March 21, 2023 #1 Local News, Forum, Information and Event Source for Venice Beach, California.

Actors What’s Your Problem?

 

by Guy Camilleri

If you are reading this from an actor, writer or director’s point of view (POV), more than likely you are familiar with these terms: Objective, Action, Obstacle, Intention, Need or Problem. As a non-actor, I imagine you can relate to the times in your personal and professional life as well when you have heard or used these words.

Today, I want to highlight the word problem, as it’s one of my favorite words to use in the studio because ‘without a problem, there is no conflict and without conflict, there is no scene, period.’ In every scene, our main character (Hero) is either moving closer to their goal or has moved away from their goal.

As an actor, the work is to identify the problem within the scene and then start exploring various tactics to solve it in spite of the literal and emotional obstacles preventing us from getting one step closer to the finish line.

In our daily lives, we are faced with problems all the time. And, like the hero in a scene in a movie, we can be our own best HERO and find tactics to solve the problem. Joseph Campbell talks about this in The Hero’s Journey, referring to it as “answering the call.”

How many times have you been faced with a problem and decided to either ignore it or walk away from it?  

What separates life (off-stage) and life onstage is that what’s happening on stage is a HEIGHTENED REALITY. It’s not just reality; it’s heightened reality because the stakes are life or death (emotionally or literally) and as we’ve seen in the best stories told, these two can happen simultaneously!

Off-stage, we have the option to either deal with the problem, solve it or just walk away from it. But on the stage, there is another actor opposite us, and we can’t just abandon our fellow actor… well, unless the scene calls for it. But if it doesn’t call for that, then that means the actor has to dig deeper and find another tactic to solve the given problem (provided to us by the writer-director).

As an actor and as an acting coach, I like to approach each scene as a two-headed coin. On one side of the coin, you (THE ACTOR) have to address what is literally occurring in the scene and also what is happening to you on an emotional level (your feelings, interpretations, judgments, etc.) as a result of these words on a page. Then, you need to get down to business, honor the problem and start solving it on a moment-to-moment basis.

On the other side of the coin, you (THE ARTIST) have the opportunity to acknowledge what is literally and emotionally happening to you at the moment. Then, you need to decide if you are going to answer the call and honor your artistic integrity or will you deny it, dance around it or in some cases, walk away from it.

Are you putting your unique stamp on a scene or are you going to be a good soldier and do only that which you are told to do?

Honoring your artistic integrity (imagination, interpretation, point-of-view, feelings, choices, etc.) is the single most important thing you can do as an actor-artist for yourself and your colleagues, not to mention it’s great to avoid a performance that is another cliché of a cliché.

Keep flipping that coin!

Guy Camilleri is a Venice-based actor, acting coach, and poet. He teaches regular classes on Monday and Wednesday evenings at the Electric Lodge, in Venice. His private coaching specializes in audition preparation, self-taped auditions, original reels and career consultation. To audit, enroll in a class or book a coaching session, go to www.guycamilleri.com. Follow Guy on Instagram @guycamilleri and Facebook.

Venice-based acting coach, Guy Camilleri. Photo by Peter Augustin.
Related Posts

Venice Shorts: “V” for Venice Volunteer

March 20, 2023

March 20, 2023

Media professional, local business owner and Dad, Eric Alan Donaldson is defined by his volunteerism and love of Venice. By...

Deborah Keaton, a Consensus Building Candidate for VNC Community Officer!

March 20, 2023

March 20, 2023

Creative director, global brander and private business owner seeks a general consensus on what’s best for Venice moving forward.  By...

Venice Shorts: Actress, Advocate Alley Bean Seeks Second Term as a Venice Community Officer

March 14, 2023

March 14, 2023

33-YEAR RESIDENT, GRANDMOTHER AND CANAL HOMEOWNER IS OPTIMISTIC ABOUT VENICE’S FUTURE! By Nick Antonicello  VENICE – Alley Bean (also known...

Venice Shorts: A Reliable Community Voice

March 13, 2023

March 13, 2023

By Nick Antonicello An accomplished architect and neighborhood advocate, J. Robert Thibodeau is a consensus moderate who seeks solutions for...

Column: SB 9 Ended R-1 Zoning, but It’s Not Meeting Goals

March 11, 2023

March 11, 2023

By Tom Elias More than a year after it took effect, the landmark housing density law known as SB 9...

OpEd: Venice Bridge Housing in Blatant Violation of the Coastal Act; Continues to Burden Neighbors

March 9, 2023

March 9, 2023

By Mark Ryavec As everyone in North Venice knows, the Venice Bridge Housing facility should never have been placed on...

Venice Shorts: A New Bloom for Flower!

March 6, 2023

March 6, 2023

Beautification takes place after encampment cleanup by city officials By Nick Antonicello VENICE – After years of crime, encampments and...

Venice Shorts: The Fallon Way!

March 3, 2023

March 3, 2023

Retired business owner, parent, grandmother, wife, homeowner and 50-year Venetian, Helen Fallon seeks “To do her best keeping people involved,”...

Venice Shorts: Murez Moves on, Seeks Board Seat Versus Reelection as President

February 28, 2023

February 28, 2023

VENICE – Jim Murez, a longtime fixture in the Venice community as an elected officer, activist and manager of the weekly...

Venice Shorts: Qualified & Capable, LUPC Chair Plans for a Better Future!

February 28, 2023

February 28, 2023

Local attorney  Michael Jensen offers a blueprint for Venice in a post COVID World By Nick Antonicello  VENICE – The...

Venice Shorts: A Man for All Seasons

February 27, 2023

February 27, 2023

Local Advocate Christopher Lee seeks seat on Venice Neighborhood Council  By Nick Antonicello  VENICE – Activism heavily grounded by integrity...

Venice Shorts: Why Is Voting in the VNC Election so Difficult, Cumbersome & Confusing?

February 25, 2023

February 25, 2023

The incoming neighborhood council should drastically reform this election process if grass roots democracy is to flourish and thrive! By...

Column: The Inevitable Conversions Begin Multiplying

February 25, 2023

February 25, 2023

By Tom Elias It’s a phenomenon from New York to Dallas to Fresno and Los Angeles, one that seemed inevitable...

Venice Shorts: The Venice Eastsider

February 24, 2023

February 24, 2023

Community Officer Chie Lunn wants to continue to lead by example, offering East Venice stakeholders representation as she views public...