ABSTRACT
This chapter outlines how breaking the scene into textual or subtextual beats will elevate the actor’s on-camera performance. It shows how first stepping outside of a scene like a spectator will help the actor step into the character before they act for the camera. It addresses how the division of beats or subjects will help the film and television actor memorize their lines faster, add variety to their performance, and avoid the trap of playing the ending or outcome of the scene. In the world of film/TV and auditioning for the camera, actors must be able to memorize their exact lines fast and adjust for script changes, often coming the day of the shoot. The focus revolves around finding key words in the other character’s lines that spark the actor’s thought to speak, as happens in real life. An example is provided from the movie Fences starring Viola Davis and Denzel Washington. There is an original scene and exercise included in the chapter.
