Actors, don’t underestimate the power of your very first read of a script.
The biggest gift that initial read gives you is the power of your first instincts. As you read the script aloud, whether with a partner or alone, pay close attention to the actions your body instinctively plays. Are you blocking someone in response to being blasted? Do you react by warming someone when you feel you are being lifted?
Although these actions can (and probably will!) shift and change as you continue working on the material, those first few reads can give you invaluable information about your initial reactions. So take note of them. From there, you can make adjustments and try new things as you learn more about the characters, but you only get the chance to read the script aloud for the first time once! Make use of that exciting opportunity to follow your instincts.
CLASS CLIP TRANSCRIPTION
In some of those first reads, it’s really valuable to discover what some of your instinctive actions are as you go and kind of write some of those down. They may change a little bit but depending on what they give you in that first read, you’re going to have that lovely first impulse as to what to do back because you’re reacting to what they just said to you– So in that first round it can be really nice to go back and forth and say, well you’re doing this to me, you’re blasting me, so I’m going to divert you, or redirect you… So when I redirected you, and they’re like, woah, okay so now I feel like I need to (do something else back)…right? To have that collaboration can be really nice–to do that back and forth. But you don’t need a partner, you can 100% figure out, like how we’ve been working here, thinkin: okay what do I want? How do I want to affect this person?
February 17, 2021 @ 11:58 am
Great to hear and thank you for the advice on writing those instincts down during that first read.