Precisely. “PLAY AGAINST” or “UNDERLYING TRUTH” or “INHERENT CONTRADICTION” or “SECRET WITHIN” …these are all different terms directors will use to describe “counterpoint”. I’ve even heard “the character’s secret lurking in the woods”…

​@@TheActorsFoundryOnline I took this and watched all of your videos on counter point made in into a word document like a nerd, studied until 2 am and used it in acting class the next day and the acting teacher thought I had been acting for years and wondered what I was doing. I didnt tell her because I didnt want any one else to know this tool, call me selfish fine! this underline flame of the underlying truth that is lit under everything allowed me to real fight for what I wanted in a scene (it was a break up scene because she cheated) but at the same time allowed the nuance of me being scared of leaving her made all the difference. my point was trust/integrity and counterpoint was lonliness/feeling incomplete and the theme was despite the fact that I really dont want to be alone, I no longer want to be treated like a doormat by a cheater. I made it so hard for myself to accept being lonely and it paid off in the scene The need is was to find the good in her, that I think is still there even after what she did. That is what drove each moment. all this is gathered from your videos. not sure if if I did it right but it worked because it was real in my body. , thanks matthew lol

@@chaelsonnen2747 THIS IS AWESOME!

Here. Watch this! kzbin.info/www/bejne/epqvaKOGor2moNE

I’m sorry you feel my teaching on stillness in acting is “nothing commentary”. I refer throughout that Mark Rylance (on stage and screen) is a master of stillness - but cannot show video of his work in Wolf Hall due to KZbin copyright rules. This is a vid for the working actor.

Thank you! Glad to help.

All characters, just like all people in the real world, are a mixture of external conflict and internal conflict. All characters are playing against something inside of themselves, pushing down a contradictory emotion and narrative… Something like: “despite the fact that I am terrified”. Or:“despite the fact that I actually love her”. Or: “despite the fact that I don’t think I actually know what I’m doing”. This counterpoint in the character is what makes the character interesting… This is not something the actor invents … this comes from the script. An actor who plays only the external conflict is by definition “one note”. Top notch experienced actors always play their point (the objective, the action, the desire) against the counterpoint …again, because this is what real people do. Always. And if it happens in life, it must happen in acting. This is why these actors are so interesting and realistic. The exercise is designed to embed the counterpoint (AKA “play against”, “internal conflict”, “vertical story”, “underlying truth”…all synonyms) in the actor which they have to suppress in order to get what they need in the scene. It drops actors into character and releases full and complex moments - that brings the script to life.

Accurate story analysis is imperative for the actor in understanding how to play the scene. To accurately uncover the meaning of the scene...the character's objectives, internal conflict, and actions moment for moment in a scene...the actor must first accurately pinpoint the THEME of the story. The THEME is the combination of the TWO CONVERSATIONS in the story. As we often hear: "There are two sides to every story". Well that is a law (the LAW OF COUNTERPOINT). The conversations are combination of two opposing concept nouns. The two values are not direct opposites to themselves (Good versus Evil). IT IS NOT: "Love versus Hate". "Poverty versus Wealth". "Safety versus Fear". The TWO CONVERSATIONS are two concept nouns that are DIFFERENT concepts...that are in opposition to each other (Good versus Loneliness): "Love versus Fear". "Wealth versus Morality". "Family versus Survival". Together, and in conflict with each other, the two conversations set the THEME... and then everything else in the story and scenes are born of those conversations and theme. As in: - Fear will close the heart to Love. - Money corrupts Compassion. - Surviving the world outweighs loving your family. Once the THEME is uncovered, the actor who is analyzing a scene is able to assess which characters reflect which conversation. Then the actor can pinpoint the inversions of points and counterpoints (A/B = B/A). Scenes are not "A versus NOT A". As in: "I want you stay, but you want me to leave." That would be ONE conversation. Al scenes are always A/B versus B/A. "I want to love you even though I should really leave, and you want me to leave even though you really want me to love you" (Love versus Morality). Frankie And Johnny: Despite the fact that I'm dying to Love you (counterpoint), Iwil kick you out because I'm Afraid of being hurt (point). Margin Call: Despite the fact that I really need the Money (counterpoint), I want out and away from the Immorality of what we've done (point). Fences: Because it's a tough world, I need to toughen my son up to be a Man (point), despite the fact that what I really want to do is hug and Love him (counterpoint). And from there, the actor can accurately deduce the Actions (Realizations and Decision) that the character is playing in each and every moment of the script. And play the action top note while sub- merging the equal opposite counter note that is within them. This explains why the great actors are so exciting to watch....so moving...and so realistic. Hope this helps. Acting is not easy. Life is complex. But once the understanding of how it works is learnt, th actor can soar.

