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Being Present in Your Voice
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Liz Eckert is a voice teacher at the Maggie Flanigan Studio in New York. In this video, Liz discusses how actors can be fully present in their voice.
Liz Eckert – Voice and Speech Class at Maggie Flanigan Studio
How Actors Can Be Fully Present In Their Voice
A preoccupation with “getting it right can cloud an actor’s ability to sense what is actually happening in the present moment. You’re not in your body, you’re in your head, which is spinning with a critical eye. When training is approached in this way, learning is framed around an imagined external measure of success, versus true internal growth, which looks different for each individual. That’s why I love working with Meisner trained actors, they are out of their heads and rooted in the present moment.
From time to time, after a vocal exercise in class, a student will ask, “How am I supposed to feel?” This question puzzles me because there is no way I as a teacher could possibly know how another human being is supposed to feel. When I teach a technique, it’s not to get a prescribed result; it’s to help the actor be fully present in their voice and alive in the moment. Presence is not a result; it’s a process. It comes from a relationship that the actor has with herself, her scene partners, and her audience. When an actor has a set picture of how she’s supposed to sound, or how a scene is supposed to go, then she takes herself out of those circumstances that support spontaneity and truth, and into a place of planning and fabrication.
Within the framework of technique, it’s up to the actor to chart her own progress. Who you are is your raw material as an actor; your voice, body, imagination, experience, memories, empathy, observational eye, and intellect. Full access to all of that is what the Maggie Flanigan Studio strives to develop. No human being can make that happen for any other human being; you have to take ownership of the technique and use it to strengthen your artistic backbone.
It’s important to distinguish the difference between being specific and being correct. For instance, some actors seek help in pronouncing things “properly.” The fact is, there is no gold standard of pronunciation in English, and the last thing an actor should want to hear from a fan is, “You pronounced everything properly.” What’s more important is to be understood, and to get intensely specific about how different sounds are made and how they can be used to craft a character, express feeling, create atmosphere, and affect their scene partner. These sounds serve a greater purpose; a mythical correct execution of them is not a useful purpose in and of itself.
It’s important to have a technique and acute awareness as an actor. But when it comes down to it, it’s about the people in the room. No one gets an Oscar for doing a tongue stretch correctly. But if in doing that exercise, you release a tension that has gripped your throat for decades, and if by releasing tension in your tongue and your throat, you are able to unleash a fullness in your voice that you have not experienced for as long as you can remember, and now you have complete access to this power of expression that you can put into your text, well, that’s something. That’s you being freed through the technique to be fully present in your work.
Voice and Speech Class for Actors – Maggie Flanigan Studio – (917) 794-3878
Voice and Speech Classes for Actors at Maggie Flanigan Studio
Learn more about voice and speech classes for actors at the Maggie Flanigan Studio by visiting the voice class page on the Maggie Flanigan Studio website ( http://www.maggieflaniganstudio.com ) or call the studio 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.”
