Sanford Meisner on Acting: Setting the Scene - Book Report/Review Example

Sanford Meisner’s on acting is an immensely inspiring book. It is a must read and it is a must read especially for budding actors. The author has carried out tremendous research and it is clearly reflected in the book. The reality of doing section in the book is amazing and very pragmatic. The author stresses upon being real and not being pretentious. There are many actors these days who appear to be pretentious on screen, they are undoubtedly famous but they are failing to do justice to their job according to the author.

The author stresses upon certain exercises that must be done in order to become a good actor. For instance if an actor has to observe cars in the shot, the author says the actor must observe cars in real life to get a feel of it and when that actor appears on screen after successfully finishing the activity he would look real and not pretentious on screen. “Next, in the Word Repetition Game, use your instinct to break from the repetition and say something else. Your partner looks bored? Say “you look bored.

” If you take your time, the change in you, which is spontaneous, will happen. The opposite of this instinctful action is to only say what is acceptable socially.” (Sanford Meisner on Acting)How silence can be used as the next movement has also been comprehensively explained by the author in the book and even these explanations are very simple to understand. The activities described in the book are very pragmatic and extremely effective for budding actors. “Find an activity to do that is difficult, maybe impossible.

It should take up your attention and there should be something at stake. Once you’re into it, someone else should come in and begin the repetition (eg, “What are you doing?”). Don’t look up, carry on, but continue the repetition with them. Neither person must say anything — “Silence. Until something happens to make you do something.” (Sanford Meisner on Acting)Finally, it is fair to say that the author has written an extremely inspiring book. The author also adds that if a person is aiming to become a good actor he must forget about being polite.

This is because an actor plays different roles day in day out and he just simply can’t be polite all the time. This is a good piece of advice by the author. A good actor also eliminates any doubts; this is perhaps the biggest quality of a good actor. A good actor also covers up any gaffes according to the author. The book has been written after several years of comprehensive research and the same reflects in the book. Much credit goes to the author for writing such an inspiring book. Works CitedSanford Meisner on Acting (2013).

Setting the Scene. Web. Retrieved from: