Renly categorized Paul Conroy, the male lead of "Buried", into two levels of performance:
In the first part was the expression of emotions—fear when scared, panic when in a frenzy, despair when in desolation. This was the quintessential representational acting style. Furthermore, the same emotion, fear in this case, would have different manifestations at various stages. When Paul first discovered being buried alive, when his attempt to call for help failed, when he realized death was imminent... These delicate and intricate nuances posed a severe test of his foundational skills.
True representational acting emphasized control—muscles, corners of the mouth, and even the gaze. Every detail change conveyed a different emotion. Audiences might not articulate these changes in words, but when combined with the character and the plot, this empathetic emotion would be accurately expressed, making watching the performance an indulgence.
Alfred Hitchcock had once stated that he demanded the use of the representational acting style in all his works and rejected the method acting style. The reason was straightforward: for genres like horror, thriller, and comedy, precise portrayal of emotions was paramount.
Although this was Renly's familiar territory, it was by no means a simple task. In "Buried", Paul's emotions were subjected to turbulent fluctuations. The turbulence within the confined space intensified with the passage of time, becoming increasingly fervent and suppressed—like a continuously compressed powder keg. Performing this role was far from easy.
Moreover, despite Renly experiencing two lifetimes, most of the time, discussions about acting remained theoretical; practical experience was still lacking.
The second part was the exploration of the character, testing the actor's comprehension of the character and interpretation of the script. This extended beyond the character itself, encompassing the character's relationship with society, the story's background, and the source of the central theme. This required the actor to transcend the mere technical aspects of performance and genuinely grasp the character's persona, the era's backdrop, and the societal significance, subsequently infusing the performance with their own understanding. Within "Buried", the Iraq War was the overarching backdrop, while the shadow background was the recent financial crisis stemming from the housing bubble in the United States. Paul's decision to accept work from an Iraqi contractor was not only related to him but also to society.
For instance, when Paul was contacted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), they requested him not to inform the media. On the surface, this was to prevent malicious sensationalism from dampening Paul's chances of escape. However, the actual reason was the turmoil in Iraq. American civilians were repeatedly falling victim there, and due to the quagmire in Iraq, the US government was under constant criticism. The dire circumstances of the financial crisis had intensified public grievances. At this juncture, what they least needed was news of "another civilian casualty."
Hence, the attitude of the FBI, Paul's anger, urgency, and helplessness, presented varied content. As Renly had mentioned, whether Paul was a civilian or a wealthy individual, male or female, in the US or Iraq, these factors would yield different outcomes. Paul was well aware of this, and his reactions naturally differed. Details, manner, and content of his performance would all deviate.
If representational acting emphasized control, then method acting emphasized letting go. It involved entirely immersing oneself in the character, erasing the boundaries between oneself and the character, reality and illusion. It meant experiencing and expressing it firsthand. For the audience, their connection with the character would be closer, the impact immediate and overwhelming.
For Renly, this was an entirely new territory. In his previous life, his ten years were spent confined to a sickbed, and before that, he led an entirely routine life—tedious and uninspiring. It could be said that all his experiences were derived from movie stories. Yet, everyone knew that films were always a form of art, to some extent, embellished or dramatized, inherently different from reality.
Hence, in terms of experience, Renly was undoubtedly only "twenty years old." If he were to attempt method acting, he would have to start from scratch, with each performance being a fresh beginning.
Now, Renly was attempting to combine these two acting methods, forging a new approach and infusing the character with a new perspective. If anyone knew about Renly's intention, they would either rebuke him as a madman or disdain his audacity.
Setting aside Renly's age, "Buried" was merely his second work, his first film. Even his mastery of the representational acting style was far from perfect, yet he aspired to merge two distinct methods of acting. This was nothing short of an unrealistic fantasy. Even seasoned actors like Meryl Streep and Daniel Day-Lewis wouldn't dare claim such an ability, let alone Renly.
However, Renly harbored no such apprehensions. Since he had already been reborn once, since he had decided to continuously challenge the limits of acting, since he had chosen this path, why not go all out? Besides, true innovation involved thinking outside the box, daring to imagine beyond boundaries. If he simply followed the methods of his predecessors, he would never forge his own path, wouldn't he?
