She took the stage with unbridled energy. Maybe some constraint could help?
Dashing onto the stage the performer started right into her intro with gusto. Immediately she seized the audience with blazing energy and kept on going with that high spirited stuff before I stopped her.
“Wow! You have got some sizzle!” I said, trying to match some of her fire as I approached her onstage.
“Yes, well, I’m from Jersey and we talk fast!” she grinned to her fellow classmates, their tousled hair just now settling from the Actor-storm.
“Great! Now keep going from where you left off and this time try going under,” I coached, heading back to my seat behind the camera.
“Go under?” she asked. Well, at least I understood what I meant.
“Oh sorry,” I corrected. “Relax your energy a bit and just have a conversation with us.”
“Yeah, I can do that,” she agreed with a bit of a I-was-doing-fine glare at me.
What came out next, to the agreement of her co-workers was a level authenticity, confidence and conviction that her audience had not witnessed before. It was as if they saw this woman anew, hearing her for the first time. One classmate commented that it was “amazing”. Another said, “I had no idea you could do that.”
There was absolutely nothing wrong with the energy presented initially by this veteran associate. It fact, upon witnessing her for the first time I was very motivated by her performance. But after a couple minutes, it left me wondering if she another gear.
“Going Under” means something positive in the acting world (in contrast to its potentially negative meaning in business!):
- You’re putting out a ton of great energy but it’s time for a change cuz the audience is bored
- You’re coming off as disconnected from some sense of authenticity—you’re “REALLY ACTING” up there! Translation: It seems fake.
- Someone is coming at you with a ton of energy and instead of trying match or top that, go quieter with less energy to make your point
“Under” is:
- More intimate
- Unforced
- Truthful
- Conversational
- Real
“Under” manifests itself physically with:
- Connected eyes
- Calm breath
- Efficient gesture
- Relaxed shoulders
- Solid stance
Think of a situation where you really have to sell something. You’re jazzed about that, put on your best authentic smile and launch into your gig. But the customer is giving you signals that doesn’t match your energy. They get quiet, or distracted and look at their phone a lot. Or they just outright say, “Appreciate what you’re presenting, but just give it to us straight.”
That’s a great time to Go Under. Drop any sense of manufactured pizazz and drop your energy. Talk conversationally like you would with your hometown camping buddy over a Leinies Original (not a paid endorsement, just really good beer). Touch a place, down deep where you breathe that is honest.
Again, not to say that your or our above performer’s “hot” energy lacks legitimacy! It’s valid too. I just know from many auditions, performances, and multiple takes in video and voice acting that it is important to have a quieter, more authentic, no bullshit place to go in yourself as Actor.
“Going Under” is a gear worth going to even if you hear grinding on the way there.
Your stage. Your performance. And now with Going Under in your bag, you’re on!
