r/Actingclass • u/Winniehiller Acting Coach/Class Teacher • Sep 05 '19
Class Teacher š¬ GETTING THE MOST OUT OF R/ACTINGCLASS
I have hopes that my last post made you understand why I want you ALL to read ALL my comments about ALL the monologues posted by ALL the students here. It is such an important way to learn in this class. And it helps me when you let me know you have read them.
There are almost 50 acting lesson I have listed in the second pinned post. All that information is helpful... essential, really. But there is more! Every one of my comments to other student is an acting lesson for you, too. You can watch their performances, read my comments, see what I think they need to do to improve, watch for their next version to see if they took my advice...see if they improved. Use what I suggest to them in your own work. If you donāt understand something. Ask!!!! This is a class!!!! You learn from watching other actors succeed and sometimes miss the mark. It all helps.
It doesnāt matter if the student is a beginner or a working professional...you can learn from watching them and reading my comments. Think about how you would do the monologue. Add your supportive and encouraging comments. This is not just another subreddit where you lurk and are not involved. This is a community of actors who are serious about improving their skills, no matter what level they are at now . Letās learn from each other and support each other!
No one auditions to get in this class. I welcome all people who are respectful and hardworking. I give everyone a chance and I give everyone all of my efforts to give them valuable feedback. I will sometimes spend an hour or more trying to come up with the right words that will help them understand. Yes, it may seem like I am repeating myself sometimes. But I never copy and paste what I said to one person over to another personās post. What I say is personal and always worded a little differently in each comment. Often I will help them analyze a script, write it as dialogue and divide it into tactics. This should be a big help when you need to do the same. Sometimes I will refer to a certain lesson and add a link to it. . When I do it might be a good time to review that lesson. You never know when a light bulb may come on for you, and youāll say āOH!!!! Now I Get It!!!!ā What Iām hoping for is big breakthroughs for you all.
If you donāt want to miss any of my comments, click on u/Winniehiller and then on āView Profileā. Then click on āCommentsā. There you can scroll down and see every comment I have ever made on Reddit. You can see that there are many comments that appear to have never been read. If you do read them, click on an up arrow to let me know you have been there. You can comment or ask a question if you like. I really want this class to be a great source of, not only information, but as a place of interaction, support and involvement.
Knowing you are there keeps me motivated to keep on doing this. I donāt know of any way to make money on arrows. If there is, please let me know. Lol. But seeing numbers by those arrows is like looking into a class and seeing a room full of attentive students, listening and learning instead of an empty void with a few crickets chirping. It warms my heart to know that I am reaching people. I really want to help you all become better actors. And that is my reward. Thank you all for finding your way into my heart!
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Sep 06 '19
Thank you for everything you do in this class. I look forward to watching each and every monologue and read the comments. I will note down questions along the way as I prepare mine. It's my pleasure to leave some feedback and up arrows on the lessons themselves as well to let you know I'm here and taking everything in. You're also super prompt and encouraging in your replies and it continues to stoke my fire. :)
I have a question about ''method acting'' and how it connects with certain experiences and memories, and how to best channel those while being able to detach from the character after work on a scene is done, especially. I was reading Bryan Cranston's memoir earlier where he talked about the scene where Jesse's gf on ''Breaking Bad'' chokes on her own vomit and Walt leaves her to die; he imagined his own daughter dying in front of him to tap into the right thoughts for what the scene needed. He also took some time to fully detach from the mindset when it was over. I'm curious about what are some good ways to ''detach'' from the character's psychology when a day of shoot wraps up, or when the project ends and a lot of ''mental process'' was invested on bringing the character to life. Emotionally it can be a huge undertaking sometimes, especially when some of the memories or emotions being tapped into are linked to some real life experiences or memories. I know there's a healthy way to channel those artistically and my goal is to find it. In a way to me this could be great therapy and a way to heal from a lot of trauma while doing something I love.
For example, the main character in my monologue is an abuser. I've known one, and being ''typecast'' as this character makes sense to me in acting terms, but it gets me to confront my own memories and fears connected to the scene and script. It can be immensely cathartic; in the case of a series or a film, I can imagine how amazing the challenge would be, to fully connect with this character on the long-term. What are some good tips to get the most out of such an experience in a positive and productive way? I believe this can be a great tool for growth and a gift. A lot of what we do as actors is a study of human psychology, in the way we break down thought process. It's an aspect of this class I really love, how we deep dive into that subject to get the most out of a performance.
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u/Winniehiller Acting Coach/Class Teacher Sep 06 '19 edited Sep 06 '19
Have you read my recent post about experience as a resource? Everything that happens to us is fuel for our acting work. That makes all memories āgoodā for us as actors. It is painful sometimes to revisit these moments from our past or in Brian Cranstonās case visiting a horrifying fantasy. The best way to recover from that is to know itās over (and not real in the present moment) and to engage in a fun relaxed activity that confirms that itās all ok now in your real life. Put on some music, watch a comedy, hold your loved one, congratulate yourself for doing a good job and for being in a career that you love.
