Get Out of Your Head and Into the Present Moment

Stanislavski had a great term for not being self-conscious as an actor. He called it being “private in public.” After all, there’s an unnatural element to acting that’s rarely mentioned: you’re being watched! While I often joke that actors love being watched (otherwise, they wouldn’t be actors), it can still freak out many talented people. Self-consciousness puts actors in the worst possible place: their head. The head is dead. The moment is alive. Living in the present moment is essential to expressing your truth. To be fully alive as an actor, you must master the art of being private in public.

Jimmy Stewart in It's a Wonderful Life. This scene is widely regarded as one of the most raw, emotional, and influential moments in Hollywood history. Stewart, who had just returned from his service as a WWII bomber pilot, was grappling with the emotional aftermath of the war. His wife and daughter later said of his performance, "That's him in real life." Stewart didn't plan how he'd feel or express himself in this scene. Instead, he took the risk every actor must take: to be private in public.

"Self-consciousness puts actors in the worst possible place: their head. The head is dead. The moment is alive. Living in the present moment is essential to expressing your truth. To be fully alive as an actor, you must master the art of being private in public."

The foundational challenge in acting is overcoming the self-consciousness every actor faces. In Meisner training, this is addressed by putting your attention on the other actor, a habit instilled early with the famous “repetition” exercise. In Method acting, the focus is on sense memory, private moments, and affective memory. The Adler school teaches actors to use their imagination along with actions and justifications. While each of these respected techniques contains a wealth of discovery, the common thread is eliminating self-consciousness while providing a pathway to truthful acting.

It took me years to realize how easy it can be to be private in public. That understanding only came when I found my natural way of working as an actor. Recently, in class, I demonstrated a powerful way to explore a character and script using Edward Albee’s The Zoo Story. I spent several minutes diving into the multi-dimensional character of Jerry. Using the not acting approach I teach, I became so immersed in my exploration of Jerry that I forgot the students were even in the room. Both the actors watching and I were amazed and inspired by what unfolded. This level of privacy in public is thrilling and addictive. Once you experience it, you’ll never settle for anything less.

"This level of privacy in public is thrilling and addictive. Once you experience it, you’ll never settle for anything less."

Your ability to get out of your head and into the present moment will depend on how self-conscious you are as an actor. I believe my Art of NOT Acting class offers the easiest and most natural way to be “private in public” while developing rich, multi-dimensional, and memorable characters. Join us, and discover the freedom, truth, and power that only comes when you fully step into the moment.