In his second life, Renly wasn't here to play it safe.
To Renly, the fundamental skills of representational acting were indeed advantageous, like the foundation of a skyscraper—solid, stable, and precise. However, in general, the constraints of representational acting were too strong, too rigid, and lacked vitality. Eddie Redmayne was a typical representative of this style. It wasn't that his acting was lacking; it was just that the approach was overly conspicuous, the framework too evident.
On the other hand, method acting was too unbridled. It was prone to exerting excessive force, and a deviation in understanding could lead to the character's collapse. Yet, from another perspective, when actors were unshackled, they could portray the role according to their style and understanding. This kind of borderline madness would bestow the character with an air of uncertainty. Leonardo DiCaprio was a prime example. Often, his performances were excessively intense, over-the-top. Nevertheless, the movie-viewing experience he delivered was vivid and authentic.
This could be simplified as such: all performances of representational acting were pre-rehearsed. The actors knew what to expect and when, where, and how to deliver the performance. Solid foundational skills turned the performance into enjoyment, continuous refining of the craft, the artisan's spirit capable of moving every audience member.
For method acting, all performances were unpredictable. Once actors truly immersed themselves in the character, they discarded all constraints and devoted themselves to the performance. However, the final effect remained uncertain until viewed through the monitor. They were prone to losing control, even losing themselves. Once actors entered the character, control became challenging; accuracy wasn't a guarantee. It could be overly exaggerated or somewhat lacking, yet the fusion of reality and illusion could yield a soul-stirring cinematic experience.
Hence, fusing these two methods of acting, capitalizing on each other's strengths, and pioneering a style unique to him—this was Renly's goal.
Rodrigo was a director, and his understanding of acting wasn't as profound. Nonetheless, he knew that presenting both levels as Renly had described wasn't an easy task—more accurately, it was an incredibly challenging task. Even A-list actors renowned for their acting prowess wouldn't dare make such a claim. But once achieved, not only would the depth and thickness of the character undergo a qualitative transformation, but the entire work "Buried" would be reborn.
Having lofty goals was a good thing, but it needed to be grounded. Aspiring too high would only result in shattering into pieces.
Rodrigo gazed at the confident and composed Renly before him. His gaze wavered momentarily, and then he abruptly stood up. "Give me a minute." Before his words even fully landed, he dashed away, disappearing into the crowd with a swoosh. In a short while, he reappeared in Renly's line of sight, sprinting back with excitement painted all over his face. He settled back in front of Renly. "Here."
Rodrigo handed a small notebook to Renly, but before Renly could take it, Rodrigo snatched it back. "Hold on." He began to flip through the notebook, deeply pondering while he did so. After hesitating and pausing twice, he nodded to himself in affirmation. He then presented the notebook to Renly. "Read through the script and let's give it a try."
Renly was faced with none other than the script of "Buried".
Renly accepted the script, offering a smile. "So, are we finally diving into the audition process?" His calm and collected demeanor only heightened Rodrigo's anticipation and curiosity.
In the formal audition process, casting directors employed various methods to assess actors—sometimes it was casual conversation, sometimes actors performed a pre-prepared scene, sometimes they discussed specific topics. However, the most common approach was to have the actors perform a scene from the selected script on the spot. This tested their ability to react on the fly, their script reading ability, and, of course, their command of dialogue.
And this was exactly what Rodrigo was doing now.
He observed Renly's actions attentively, feeling a bit anxious, expectant, curious, and excited. Regardless of what exactly Renly was up to, for Rodrigo, performing a scene on the spot was the best way to test someone's mettle. He wanted to see how capable Renly truly was, to figure out whether he was the real deal or all bluster.
Renly didn't rush into reading the lines immediately. Instead, he briefly scanned the two pages of the script, grasping the context. Afterward, he selected a segment of the scene and began to read it attentively. On the third read, he softly recited all the lines. The entire process was rapid, yet the rhythm wasn't hurried; it was well-controlled and professional in demeanor.
Suddenly, Rodrigo recalled the thing Renly had mentioned when they first met. He was glad he hadn't watched "The Pacific", so he didn't have a fixed impression. That was a good thing.
Was it truly so?