In pulling the film out of my archives - since I've finally accepted the fact that I must come to terms with using technology to showcase what I've done - it brought back the importance of the NOT TALKING aspects of performing that many of us actors skip over when rehearsing or auditioning or - GASP! - when performing! When I started acting professionally, I remember never really allowing myself to react to the other characters onstage or film. I HATE to admit that my "listening" and "silent" skills needed honing ... but they did need it ... and badly. Throughout the years, the greatest success I gained from performing came when I reacted to something silently, using honest expression - a look, a sudden stop of action, a shrug, a dance, a skip ... a tear ... a slap against a wall - ha! or a face!
In silent, colorless films, that's all an actor has to get the story across to the audience. On the flip side, some actors react to a point of nauseous exaggeration. Acting is honesty ... at it's height. Sometimes being too truthful can be boring at a given moment, but when that truth comes at the HEIGHT of the moment - wow - that's fantastic storytelling. Then, it doesn't have to be exaggerated ... the moment's already there and all that needs to be portrayed is honesty.
So, is there a difference in acting styles for silent, black and white films? Most people, I think, agree that in silent films you can't just "be" ... you can't rely on awesome presence or writing. But, then, here's where I say ... as an actor, you should never just "be." You should "be ... at the height of the moment." And I truly believe that whether a film is silent or spoken or black and white or color or full of special effects or low budget single shots, what's most important is whether or not the story comes across in an interesting, attention grabbing way ... and whether or not the actor can show us WHAT they are being in a way that is truly believable to their character and in the world that they've created.
I've found the most connection with an audience when I am being a character right in front of them and not saying a word ... but reacting to what ANOTHER character is doing or saying. What are films and theatre productions, but moments? What is a silent film but one, long, silent reaction?
I'm just inspired to remember the silent moments ... and how powerful they can be in the art of storytelling.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhgrMU-NpO4