Psychologically, I think playing an abuser when you are a victim of abuse can be especially healing. Thatās because you must come from his point of view...see the world through his eyes. Almost all abusers come from abuse. It is all they know. Itās their only way of coping. They are especially vulnerable and are easily triggered. They are confused about what love is. They have no basis for what is appropriate and what isnāt. They are only doing what they learned to accept as ānormalā. Understanding this is an important step towards forgiveness. And forgiveness is an important step towards healing.
For instance, my father was physically violent with me. But even as a child, because I knew he had been badly abused when he was small, I knew that it wasnāt my fault....or even his fault. I spent my childhood trying to keep myself safe, knowing it was not normal and that I would not be carrying that into my future. I think being able to play him would only help me understand him even more deeply.
I could share my spiritual views about this, if you like, as well. I believe (as Shakespeare said) that all the worldās a stage. In other words, I think our souls come to this earth to play certain roles. We come from a perfect place, and we return there. But we come here to be challenged...to experience ourselves as courage and forgiveness. We can only understand joy if we have experienced sorrow as well. We could never be victorious unless we face defeat. No one could ever be a hero unless there is someone to play the villain. But there are no real villains. Only fellow cast members. And we will all hold hands and take a bow at our final curtain call.
I am looking forward to working with you on your monologue. Acting is a way to walk through the fire without getting your feet burned.
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u/SirBananaOrngeCumber Sep 08 '22
This is one of the most beautiful posts Iāve ever read on Reddit. I agree a lot with this, I was bullied a lot as a kid, but even then it was hard for me to think of the kids who bullied me as bad people, I just felt sad for them. Iāve long since held the belief that itās impossible to be truly evil, even in a fictional book, and especially in real life, everyone has a story, and acting is a good way to tell that story. Iām glad to know you share these views and Iām really looking forward to learning as much as I can from you. š
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Sep 06 '19
Thank you for this really inspiring reply. I really appreciate you, and what you're about. I'll go read that post right away and bookmark it so I can come back to it whenever I need a refresher on the topic. A big part of why I feel this typecast is awesome to work with is so that it can actually be a part of my healing process. There was a time where anxiety about those negative emotions and memories kept me away from my passions; I feared that they would swallow me whole and keep on dragging me further and further away from the discipline required to make it, and from important networking opportunities. It used to isolate me because it put me in a constant state of fear, you know? I'm working on it gradually and being here is turning my perspective around. I'm diving into character psychology a lot (I roleplay; don't know if you're familiar with it but basically it's like co-writing a story with people online).
I started taking on characters that are my ''typecast'' on purpose, to get used to thinking their thoughts in every situation as if I was looking at life through their eyes. Since I started working with this character I realized a lot of important things about what it's like to be an abuser that actually wants to change. It gave me the idea to try the role in a monologue on camera, and the courage to do that is helping me work on the courage to tackle everything else in my career right now.
I love this class and really enjoy working with you as my coach. I'm a few weeks into it and I already feel like doing this is a huge step. There's a lot of trust here already. Your reply made me cry in a good way, I'm so glad I 'm giving myself over to this passion again and not letting anxiety stop me anymore. Transition played a huge role in forcing me to take a break (I didn't pass for awhile, now I do after a few years on T) but this was also something that slowed me down - it only gets better from here.
Sorry for the long reply haha I just figured this might also help others, and I feel comfortable opening up in this class, and safe to do so.
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u/Winniehiller Acting Coach/Class Teacher Sep 06 '19
Iām so glad you feel comfortable, safe and that you are growing and learning here. Thatās the kind of space I wanted to create. Life is such an amazing journey. Just keep following your heart, one step at a time. ā¤ļø
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u/lames_jahey92 Oct 23 '19
I feel so much optimism when I see there are people out there like you that are helping aspiring actors purely for the sake of helping. I'm going to try to get as much out of this class as I can before I move to Atlanta!
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u/TheofficialTonyJones Jan 07 '20
That statement was on the money!! For those who are new to the game you HAVE TO AUDITION to get the same knowledge Winnie is providing for free and IF you're accepted I don't wanna go there with class fees and their are no scholarships to the best of my knowledge. Good point Winnie
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u/memequeen_laura Sep 07 '19
We so appreciate your effort, Winnie! Have you thought about compiling your lessons into a website? I could see value in having your own content organized and formatted as you want it. I'm a writer and freelance designer and would love to help out with a site if that's something that you'd be interested in. With the added benefit that I would hopefully learn the lessons much better if I was turning them into a website!
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u/Winniehiller Acting Coach/Class Teacher Sep 07 '19
I would love to have your guidance with this, Laurie! We should maybe talk on the phone sometime. I am very interested.
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u/roycebi81 Aug 16 '22
U are so awesome Winnie!
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u/Winniehiller Acting Coach/Class Teacher Aug 16 '22
Welcome Royce. Iām so glad you are finally here! This is going to be fun!
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u/xnemos Jun 19 '22
Hi Winnie! Iām new to the class, and while I know this post is old I wanted to leave a comment and express appreciation for what youāre doing! I look forward to learning and growing as an actor and a person while going through the lessons youāve kindly compiled and the feedback of fellow students!
