As actors, you might feel free, instinctive, present and ready in your prep. But then you might get distracted on set by people who are talking around you, by new lines you have to learn at the last minute or by other actors you don’t feel connected to. At the same time, you might want to network and make nice connections with people from the industry, but that might keep you out of your zone. Also, you might be concentrating for your close up, but after a long wait you may get tired and lose all that concentration. In conclusion, there is always going to be distraction on set and the bigger the set, the movie or the names on the project; the more distraction there will be. This can be really frustrating since you might have worked hard and feel excited to defend your character and then, when they say “action!” you may not be able to show up as incredible and free as you know that you can be.
As a consequence of this, you may have tried to train more, take a lot of classes, learn new techniques, etc so that you can keep that concentration and freedom that you had in your preparation. But freedom does not mean to be purely instinctive, in the moment and completely yourself just when you’re all by yourself in your bedroom, acting class or car. It does not mean to protect yourself from everything else so you can keep your focus. By definition, acting is only happening when there is an audience or a set full of cameras. So inevitably, there will be distractions, interventions, different egos and needs to be fulfilled around you. It’s a team collaboration and no one is there just for you. Everyone is there for the story, so it all has to work together and everyone needs to do their best.
Therefore, you want to be able to show up open, present to whatever is happening and be able to use all that to inform, nourish and affect your character so you can stay in it no matter what. That can make you even more present. You also want to make sure that you’re capable of staying open when unexpected and conflicting things happen and letting them flow through you. But, if you don’t let anything in, you are going to be closed up and not free. So it is about being so free and open to the unknown, the conflicts and the distractions that show up that you can actually use them to the character’s benefit.
However, when you watch my training you'll discover that you have been conditioned to resist conflicts and unexpected things so that you can protect yourself and be in control. Thus, the work to do is to undo that conditioning and wake up your instinct and freedom so that you can actually start relying on what true freedom is. And your true freedom does not need protection. It is the most vulnerable and powerful thing you have going on at the same time. It’s not afraid of the unknown, it’s actually seeking it because it wants to dive into everything that life brings to you. In fact, art takes place when you’re so open to anything that happens that you can surrender to it and explore it.
Watch my training below to hear all my thoughts on this topic.
After you watch the training, I'd love for you to join in the conversation happening in our private Facebook Group THE INSTINCTIVE ACTORS' SOCIETY. You can get answers for your specific situation directly from me and connect with THOUSANDS of like-minded actors across the globe, so we can move things forward faster together.
If you're not already a member, be sure to request to join ASAP here.
See you there!
Jo Kelly
Creator, The Reset Journey From Resistance to Freedom
P.S. Whenever you're ready, here are two ways I can help you:
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Get on the waitlist for my program, The Reset Journey From Resistance to Freedom, and stop struggling to access your natural, authentic talent in the audition room or on set. You'll learn how to reset your instrument to be 100% instinctive and free in just 33 days.
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