Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 56
 mind teasing October 1, 2009
Cindy (Arizona)
ITs very differnt the way the writer explains acting. it gave me something to think about. its a worth while book
 Surprisingly useful advice for writers August 24, 2009
Esther Schindler (Scottsdale, AZ USA)
For obvious reasons, people have been buying this book for decades because Shurtleff's advice to writers is so useful. I enjoyed reading the book when I first found a copy of it 25 years ago, and a recent re-read made me appreciate his advice. Even though I'm not an actor by any stretch of the imagination. I suppose that I could point out that it's enjoyable reading simply for the anecdotes about how many famous actors got their start. Any Barbra Streisand fan should read this book if only for the anecdote about her audition for "I Can Get It For You Wholesale."
But it recently occurred to me how relevant it is for writers of all types (and for us poor editors who must fix their work).
For example, the first guidepost on discovering the relationships between the characters in a scene has stuck with me for years: "...Every scene is a love scene. The actor should ask, 'Where is the love?' of every scene, or he won't find the deepest emotional content. This does not mean that every scene is about Romeo and Juliet-type love; sometimes the scene is about the absence or the deprivation of love. ... As an actor you should always be looking for the most immediate emotional involvement: What will involve you right now, not tomorrow or next week."
That's certainly excellent advice for the actor who has to interpret the words the playwright put on the page, but it's also enormously helpful to the person who is writing those words. Or writing ANY words, I've found. I write exclusively non-fiction, but even my articles about the geekiest of technology are storytelling, and it's my job to engage the reader. I do that by appealing to their emotions -- even if the emotion is "I want my boss to think my decisions are smart, so I'd better pick the right software." Yes, I really do ask of the articles I write and edit, "Where is the love?" even if it's in a context that Shurtleff probably would not recognize.
His second guidepost: "What are you fighting for?" helps actors look for the conflict in the scene. But it absolutely resonates with me as a writer and even more so as an editor. I'm so often surprised at how much writers shy away from conflict in their writing. Yes, even non-news non-fiction. Readers respond to conflict because they have choices in their own lives and it's your job to help them make good choices. If you're writing about two products that promise to solve a technical problem, there's an inherent conflict ("Which one is worth the money and time? Which will make me happy? I want to make the right decision!") and it's appropriate to identify that conflict. If you're quoting people on two sides of an issue, it's far more interesting to read how and why each side believes his viewpoint is right; but I see so many writers cover the story as if only one side is credible. It's far more interesting the other way.
And, of course, Shurtleff's guidance when it comes to persistence applies to any creative endeavor. As Bob Fosse wrote in the introduction, "After all, isn't a business interview an audition in a way? Isn't a first date? In today's world everything seems like some sort of long audition to me."
Even if you don't care about acting in any pragmatic way, this is a great read for anyone who has to sell his message (or himself) to other people. And doesn't that describe all of us?
BRILLIANT July 25, 2009
D. Warren (Los Angeles)
Michael was my teacher and mentor and friend. I used to teach his class when he could not and now I teach my own in LA. He read my book, HOW TO MAKE YOUR AUDIENCE FALL IN LOVE WITH YOU, and gave me advice and even wrote a chapter for it. I often say that mine is a continuation of his. I used everything I learned from him with an added emphasis on technique, risking and using your own - charm! HOW TO MAKE YOUR AUDIENCE FALL IN LOVE WITH YOU is recommended by the head of casting of HBO and by the heads of the departments of theater at Harvard and UCLA. I hope all actors will buy both books.
Must read for the actor October 28, 2008
S. Taylor
I've read this book a couple times in theatre classes I've taken. Its worth it every time. Shurtleff's reminders will serve you everyday in your acting, not just in an audition. I highly recommend this text.
AdaptedToKnowledge October 12, 2008
YY Thirunavukkaras (LA, CA USA)
It talks about many aspects of character that a student actor needs to know according the situations. Some of the examples are the key elements that compares to the realistic situation.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 56
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