On the quiet streets of the late night, the world rested in stillness. The lingering remnants of noise in the night became more pronounced, with faint barking and the clinking of beer bottles echoing softly. Sensory perceptions, both auditory and olfactory, seemed heightened. Renly could distinctly smell the subtle aroma of tobacco beneath his nose, mingling with the damp and chilly air of the early morning, lingering on his fingertips.
His thoughts had finally cleared up, and Renly now understood what was missing. However, he wasn't content with this realization; he delved further into his contemplation: why had he lost this puzzle piece?
Evidently, his recent introspection wasn't an expressionist acting technique. If one were to analyze it from the perspective and framework of the academy, then Renly's recent performance had succeeded. The details could be refined over time, but the portrayal and rendition of emotions were correct and precise, sufficient for the film.
However, the greatest difference between film and theater lies in...
The depth and substance of theater are primarily conveyed through the script itself. For instance, in Shakespearean plays, the abundance of elaborate and magnificent language hidden in the lines reveals layers of history, philosophy, culture, and more. This is mainly because of the limitations of the theater stage, where the distance between the stage and the audience makes it easy for actors' performance details to get lost within the entire space.
The depth and substance of a film, on the other hand, are highly complex. It involves the director's camera angles, the text of the script, the actors' performances, and more. Ultimately, it all comes down to the director's control of camera framing. It's about how to fully utilize the actors' performances, the composition of the visuals, the play of light, and the depth of the dialogues to present the core depth of the plot. Undoubtedly, the director is the absolute helmsman of the entire work.
Renly's recent performance had been sufficient for theater, and those fine details of expressions couldn't be captured. However, in the context of film shooting, especially Tony's camera work, using close-ups to capture every nuanced change in expression, following the previous performance and the core ideas of the script, would blur the lines of the emotional portrayal.
So, Renly followed the character's trajectory, explored and traced it, and established a resonance between the character's state of being and the story, even connecting the character with the entire script's ideology. This wasn't expressionism; it was more of a method approach.
Of course, once he returned to performing, the focus of expressionism remained. It wasn't about whether Renly could resonate with Henry's experiences in a methodical way. Instead, it was about how Tony's camera needed Renly to stay in this state, struggling desperately on the fine line between life and death, from numbness to shock, from sorrow to despair, from pain to evasion, from avoidance to dodging, then returning to numbness, followed by another round of shock, and finally, a change.
Tony's focus was on recording the subtle emotional changes throughout the entire scene. After capturing them under a microscope, they would reflect the depth and height of the entire work's ideology.
So, expressionism remained Renly's first choice. However, he needed to adjust the starting point of his emotions slightly: the emotions that led to a breakdown due to sadness and the emotions that led to a breakdown due to despair were two vastly different styles of performance. Changes in eye contact, expressions, and actions would imbue the character with different textures.
If he simply followed the methodical impulses of emotion, then the erupted emotions would be intense and ferocious enough, staying on the right track. However, the subtle differences couldn't be distinguished, let alone layers and depth. Even the three-act structure of the entire scene, along with the two turning points, would appear blurred. Under Tony's microscope, such a performance would seem somewhat rough and deliberate, losing the authenticity of a pseudo-documentary.
Only the expressionist acting style could meet Renly's requirements and withstand Tony's test.
But, interestingly, Renly once again combined the two acting styles, and it was a style entirely different from anything he had done before. Could this work?
From the perspective of a third party, whether it's method acting or expressionism, including experiential acting, it all ultimately comes down to acting. The core essence lies in the character. It's about how the actor interprets and embodies the character based on their own understanding, serving the film.
Expressionism excelled in precision, depth, and control, while method acting thrived on immersion, engagement, and vividness. Experiential acting was known for its integration, authenticity, and vibrancy. Each acting style had its strengths and weaknesses, as well as its unique characteristics. So, could Renly blend the best of each style, based on his understanding, rather than artificially separating different acting styles?
This was a bold speculation. But Renly also knew that spreading oneself too thin wasn't the way to go. He had yet to master any single acting style. He was just beginning to find his footing. Trying to soar before learning to walk or run would only lead to disaster. He could hold onto the dream of flying while diligently honing his skills on solid ground. Someday, he would take flight.
