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Method acting? That noise you hear is the sound of me shuddering. But let me share a chuckle I got over at Ken Levine’s blog entry on the topic from the point of view of a director.

I once wrote a one-act play with David Isaacs about a Malibu condo that was leaking during a rainstorm. The play was a farce — characters frantically running in and out with buckets, that sort of thing. At one point a character goes off stage to mop up a leak. The actor wanted to know where the leak was. I said, “Off stage. Wherever.” That wasn’t good enough. He needed to know exactly where. So I shrugged, walked backstage with him, pointed to a spot on the floor and said, “Right there…no, wait. There!” He thanked me and throughout the run of the show he went to that spot, got on his hands and knees, and went to work mopping up. Meanwhile, other actors are tripping all over him coming on and off the stage. The real farce was unseen by the audience.

Funny stuff! If I were that guy’s castmate, I’d want to kill him. Read the whole entry — and the comments! — for juicier stories. (The comments also contain very serious discussions and support of The Method. Yawn.)

Paul Feig, director of Bridesmaids, discussing casting and working with lesser-known actors on The Treatment on KCRW:

There’s plenty of stars I want to work with but to me it’s just more exciting to have that discovery. Like, “Who are they?!” Let an audience have that discovery that we have. There’s nothing more exciting than in an audition, somebody comes in who you don’t know and they blow you away in the room. Then you’re like, “Wow, okay, this is great, I’m having the discovery that now an audience will have when this person comes on the screen and surprises them.” I struggled for so long as an actor, there is something exciting about giving somebody their shot. That sounds far more charity-based, because it’s not. We’re not going to put anybody in something that doesn’t just kill, you know, that isn’t great. But when you find that person that’s great, and if it somehow came down to you can have this star who’s really good, or you can have this unknown who’s just going to kill, it’s like, “Give me the unknown who’s just going to kill it.”

As an actor, I audition a lot. Most parts, I don’t get. Most often, they don’t say anything and that’s how I (eventually) know I didn’t get it. I’m okay with that process. Sometimes they let me know I didn’t get it in a way that I very much dislike. I’m not okay with that, but I’ll save that for another time. Today I want to say that sometimes, every now and then, they let me know I didn’t get it in a way that I do like. Got one of those yesterday via email, after a couple of fun auditions for a local theater:

Hi, Kevin –

Joe Blow from Project XYZ, here.

I just want to take the time to let you know that you were not cast; but it’s basically because of the usual minutiae and not your work, which was nothing less than first-rate.

There were a fist-full of people like you we saw who really knocked us out, whose resumes we’re keeping on file — the idea being that we’re already planning where we can use you, we liked your work so much. I hope we get to work together then, because you really were terrific!

Thanks again for coming in not once but twice!

See you soon!

Best,
Joe

Thank you, “Joe,” for the kind message, and the fun auditions!

“If you want to see a movie about a douchebag, you should probably see Douchebag.” So ends a great little promotional interview with Drake Doremus for his movie.

I would love to see this film — and I will some day, I am sure, though I will not be in Park City on Friday when it premieres. I will see this movie because of an intrigue based on the clip where we hear of an extended, impractical movie-making process, similar to one I’ve been working on, and that clip also shows crazy-good acting. The film is all character-driven, my favorite. Also, one of the actresses in this movie is a new friend, and an amazingly generous and open person. Finally, it’s called Douchebag. Four good reasons! Find this clip and a little more here.

Douchebag, I’m rooting for you!

Here is the Official Obselidia Trailer.
It intrigues me. I think I would very much enjoy watching this movie, especially in an arthouse or smaller theater. I think I would enjoy the philosophical wonderings that this movie would elicit in me. I’m hoping it’s well received at Sundance, and that it enjoys a wider release.

They’ve got a Twitter account for this film. Smart people.

Recently, the Sundance Film Festival announced their lineup of competition films for the 2010 version of the annual Utah event. I have decided to follow 3 of them closely. My decision was based on a few, loose criteria: Scripted (fictional) films where the actors and directors are non-famous and the budget is pretty small, and they were filmed or based largely in southern California. Only three films met those criteria:

Douchebag, directed by Drake Doremus, with a cast that includes one actress I’ve recently met, Amy Ferguson. (This isn’t even her first appearance on a Sundance screen. Sheesh.)

Lovers of Hate, by Bryan Poyser.

Obselidia, by Diane Bell.

I’ve established Google alerts for these people, I’m asking around and doing online research, and I’m rooting for them. Go Team 3!

Upon the recommendation of a fellow Cornellian at a recent alumni gathering, I put 5 small Los Angeles theaters on my list. “See their shows,” that list. I’ve seen about a dozen productions in the smaller theaters around LA, and they always have glaring weaknesses, but I will keep exploring, I promised, with this new list of 5.

First up, The Road Theatre Company. Last night I saw their current production, The Unseen, written and directed by Craig Wright. (I wish he had been there: I’d like to see if I remind him of Peter Krause. But that’s another story.)

My review is short and simple: “This is good theater.” The 3 actors are very good. Nice work, Douglas Dickerman, Matt Kirkwood and Darin Singleton. The direction is tight and compelling, the tech solid. The play itself — intense, dark, disturbing, horribly brutal at one point, but oh so intelligent in most places, particular in the dialog of Wallace — left me sitting there saying only a quiet “Whoa.” But the non-stunned part of me shouts, I found it! I found high-quality theater in Los Angeles. Glory be!

(My only complaint: the special effects are on the loud side a couple of times. Good writing, acting and directing provide the best jolts.)

Congratulations to the Road and their fine team. Congratulations and thank you.