BECOMING AN ACTOR IN QUARANTINE | FEATURE
I’m not sure, to begin with, that I’m happy to call myself an actor as yet, but ‘Becoming An Acting Student In Quarantine’ isn’t quite as eyecatching a title. It might also be down to my own efforts not to be boastful, or seem arrogant enough to think I’m close to any professional actor. There again, someone did tell me, “You should be acting a scene as if you aren’t an actor – you are a character, which will make people believe everything you say.”
Before quarantine, I was fulfilling something I had long thought about as a child when I used to grab sticks from my gran’s bamboo plant and smile as wide as Dick Van Dyke to perform Ol’ Bamboo from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang… as long as no one was looking. Twenty-two years on – aged 25 – I finally decided I wanted to throw myself into acting. I contacted a company in Cardiff, Actorsworkshop, and quickly ran through their first course, ‘Discover Acting’, before moving onto the next, ‘Explore Acting’.
I was loving every second of it, while drawing closer to finally performing for an audience. It may have been for a few relatives and strangers, but I – that boy with his Ol’ Bamboo – was going to do it! But sadly he would have to wait, like most of us have been forced to.
I got pretty low during our time shielding: there’s no shame in admitting that. However, I at least tried to stay positive and kept practicing my lines: as Al Pacino once said, “Just when I think I’m out, they pull me back in”.
Actorsworkshop’s Artistic Director Jamie Lee told me that an at-home course had been set up, titled Dramatic Pause. It was three to four weeks long and involved learning a monologue written by writer/director/actor Vinnie Heaven while following YouTube tutorials sent from a variety of freelance professionals, with some added direction from Jamie via email. So I not only had to learn how to perform this monologue, but now had to be my own director, costume/set designer and light-and-sound technician. A challenge – but one I knew was worth the level of discomfort and doubt, which would help me in the here and now, plus down the line when I could go back to class. I couldn’t say no.
The first week was all about getting to grips with the script and my character, who was drastically different from what I was used to. Up until then I’d played two roles: a cautious but sarcastic family friend, and a sibling caught in his own dreams. Both of which I adored – but this one was serious. It had weight to it. So I did as instructed, and wrote down my questions and ideas.
This would progress further into the first video tutorial on character building with actor Julie Barclay, looking into the context of the scene/character: what has happened to the character before this? Why is he saying this now? Where is he?
I had previously been exposed to some of the ideas Julie was showing me, but I got a lot of help from her ‘actioning’ side of the video. This refers to what ‘actions’ your character wants during a scene, from either a person or the wider world. It can be objective – a character wanting someone to give them a large sum of money – or emotional – the character wanting someone to understand why they despise or love them. It always relates to what your character wants to do or say to someone, even if they can’t/won’t: it’s their hidden agenda. This means you start to think about what your character is saying, and more importantly what motivates them.
I took on a few of Julie’s rehearsal techniques as well, and that sped up the time it took to recall my lines. I sometimes paraphrase dialogue when I’m nervous, but using one technique, to act out the scene in a different genre (for example, if you have a serious scene in a drama, you rehearse it a few times as if it were a comedy), I found I resorted to this much less, only doing so out of choice and when appropriate.
By week two, there was a level of comfort with my script; I had a clear idea of where I thought my character was going, and why he was in the position he found himself. I’ve never been in that position and would hope never to, but knew how to react if it was me. My next instructions were to work on stage setup – background, props, and lighting – and to record some test footage.
The second video aid was by filmmaker Rebecca Hardy, who had some great ideas. I felt a later time in the day, with less natural light, would be appropriate for the scene in question. Using her tips on how to reflect lighting, I shone a lamp onto some scattered papers on my desk, highlighting myself within the dark room. Incorporating light and shadow into my setup, this helped create the atmosphere I wanted and kept the focus on me.
As for week three, that’s where I am now: improving my performance by taking in techniques from actor Luca Malacrino, considering physical behaviours I could pick up for my character in the scene (for me, how to interact with items while distressed), and focusing on ‘being in the moment’. After that, I’ll be sending in two takes for my final showcase appearance next week.
In the end, then, I didn’t have to wait – I’ll get my acting debut, not in the manner it was originally planned but in a way that may even be better. I’ve learned so much from trying to become an actor at home: yes, I leaned on what I’d been taught before, but also made decisions that many actors may never get the chance to make.
I feel as though I can better understand not just my own role but that of everyone else around me, and just how hard they work to make an actor look good. It’s also been an exercise in building confidence in my own decisions and abilities. I said at the start that I didn’t feel comfortable about calling myself an actor, but over time I’ve come to terms with being an aspiring one at least.
So regardless of your circumstances, find a way to do something you have always wanted to, and then go do it. Oh, and then watch my final performance and tell me if I suck. Thanks!
words DANIEL DE GRUCHY
Info: www.actorsworkshop.co.uk plus their YouTube channel, where Daniel’s final performance will be viewable from Mon 24 Aug. He’ll also stream it on his Instagram page.