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You Can Act!: A Complete Guide for Actors
What do Halle Berry, Jamie Kennedy, Keanu Reeves, Sean Penn, Dustin Hoffman and Robert DeNiro have in common? They were all coached by or participated in seminars with D. W. Brown master acting teacher. The definitive nature of this book and its extensive compendium of reference information make it an invaluable manual every actor should keep close at hand.
- GenresNonfiction
338 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2009
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
September 1, 2012
I'm not an actor. I'm a fiction writer. So my review is only going to be applicable to writers.
My bookshelf is filled with great books on writing, but YOU CAN ACT! is by far the best one I've read on characterization. If you're a story teller, I highly recommend it. The good news you won't have to read the majority of it (unless you want to), but the first 65 pages are worth reading. Plus there is reference material that will help you develop authentic characters based on certain circumstances. You will learn how to select actions that reveal characterization and show the emotionally changes in the scene (which come organically from the character based on the circumstances), and how to develop emotional connections with your audience. Because it is geared toward actors, you'll have to figure out on your own the connection between the info in the book and writing, but it isn't hard to do.
I took a writing course on applying the theory of method acting to writing fiction. This book was superior to what was taught in the course.
My bookshelf is filled with great books on writing, but YOU CAN ACT! is by far the best one I've read on characterization. If you're a story teller, I highly recommend it. The good news you won't have to read the majority of it (unless you want to), but the first 65 pages are worth reading. Plus there is reference material that will help you develop authentic characters based on certain circumstances. You will learn how to select actions that reveal characterization and show the emotionally changes in the scene (which come organically from the character based on the circumstances), and how to develop emotional connections with your audience. Because it is geared toward actors, you'll have to figure out on your own the connection between the info in the book and writing, but it isn't hard to do.
I took a writing course on applying the theory of method acting to writing fiction. This book was superior to what was taught in the course.
Displaying 1 of 1 review