Episode Details

"Learn to act truthfully in imaginary circumstances.”

– Sanford Meisner

Too often creatives, especially actors in my experience, get really into the complicated parts of acting. Sometimes I’m included in this.

The details I’m talking about aren’t ones that enhance anything. I’m talking about the ones that debilitate you.

The ones that keep you in your head and not in the moment.

But let’s put it this way.

When kids are playing and imagining themselves as Spiderman, they ARE Spiderman. They are no longer the cute little kid you know. They are Spiderman and will accept Peter Parker if they allow you to know their alter ego.

In their mind, they can shoot webs and crawl on walls. They save lives and beat the bad guy. They don’t have to be convinced of their objective or focus on remembering lines. They just are who they say they are.

We can learn something from this behavior. Just do the thing.

Yes, it is important to learn lines and know your mark and know your blocking. But it’s more important to just be your character.

In creating art, you should be able to feel a flow. When kids are imagining themselves as Spider-Man, they are in this flow. When you are making sure all of the details are followed exactly, you’re fighting the flow.

The best part about kids imagining themselves as someone else is that when it’s time to shut it down, they can eventually return to themselves and be that cute little kid again.

You just might have to make their favorite snack to snap them out of it.