mental downloadables

the newsletter for to git gud in acting 'n stuff

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The Main Event

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Lost Ancient Art Helps Actors Git Gud

Today I shall reveal a secret shrouded in archaic mystical practice that will fuse mind-body-soul into one lean mean acting machine.

That's right today we shall learn the art ...

... of writing with pen and paper to learn your lines.

YOU. Huh?

ME. Hold on tight, Grasshopper. I'm taking you to beautiful places.

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Alright

Writing is the greatest invention.

It is the one true time machine that has successfully transported ideas, thoughts, and events across millennia.

It is also really great at transporting lines from dead playwrights into your brain.

Today we shall explore how writing by hand is your secret weapon to:

• Gain confidence in auditions
• Unlock your full potential
• Transform your acting career FOREVER!!!

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Mwahahahahahahaaaaa!

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yes all this power can be yours ...

... with a pen and some paper, lined paper, blank ... not corrupted.

Wait ... What are you doing?

Why are you pulling up the Notes app.

I said pen and paper!

YOU. Why?

ME. Because you are going to write all your lines out in one big continuous monologue by hand!

You see, writing is a psycho-somatic activity. That's just fancy neuroscience talk for mind-body connection stuff.

By literally writing the words the playwright gave you by hand you make them "belong" to your mind-body-subconscious-happy-self-level.

YOU. What are you talking about, Ed?

ME. Brain magic ... er ... science!

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Think of it like this ...

When you look at an old journal you are looking at your old thoughts represented in your handwriting. There's a connection. Well, when you write out your lines by hand a similar thing happens, you are signaling to your brain subconsciously that these words came from you or at the very least you are borrowing them from the playwright's brain.

Beware The Ops

Three sneaky little villains will try to steal this powerful tool from your arsenal of line mastering method.

Laziness

Arrogance

Cynicism

They will try to thwart you from trying this out. Don't let them into your brain. They don't pay rent, they're messy, and they make you dumber. Plus they're always posting crazy stuff on Facebook).

So, resolve to do the work, be humble, and trust me I been doing this for a loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong time.

What To Do

Pick a scene. Write every line of your character in one Continuous Monologue. Don't worry about cue lines will deal with those in another email.

Write every line VERBATIM by hand.

Why All the Trouble?

Here's what writing lines out, BY HAND, can do for you:

• Provide your brain a much needed break from a screen
• Increase your mind-body connection
• Start thinking like your character
• Improve your handwriting
• Initiate the "flow" state
• Enter into the "Now"

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But, Ed ...

YOU. I have awful handwriting.

ME. All the more reason to do this exercise. You'll get real gud at writing because you will have to slow down to write clearly and VERBATIM (I love that word ... verbatim ... mmmm ... it tingles me).

YOU. I ain't got time to be writing every word out by hand, man. Is you crazy?

ME. Yes, and I have the paperwork to prove it, but that is beside the point. Listen, you have plenty of time to do this. Stop watching other people eat food on the internet and you'll free up a good five hours every week. You can use said hours to dedicate to the noble cause of becoming a better actor ... you do want to be become a better actor, right?

YOU. Seriously though, this has nothing to do with acting. This is a waste of time.

ME. Check this out. The greatest athletes, musicians, and retail sales associates have drills that they do everyday to keep sharp on their fundamentals. Writing lines out by hand is like working the scales on a piano, practicing lay-ups, or mastering that perfect blue jean fold. This is the basic work that when done well and with full attention will lead to greater character understanding and focus.

REMEMBER ...

• Writing is a psycho-somatic (mind-body) activity
• Mind-body practices make for a betterer learning experience
• Writing your character's lines in your handwriting increases your psychic ownership of those words. When you see your handwriting you think "these are my words."
• Writing verbatim and clearly forces you to slow down and be in the moment, which welcomes in flow state

Just Do It ...

... and reply to this email.

Tell me:

-what you discovered

-what sucked about the process

-what was your favorite part

-do you feel closer to your character, now?

Let me know.

Alright, my fingers are hurting from all this writing.

BYEEEEEE!

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See you next week!