The Value of What We Are Learning

by Gerrard James - Platform Year Student

As actors our body's are our instruments...these should be the notes

There isn’t just one way to learn. Some people pick things up better visually while others absorb more information in a lecture. Consequently, it is fair to assert as well that there is more than just one way to teach. That fact that we get so many different creative styles in one school hadn’t really hit me until recently. Our teachers are giving us more than enough tools to jumpstart our careers as actors.

Today I watched the latest episode of Spartacus: Blood and Sand (one of my guilty pleasures on TV) and was just amazed that I could point out how excellent some of the “on-breath” work is in the show. A few actors really impress me with the overall quality of their acting, but technically, most of the actors are great. When they are in close up, their “on-breath” kicks in and none of the emotion is lost. In mid-shot, their gestures are broader and voice is louder and when they are in their long-shots, especially during battle sequences, the gestures are much fuller and their voices boom. I started learning how to technically vary one’s breath, voice, and body in different range shots only a few weeks ago and I can already see the use on TV and film.

I also had a chance to watch Frost/Nixon for the first time today. Without giving away the ending, there is a huge emotional moment between Frost and Nixon where the camera is on zoomed-in on a close-up. In the midst of this heightened emotional state, the two actors playing Frost and Nixon (Michael Sheen and Frank Langella respectively) are breathing up a storm! The best part about it, though, is that it’s all coming from the diaphragm. You cannot see them breathing into their chest, which would naturally raise the shoulders a bit. I have realized the importance of relaxation, breathing, and treating the body like an instrument since I first was taught this lesson at the school; however, the more I see it being used on TV and film, the easier it is for me to understand how helpful and useful it actually is.

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