ABSTRACT
Understanding the ‘speechless messages’ – as Shakespeare calls them – of the eyes is important for the actor, especially for work on camera and in close-up. There are, of course, hundreds of subtle messages conveyed silently by the eyes; timing and duration can change the signal, as can the force of the action and the spatial movement of the gaze. In my work, I have given labels to some common patterns of eyegaze and I explore these patterns in exercises with actors. Once actors have experienced the strong effects of these basic signals, then they can develop and explore the many variations in eye-gaze and begin to understand their use in acting.
