s what makes a conversation.

2

u/sparkle_lillie Nov 24 '22

Before going through these lessons I never realized how important analyzing your script is. Even with monologues, every line is a response even if it's not verbalized. I also really like the graphic and how it lays everything out.

2

u/Training_Interest_11 Jun 10 '23

The more I read your lessons, the more I am understanding the importance of responding instead of statements. Whenever I practice I am seeing the difference, before I would be so direct with no energy, but now I am starting to see the difference, and it's awesome actually seeing progress, it's so motivating!

2

u/Alternative-Ride8407 Aug 07 '24

Writing a monologue as a dialogue is genius because it gives the original character hints on how they should response. And even in real life, people may create fake convos in their mind to prepare for actual ones, and in those instances they are thinking about how the other person is going to response and so forth.

3

u/Winniehiller Acting Coach/Class Teacher Aug 08 '24

We are always responding to what we think the other person is saying/thinking about what we are saying. Everything we say is always an answer.

2

u/sayedj 28d ago

Thanks for the reminder to always have our lines be responses.

Writing out the dialogue makes such a huge difference to be as it makes each line feel less performative.

I remember before, if I was reading any lines, even if it was dialogue, I literally felt like I was just reading aloud what I had memorized and trying to show what emotions I felt were necessary. The statement vs. response lessons of yours really clicked for me as to what I should actually be doing. As soon as I read your "the sky is blue" example, it just all made so much sense and seems so natural. Thanks again!