Jeanne Hartman's 2 Day Intensive Acting Workshop

Photo by Jennifer Thym ( http://www.alivenotdead.com/rockginger)

It was only 2 days, but it felt like a good 2 months, this acting workshop has exceeded all of my expectations!

Before shooting Legendary Assassin, I had no experience in film AT ALL, not even the slightest bit of training. When I was told I got this role, after a long audition, I really thought the directors had a lot of guts to use me as a lead actress! I was a lost lost puppy in a big big world. So, the only things that I could think to do were: research the top acting books and buy them, rent all the oscar-winning movies to analyse how actors portray their characters, rent all the policewomen films available (Western and Chinese) and to go through as many behind the scenes interviews as I could possibly find. I learnt a lot this way, but to be honest, acting became a trial and error for me. What did it mean to 'raise the stakes' in a situation, how do I interpret the directors' directions, how do I create a backstory, how long do I give myself to prepare before I cry? I had a million questions, and so little answers and only until Jeanne's workshop did I really find these out.

She shed light on so many issues: How do I analyse a script? How do I get in touch with my emotions? What parallels can I draw from my life? How do I fill the blank spaces between lines? What actions should accompany my lines if any? How do I create a deep backstory for my character? When auditioning for a role, how do I  read the lines without burying my face in the script? How do I build character arc? How do I let it go after all of the analysing? and YES I know the answer to all of these NOW thanks to her!

For the very first time, I was not acting, I was living! Each character, be it a mother, a pschologist, a lawyer, a cop, a girlfriend or a lover... I had no idea how I did after each scene, all I knew was how my chest felt heavy after a tough and depressing scene, how I was out of breath from arguing in a heated situation, how I was numb thinking about a childhood memory I tried to repress, how I was repulsed yet at the same time attracted to a serial killer....

Jeanne Hartman is an acting coach that will make you very comfortable in the sense that you can open up to her, and spill your guts out, you feel you can overcome your fear, and be each character freely. Yet, she is also an acting coach that will make you feel uneasy because she's constantly pushing you to achieve higher and higher, to take on more and more challenging roles.

Not one moment was wasted during the 2 days, as we not only learnt more about ourselves, but we learnt more about each other, and most importantly  we learnt from each other! All of us became friends, and came out feeling as though we had known each other for months, because Jeanne's technique brought us together.

I think this is a valuable workshop not only for actors, but for directors/ screenwriters who want to be better at their jobs, for singers who want to be better at expressing themselves and for any other person who wants to learn the art of communication, and the psychology of human beings. It's worth more than $3000 and these lessons will stay with us not only in the field of acting for a lifetime. Thank you Jeanne and Thank you Jason for bringing her to us!

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照片由Jennifer Thym提供 (http://www.alivenotdead.com/rockginger)

雖然過的只有兩天時間﹐ 可是感覺上像過了兩個月。這個演戲課程果然比我想象中更好﹗

還記得拍<狼牙>之前﹐ 我對演戲是完全無經驗的。連一點受訓也沒有。當我得知我經過一段很慢長的試鏡後而得到了這個角色的時候﹐ 我真的認為本片監製找我當女主角真的很大膽﹗ 我就像在大世界裡的一個迷失的小狗。那麼我認為我唯一可以做的事是﹕ 從買下來的演戲書本作研究﹐ 租下所有有關女警務人員的電影(中西片如是)然後盡量看幕後花絮及專訪。我從這種方式學到了很多東西。但是我可以坦白的說﹐ 演戲對我來言還是要不斷摸索的。如何把事件加倍賭註﹐ 如何演繹導演想表達的意思﹐ 如何創作角色背後的故事﹐ 還有我要花多少時間來陪養想哭的情緒。我有千千萬萬的問題但是找到了很少的答案。直至我參與了Jeanne的課程才得到這個答案。

她解答了很多問題例如﹕  如何分拆劇本﹐ 如何接觸情緒﹐ 如何從自己的人生經驗找出平行線﹐ 如何填起空白的對白﹐ 我的對白還可以配襯什麼動作呢﹐ 如何創作本角色背後的故事﹐ 試鏡時如何不用埋身於劇本而讀出對白﹐ 如何展開角色的發展﹐ 發拆完之後如何脫離角色。是的﹐ 這些問題我全部識應付了﹗ 多得她我才曉的﹗