@@TheActorsFoundryOnline Thx for explanation... But i was making a "Point" Joke (= Very informative thou. Some one may find it usefull.

@@DelIsInYourMind Ah. Your point was my counterpoint. Well done.

@@TheActorsFoundryOnline but to get back to topic - very good explanation. I'm a stage director myself, and it's nice to see some new exercises, for my actors, and to remember some things brushed by the time. Maybe one day I'll join your online classes. Sadly can't do it right now.

Pleasure!

HA! I thought you meant metaphorically in my KNOWLEDGE!

@ I mean, yeah, you’re a damn smart human being but a giant in terms of stature as well ;-)

Agreed. It’s good for actors to see this. Not so much to call out “bad acting”…but top remind ourselves how high the bar is for mastery.

@@TheActorsFoundryOnline Yes, Action/Reaction is kind of the first rule in acting/directing and, I don't know why, this is a little bit underrated, sometimes.

I teach in Vancouver full time, also travel to Toronto, NYC, London, LA, and Cape Town to teach. Also there is the VIRTUAL CLASS that has actors from the UK, Australia, India, South Africa, and all over the US and Canada. www.actorsfoundry.com/virtual-training

Yeah…noticed that years ago. Glaring. That’s pre-playback days.

I agree. Acting IS a craft…not an art. “Art” is in the eyes of the beholder. Acting is a skillset - a process that the tactician (the actor) develops. However…from your comment it seems you have no idea how unbelievably hard it is. Acting is the craft of absolutely being psychologically yourself, while ing=habit int the emotions, actions, and behaviours that are foreign to you. Most people have difficulty with the being yourself part…let alone the second half of the craft. Thank you for your comment.

It's emotional preparation that Matthew teaches. At the end, the two actors were doing sound of movement. All these warm ups are to help the actors get into the right emotional state and be connected and open to each other when they do their scene.

@@e2stella I see, I noticed at sound of movement part and they are imitating each other. going from big to small etc. good stuff

So glad to have you as a student!

That’s exactly correct! Spot on.

In the MOONSTRUCK SCENE outside his apartment after the opera: In ACT I, LORETTA sets the conversation - MORALITY. But RONNY changes the conversation to PASSION. She loses. ACT II: Loretta has a huge speech about morality, guilt, sin and RESETS her conversation. She wins. ACT III: he says sure, but it doesn’t matter because he wants her in his bed. PASSION. She loses (ironically making love to the man she really loves). www.actorsfoundry.com/files/File/Moonstruck.pdf

@@TheActorsFoundryOnline thanks so much, by the way I tried to find the video on YT of you drawing the graph on a scene with the 3 act structure in a scene, do you remember the name :)

@@chaelsonnen2747 The full video on structure in scene analysis is Chapter 2 on the campus (www.actorsfoundryonline.com) first month free so jump on and watch!

When you read INNER GAME - and then FLOW by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi - and then THINKING FAST AND SLOW by Daniel Kahneman …it all becomes clear…

Agreed on all. Thank you @davidleyes640 …except the wardrobe. If you have isolated your market hits, how you fit into the film/TV industry, then you should already have ascertained your three major headshot “events”…and worked out the appropriate wardrobe in advance. Too much guesswork on the day can lessens the tine playing in front of the camera.

So interesting: TENNIS and ACTING have so much in common…specifically in finding “FLOW”. I have often suggested actors read “The Inner Game Of Tennis” by W. Timothy Gallwey.

Superb analysis

Gran aporte. Gracias

Definitely!

Fantastic question. Yes…if time permitted, for every self tape we would do thorough analysis of both (or all) characters then rehearse, and re-rehearse. But of course TIME forces us to abandon our rehearsal and surrender to the scene at some point. So…WHEN time permits, analyze and work out thematic conversations, scene structure, relationships, objectives, consequences, research style and genre, deduce R&Ds, and rehearse thoroughly. A three page audition should - in the perfect world - be given 5 hours attention minimum (before shooting). BUT…not always possible. The solution: learn to work more efficiently and faster. When NOT doing self tapes…get in a class, or work with fellow actors in studio, or online, or work solo from home…work on BIGGER more complex scenes and PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE! Then when forced to work under time constraint, analysis comes MUCH quicker, and R&Ds can be ascertained on the fly. The more experience you have, the fewer surprises scripts will present. In class, we use scenes as templates. So when I coach an actor, I will often say something like: “it’s A STAR IS BORN bathroom scene with a little MOONSTRUCK.” Like mathematics, analysis comes quicker and faster the more you practice. One last note: it is NEVER difficult to find professional and aspiring actors to help with self-tapes (every actor wants and needs to practice and play). I would NEVER work with a non actor in a self tape environment. Ever. You are only as good as the company you keep. Have fun! MH

By the way…I’m so pleased to hear the teaching is helping.