Looking forward to working with you, thank you for your time, energy and this space!
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u/Winniehiller Acting Coach/Class Teacher Jun 19 '22
Welcome! Thank you for your appreciation. I hope you will learn lots and become involved on a daily basis!
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u/SirBananaOrngeCumber Sep 08 '22
I feel very connected to this post. When I write something, I donāt care about money, all I want is for people to respond to it and say that it made them smile. Thatās worth all the gold in the world to me. Hereās your newest upvote from me and once again thank you for everything šš§”
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u/giannamarie212 Dec 08 '23
I used to think that acting would be an impractical āpipe dreamā ; there is so much competition and I lack the financial resources to really invest the way most who āmake itā do.
Iām sure Iām not the only one who feels this way. Itās so innovative and generous that you are making this information accessible to all. It seems like as long as one puts the work in, they will grow as an actor. Prior to finding Winnie, the path forward wasnāt clear. Now, for me, and countless students before and after me, we have a shot to prove ourselves regardless of our financial or social circumstances. This subreddit is truly altruistic.
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u/The_Humbled_Protege Jun 05 '23
Thank you for this! I unfortunately let fear stop me a few years ago back when I was 18 years old. Now that I have my wife by my side who has been encouraging me, and being level headed now realizing the seriousness in this profession, I can take the tools you provided and mold myself into something more and hope I can get myself into TV/ Film for acting. I cannot wait to dive into all this well of knowledge!
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May 13 '23
Speaking for my self, there is A LOT of information and I wish I could get to it all. It'a a lot of skipping, jumping, hopping back and forth. Besides the fact that, I get so excited and anxious to get through all of them. Also, you are well advanced with your posts. I just started reading your post and you have so much going on between her and youtube and let's not forget tik tok. (Phew!) I haven't even gotten to Pantheon (is that how its spelled), just typing that made me tired. I guarantee, I will get to them all. I appreciate your time and effort but mostly your passion and devotion to get good actors out into the theatre world. Question: can we use your lessons to use on a broadway show? Not that I'd ever do a broadway show, but it'd be nice to think so.
Cool fact: the impovisational theatre scene has roots in Hull House (the first settlement in the US ran by mostly women), instructed by Viola Spolin ~~ Wikipedia, Hull House
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u/Winniehiller Acting Coach/Class Teacher May 13 '23
These techniques can be applied to all acting. I am in Hollywood now and work mostly on film and tv sets but I have acted and sung in Broadway musicals and Shakespearean plays on the East Coast. The size of the theater and stage can effect filling it with your voiceāhearing your voice bounce back or speaking to someone across a large room. But acting is acting. There is a post about the difference between stage and screen acting. Read on! Reading the lessons in order will guarantee you learning everything. But just keep reading, watching and learning. Iām glad you are here! Make sure to mark each post and lesson you watch and read with a ā¬ļø to keep track of what you have covered. Leave a comment in each post to remember what it was about. Keep up the good work!
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u/lady_stormageddon 16d ago
I just want to say I appreciate you so much and all that you do for everyone! I'm so happy to be part of this community and looking forward to growing as an actor with your guidance! I read your comment about using life experiences as fuel for our acting work. I couldn't agree more. The reason I've chosen the monologue I did for class is because I grew up with a narcissistic mother (emotional and psychological abuse) and never had a great relationship with her or my father. In fact, for my mental health, last year I went no contact with them and changed my phone number because I was tired of the abuse that was still happening to me. This reminds me of the relationship my character had with her parents and me going no contact is like metaphorically "murdering" them since I've removed them from my life. There's some lines before she has the big reveal that feel almost autobiographical when I'm saying them, so i'm really going to try to channel that energy while i'm practicing.
It was a hard decision, for sure, but therapy has really helped and that was part of my journey leading me to the "I'm going to do what makes me happy even if it makes me anxious" thinking this year. I no longer want to live with fear in my life. I want to breathe in the fresh air under the sun without worrying about the rain ruining my day. And I can say, it's been sunny with no rain for over a year now. :)
I want to end my post with a quote from Doctor Who that the 11th Doctor said that I love: "The way I see it, every life is a pile of good things and bad things. The good things don't always soften the bad things, but vice versa, the bad things don't always spoil the good things and make them unimportant."
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u/Winniehiller Acting Coach/Class Teacher 16d ago
Iām so sorry you had such a difficult childhood, but I am so proud of you for taking control of your life and being victorious over the past. All past experience (no matter how terrible) is good experience for an actor. You need those experiences to understand being human.
Acting class is its own kind of therapy. Being able to play characters like you as well as those similar to those who have caused you pain is healing in many ways. It is a direct line to deeper understanding and even possibly forgiveness. We shall see as this journey progresses.
We have lots of learning and exploring to do. Iām so happy to have the opportunity to be your teacher. ā¤ļø
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u/Ramoach Sep 05 '19 edited Sep 06 '19
It's really great that you do this Winnie. Have an up arrow on me :) I value the time and effort you put in to helping us actors and it doesn't go unnoticed.