After taking a deep breath, he temporarily collected his scattered thoughts and began reevaluating the scene he had just performed.
Once the overall performance concept became clear, things became relatively straightforward. This was the part that Renly excelled at the most—the origin, development, transformation, and anchoring of emotions, even the surging and boiling of feelings. His mind began to buzz with activity. Renly didn't hurry back to the film set but instead paced around in circles, rehearsing time and time again, contemplating each turning point. His mind gradually became brighter.
However, theory alone was just an empty shell. The specifics would only become clear through practical demonstration.
Renly quickly returned to the film set and didn't sense the suppressed atmosphere that was there earlier. He went straight to Tony, exchanged a few words, and told Tony that he wanted to give the performance another try. It wasn't just for Tony's evaluation; Renly needed to reevaluate himself. He had to examine his performance through the lens to gain a more three-dimensional perspective on the entire performance.
Tony nodded in agreement.
Sami's gaze had been following Renly's movements, anxious. She watched as Renly returned to the bus, and she hurried over. However, after taking just a couple of steps, the makeup artist's shout rang out, "Stop, stop! You need a touch-up!"
Unlike Renly, Sami had to be in makeup, and she needed heavy makeup for her role. Her previous crying had smudged her makeup, and she had completely forgotten about it. She was eager to get in front of the camera, but the makeup artist would never allow such a mistake.
In fact, Renly also needed a touch-up, not to apply makeup, but to wipe away the tear stains that remained on his cheeks, ensuring he could enter the next round of shooting with a fresh and composed appearance. Renly's personal makeup artist rushed into the bus and got to work.
Sami's gaze kept shifting, sizing up the crew members around her. Every person exuded an extreme sense of exhaustion and irritability, yet they had to suppress it, like a volcano ready to erupt but forcibly held back. If the conditions remained calm, it might remain dormant, but any slightest disturbance would unleash this volcano with unimaginable force.
This made Sami even more nervous. Her throat was dreadfully dry, and even the act of swallowing saliva seemed somewhat disjointed. "Stay calm. Renly is the star of this scene, just follow his lead, and you don't need to worry," the makeup artist noticed Sami's body trembling uncontrollably. The palpable tension in her quivering pupils was hard to miss. To ensure the smooth completion of the shoot, he had to offer some encouragement.
Sami nodded vaguely, unable to confirm if she had truly absorbed his words.
Staring blankly at the restive and repressed crew, the turbulence and restlessness akin to the calm before a storm filled the air. Frustration and disdain had left their mark between every pair of furrowed brows. Sami's heart tightened, and even when she saw Betty's encouraging look, she could only manage a feeble smile. Anxious, she walked into the bus, hesitating about whether to apologize to Renly. Yet, in the end, she couldn't muster the courage and silently took her place at the back of the bus, preparing to immerse herself in the shoot.
Soon, the crew was back in action.
The first time, Sami made a mistake and appeared in Renly's close-up shot before the performance had even begun, causing an interruption.
The second time, Sami erred again, rushing the beats, and the first part of Renly's performance was out of sync when she started her act.
The third time, Renly made a mistake; the makeup artist had applied too much powder near his nostrils, creating an odd look on camera.
The fourth time, Sami faltered once more. The previous shots had gone smoothly, and they were well into the latter half, but Sami had forgotten her lines, leading to a complete failure in the first part of Renly's performance.
...
Upon reentering the shoot, it was nothing short of a disaster. The progress was not just non-ideal; it became even more challenging. Stumbling and faltering, the scene was repeatedly shot many times, and they couldn't even complete a single full take. The atmosphere within the crew grew increasingly restless. Why continue shooting? Wouldn't using the previous complete footage suffice? In the blink of an eye, another forty minutes passed, and they were still stuck in place, spinning their wheels. What was going on? Were they running in circles?
"Sami, calm down. We've been shooting this scene for four days now. We should understand the process better than anyone else. After clearing your mind, just follow your intuition's momentum for the performance; that should be enough."
Renly also sensed Sami's unease and couldn't help but offer some comforting words, which seemed to finally help Sami regain some composure. The following shots had another hiccup, but then they went smoothly, the entire performance flowing seamlessly and naturally. It appeared flawless, with no reason to demand more.
However, these were the thoughts of the crew. What about Tony? What about Renly?