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FIRST YEAR MEISNER ACTING PROGRAM
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SEPTEMBER 10TH
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Acting with Consistency
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I know that many actors can relate to this; you are in a rehearsal, or perhaps on stage or set, and something unexpected happens to you. For a brief moment, you were emotionally alive, fully present and entirely out of your head. You hear “cut” from the director, or you walk off stage, and you feel like a Mack truck has hit you. The feeling is amazing. It’s an incredible high for an actor. But then as quickly as it was here, it is lost. And you have no idea how you did it, or how to experience that again. What you lack is consistency, an ability to work in a way that allows for that deep experience every time you act.
The main thing that an actor like this lacks is craft and technique. Any art form, be it painting, dance, music, graphic design, sculpting, and even sports has a fundamental skill set that ultimately needs to be mastered for talent and instincts to flourish. The great artists in any medium spend their entire lives working on their craft, mastering their instrument. Years and years of dedication, ultimately leads to a body of work that is consistently good, sometimes brilliant, but never awful. So the question for the actor is what does it take to establish a consistent way of working?
There is a fundamental set of skills, which should be second nature to any serious actor. I believe that the Meisner Technique created by Sandy Meisner in the 1930’s to be the most effective and truly brilliant way to achieve this. An excellent actor can consistently do many things: they have the placement of concentration off of themselves and onto the other person or what they are doing. They listen intently, surprised in every moment. They never ouch louder than they are pinched, letting moments unfold through inevitable cause & effect. They have a developed point of view and have the capacity to respond personally in every moment. They understand that acting is doing and not feeling. They have a vulnerable and sensitive instrument that allows them to be genuinely played upon and changed. They have developed the ability to act before they think, out of their heads and onto their spontaneous impulses. They know how to craft a previous circumstance, an acting relationship, shared circumstances, and objective, and they understand that actions are the clay of behavior.
Outstanding actors know how to do this; it’s been ingrained in them through hard work and excellent training. It is ultimately a way of working, a process that supports them every time they act, in auditions, on set, and on stage. This is the key to consistency: craft and technique. Its what will ultimately set you free and provide you with the ability to take what was is now a fleeting moment or two of divine inspiration, and turn it into just what you do. Act consistently well.
Acting Programs – Maggie Flanigan Studio – Call (917) 794-3878
The Meisner Acting Programs at Maggie Flanigan Studio
Learn more about Charlie Sandlan and the acting programs and acting classes at the Maggie Flanigan Studio by visiting the studio website https://www.maggieflaniganstudio.com/ or calling the studio front desk at (917) 794-3878.
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STUDENT TESTIMONIALS
“I was placed in the intense reigns of Charlie Sandlan. I became a better artist, actor, friend, sibling and daughter because of the studio. Even now, I crave the studio every day. What I learned is present in my work every day. I truly believe in everything they stand for.”
“Maggie taught me that I could control my work, my acting, and to throw all of the bullshit out that I had in my head about ‘what I should be doing’ and to just listen and respond honestly, in the moment. She gave me a craft. She is, quite simply put, THE BEST.”
“Maggie Flanigan taught me the true meaning of artistry, passion, and professionalism. I am certain that I continue to work as an actress because of my training with Maggie. At every audition and every performance, her guiding voice is with me. It is a gift beyond measure.”
“Maggie Flanigan is uncompromising, her instincts as a teacher are razor sharp. She doesn’t miss a beat”
“Maggie Flanigan has been one of the most important people in my artistic life. I want to work with Maggie trained actors. As an actor myself, she is my first source. I do not say this lightly, if you are serious about acting, and willing to work very hard, then go to Maggie.”
“Maggie helped me find my sense of truth, an actors greatest asset. Maggie is an expert at instilling that vital ingredient, which allows an actor’s potential to become limitless. My work will forever be rooted in the clarity and honesty she helped me develop.”
“After working for ten years, I did the 2 year program, and now feel that I have the tools I need to become the actor I’ve always dreamed of being. Maggie Flanigan instilled in me a clear sense of truth and a standard of perfection. I am a better actor because of this studio.”
“As an actor, the core of what you have to rely on is your sense of truth and humanity. Maggie allowed me to discover and embrace mine. Trusting my sense of humanity and truth has given me the ability to take risks in my work and my career decisions.”
“Maggie Flanigan has the unique ability to get an actor to the essence of what is true in a moment. She creates a safe and caring environment in which to work.”
“Maggie Flanigan introduced me to my own spirit and my own sense of Truth. Her passion for teaching and ability to communicate are rare gifts to any actor looking for a technique to set his or her talent free. Maggie’s voice has been the one constant guide in my career.”