這次是我第一次不是在演戲。反而我是活在角色當中。每一個角色不論是在演一位母親﹐ 心理學專家﹐ 律師﹐ 女朋友甚至是情人， 我都產生了感覺。雖然演完了每一場， 我確實是不知道自己演得如何，我只知道情緒找對了。。。劈如說：我演一場意誌消沈的戲後﹐ 我胸口感覺上覺得很沈重。在吵鬧的情況下我真的喘不過氣來。想起一些抑制著的童年回憶時我感覺麻木了。甚至，在我跟一個連環殺手的對手戲裡面，居然產生了一個又厭惡又有好奇心的反感。

Jeanne Hartman 這位戲劇導師是會令到對方很舒適。你會很自然地跟她開放談話和盡訴心事。你會覺得你能夠衝破自有的恐懼和安心地演繹每個角色。她作為戲劇導師同時亦可以令對方感到不安。皆因她會不停不停的逼你實現很多很多和接納更有挑戰性的角色。

這兩天內完全沒有白費過一秒。我們不只學識瞭解自己。我們還學到如何彼此瞭解對方。最重要的是﹐我們能夠彼此教導對方﹗大家都能夠變成好友。出到來感到我們好像認識了很久。皆因Jeanne的方式把我們團結起來。

我認為這個課程不只對演員很珍貴。還有助於想做得更好的導演和編劇。亦有助於想表達自己感情的歌手。更加有助於任何一個想學習如何溝通的人和人性的心理學。這課程價值超越了$3000。而課程所教的東西會遺留到一輩子。謝謝﹐ Jeanne!  還有多謝杜俊緯帶她到來教我們﹗

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照片由Jennifer Thym提供 (http://www.alivenotdead.com/rockginger)

虽然过的只有两天时间﹐ 可是感觉上像过了两个月。这个演戏课程果然比我想象中更好﹗

还记得拍<狼牙>之前﹐ 我对演戏是完全无经验的。连一点受训也没有。当我得知我经过一段很慢长的试镜后而得到了这个角色的时候﹐ 我真的认为本片监製找我当女主角真的很大胆﹗ 我就像在大世界裡的一个迷失的小狗。那麽我认为我唯一可以做的事是﹕ 从买下来的演戏书本作研究﹐ 租下所有有关女警务人员的电影(中西片如是)然后尽量看幕后花絮及专访。我从这种方式学到了很多东西。但是我可以坦白的说﹐ 演戏对我来言还是要不断摸索的。如何把事件加倍赌注﹐ 如何演绎导演想表达的意思﹐ 如何创作角色背后的故事﹐ 还有我要花多少时间来陪养想哭的情绪。我有千千万万的问题但是找到了很少的答桉。直至我参与了Jeanne的课程才得到这个答桉。

她解答了很多问题例如﹕  如何分拆剧本﹐ 如何接触情绪﹐ 如何从自己的人生经验找出平行线﹐ 如何填起空白的对白﹐ 我的对白还可以配衬什麽动作呢﹐ 如何创作本角色背后的故事﹐ 试镜时如何不用埋身于剧本而读出对白﹐ 如何展开角色的发展﹐ 发拆完之后如何脱离角色。是的﹐ 这些问题我全部识应付了﹗ 多得她我才晓的﹗

这次是我第一次不是在演戏。反而我是活在角色当中。每一个角色不论是在演一位母亲﹐ 心理学专家﹐ 律师﹐ 女朋友甚至是情人， 我都产生了感觉。虽然演完了每一场， 我确实是不知道自己演得如何，我只知道情绪找对了。。。噼如说：我演一场意志消沉的戏后﹐ 我胸口感觉上觉得很沉重。在吵闹的情况下我真的喘不过气来。想起一些抑制着的童年回忆时我感觉麻木了。甚至，在我跟一个连环杀手的对手戏裡面，居然产生了一个又厌恶又有好奇心的反感。

Jeanne Hartman 这位戏剧导师是会令到对方很舒适。你会很自然地跟她开放谈话和尽诉心事。你会觉得你能够冲破自有的恐惧和安心地演绎每个角色。她作为戏剧导师同时亦可以令对方感到不安。皆因她会不停不停的逼你实现很多很多和接纳更有挑战性的角色。

这两天内完全没有白费过一秒。我们不只学识瞭解自己。我们还学到如何彼此瞭解对方。最重要的是﹐我们能够彼此教导对方﹗大家都能够变成好友。出到来感到我们好像认识了很久。皆因Jeanne的方式把我们团结起来。

我认为这个课程不只对演员很珍贵。还有助于想做得更好的导演和编剧。亦有助于想表达自己感情的歌手。更加有助于任何一个想学习如何沟通的人和人性的心理学。这课程价值超越了$3000。而课程所教的东西会遗留到一辈子。谢谢﹐ Jeanne!  还有多谢杜俊纬带她到来教我们﹗