You Need An Objective Eye

Earlier I answered a question I am asked consistently and I’m excited to have that opportunity again.

Recently, a prospective student came to the school to learn more about it. The young woman was very prepared, with a whole list of questions. ( I LOVE that!) One question was whether students at the Conservatory were required or encouraged to rehearse alone with each other outside of class. She seemed so eager that I thought she might not like my answer, but I can’t tell people what I think they want to hear, I tell them the reality. So I told her: No. In fact, absolutely not! She didn’t respond, so I was determined to make sure she understood why I was - and could be - so emphatic about it.

I explained that actors in the first-year program do not rehearse outside of class without a teacher present because they will inevitably give each other notes (that is, for those who may not know, they’ll make suggestions about what the other actor should do at a certain point). And actors do not ever, rather should not ever, give each other notes.

Actors giving other actors notes just isn’t done. Not because of some lofty actor rule but for very practical reasons – you need an objective eye. The objective eye is the teacher or director watching the scene who can see what is unclear or not working . An actor who is IN the scene can’t possibly know that. Too often, when an actor in a scene gives another actor a note, it’s because they are seeking a response from their scene partner that clicks with something they want to do. But they can’t know if that choice works for the audience, or for the other actors.

I was excited when she immediately expressed relief! Apparently, she had just finished a class where this exact scenario had played out and she wasn’t very happy about it.

Acting is a collaborative process but collaborative does not mean suggesting what each other should do. Every play, every film, every piece of entertainment, has a director – an objective eye – the person charged with seeing what the audience will see and making sure the story is clear.

There is plenty for an actor to do outside of class – study the text, the literal action, the given circumstance, etc., and certainly it’s always useful to get together to run lines. But actors should really never rehearse – you need an objective eye!

If I had a dime for every time I’ve answered this question I’d be a millionaire! Do you have another question I’ve probably answered a million times? Let me know – I’m happy to help!