Today's Micro Lecture

Micro Lecture 4

Impact and Intent – flaws in the ‘Inversion Method’

“The key to inspiration is awareness. Once you realize that, you have to interpret that inspiration into something meaningful to you and what you do. Then it is evolution. So, there are four stages : 1 – Awareness, 2 – Inspiration, 3 – Interpretation, 4 – Evolution”
- Thomas Keller

The two omnipresent reactive forces for an actor are :

1 – The character’s Intention
2 – The Impact of that character’s actions

We tend to believe the creative process always begins with Intention. Figure out the Super Objective, Scene Objective and THEN build you character around that.

This leads to many problems, including:
- mono-tactical beats
- un-reactive or inert choices
- “acting by yourself”
- abandonment of actually PLAYING that objective

I think this is due to one major flaw : the order of priority Intention and Impact are given in solving each acting crisis.

If you began with Impact, you begin by reacting
If you begin with Impact, you begin with a truthful response
If you begin with Impact, you begin sensually aware
If you begin with Impact, you form an objective in response to something active

The ‘inversion method’ (literally inverting priority of Impact and Intention) leads to :
- self-centered inspiration (ie, indulgence)
- detachment from your scene partner
- One dimensional responses to new stimulus
- ‘editing’ of choices by those around you
- a sense of hostility to changing or modifying your choices
- resistance to working with different ideas
- text work becoming a justification for a lack of evolution.

So what could the alternative look like?

Charles Jehlinger quote :
“ “

Let’s use the Thomas Keller model:
Step 1 – Awareness: Start outside of yourself. What is around you? What
choices are others using? What is your environment? What is the sensual
world around you?
But MORE than that : what is world of the play? What is spine of the
play? What is the UNIFYING objective of the play?

Step 2 – Inspiration: This takes TIME, EFFORT & ATTENTION to that
Outside of yourself. It is wonder for the unknown.

Step 3 – Interpretation: As Thomas Keller points out “you have to
interpret that inspiration into something meaningful to you and what you
do”. An actor calls this “ AS IF”
Now you test you theories. Does this objective work? What other choices
could you try? If this stage becomes stunted ‘dries up’, go back to stage
1.

Step 4 – Evolution: Now your choices become modified, nuanced, shift
accommodate the needs and choices of the others around you (actors,
director, designer, etc). This often means relinquishing Intention for a
HEIGHTENED awareness of your impact. Really ask “what are the others
around me doing? How are they responding?
You might notice, therefore, that Evolution is like a return to Inspiration,
but this time coupled with Intention.

This is the whole point of a method for honest re-creation of human behavior : a model where both Intention and Impact share value.

In the workplace, if a manager pats a co-worker on the ass and says “Well done, honey”, the co-worker would file a complaint. And if the manager retorts : “O come on! I didn’t mean it that way”, the complaint will hold.

Having good intentions is not enough. In fact, it makes you selfish and unaware. It stunts your evolution and keeps your choices in the past and NOT in the present.

So you must begin with Awareness. Begin with examining your impact. Be inspired by those things around you that you do not yet feel or understand. Because you wont be inspired until then.