Ten-Second Rule: a Rough & Ready Guide

The following life belt is very simple to remember: If you have to think about something for longer than ten seconds, it is wrong. Acting is as much an instinctive process as any other process, and the curse of modern acting is the endless analysis and talking that goes on in rehearsals. Well, stage rehearsals really, as the world of screen acting is far too busy to get bogged down in philosophic showings off. It is very nice indeed to sit around and discuss a play, and it can throw up revelations for everyone. All those sitting round the table joining in the discussions (or just listening in, hoping they will not be asked for their own opinions) will be much better equipped to give a lecture on the play or to lead a workshop on the inner workings and meanings of the play. But does it make them act the play better? Some actors act better when they know all that is going on, when they can identify and observe the arc of the play, and some do not. There is no absolute link between understanding and being able to perform, and your life belt is as follows: It all depends. Directors love leading discussions—it is what some of them do best— but the actors have to get up and actually do the work. There are many actors even now as we write who would rather be rehearsing a piece, than sitting round the table talking about it. The ten-second rule is to clarify what is important and what happens when things are tried out rather than talked about. It can be better to do something in three different ways, and then see which is best, rather than spending ages discussing it, so there is time to do it only once. Try to manipulate things so that you get to try things, so come into rehearsal prepared and willing to do a scene in several different ways, and ask to do so—you might be allowed to show the results. Often, the most talented people are required to act at lighting speed— think of the demands on a regular in a television comedy, on a chat-show host, or on a stand-up comedian. They must come up with solutions really fast, and sometimes the faster they work, the better it is. They are forced to apply the ten-second rule, so try it yourself—you will be amazed what your subconscious will come up with when it is challenged to work in this way. #acting #actress #actresses #actor #actors #directing #director #producer #producing #production #theatre #theater #studio #conservatory #conservatoire #masterclass #lesson #lessons #class #classes #education #history #theory #practice #improv #improvising #improvise #improvisation #adlib #creativity #creative #creator #creators #development #skill #skills #skilful #talent #genius #exercise #technique #art #craft #mastery #advanced #level #training #lecture #course #prop #props #thespian #thespians #drama #action #film #cinema #stage #scene #miseenscene #blocking #relaxation #sensememory #sense #memory #emotional #emotionalmemory #feeling #sensation #animal #overall #character #arc #characterisation #concentration #leestrasberg #strasberg #actorsstudio #stellaadler #adler #sanfordmeisner #meisner #robertlewis #stanislavski #stanislavsky #boleslavski #boleslavsky #ouspenskaya #ouspenskaia #teacher #teaching #teachings #teach #ivanachubbuck #ivana #chubbuck #utahagen #hagen #violaspolin #spolin #bertoltbrecht #brecht #spine #superobjective #objective #task #goal #aim #dream #target #supertask #leitmotif #grain #essence #voice #speech #monologue #dialogue #polylogue #rehearsal #rehearse #rehearsing #audition #auditions #auditioning #casting #cast #performance #showcase