Chương 31: Chapter 31: What is the Key to Being a Good Actor?
The classroom was silent as Matthew Horner stood in the center, with Rachel McAdams standing about two meters opposite him. Lacking props, she used her hand to mimic a gun gesture, pointing directly at Matthew's head.
David Aster's teaching was primarily practical, specifically targeting the Hollywood film industry.
Whether it was previous scenes involving dialogues or family tragedies, or the kidnapping scene Matthew and Rachel McAdams were about to perform, these were all common scenarios in Hollywood movies and TV series.
The script Matthew and Rachel McAdams received was straightforward: Matthew played a tough guy whose daughter was kidnapped, and Rachel McAdams played the threatening kidnapper.
"Hand it over!" Rachel McAdams's dimples vanished, her harder facial lines and slight muscular adjustments making her face appear particularly sinister, especially as she deliberately curled her lips to reveal two tightly clenched rows of teeth, adding a fierce intensity, "Otherwise, your daughter dies!"
Reflecting on his role, especially after David Aster's discussion on dialogue scenes, Matthew had some thoughts about this scene, which fundamentally was also a dialogue-driven scenario.
Therefore, he couldn't afford to just stand there foolishly, merely moving his lips like a character out of a Japanese anime.
Typically, when someone is kidnapped and especially at gunpoint, most people would be frightened and lose control, often crying and screaming, which is quite normal.
However, some scenes and characters demand a different approach.
Like his character now, who was a tough guy!
What does it mean to be a tough guy? Matthew had seen interpretations in movies like "Die Hard" with Bruce Willis, "Terminator 2" with Arnold Schwarzenegger, the "Rambo" series with Sylvester Stallone, and the "Mission: Impossible" series with Tom Cruise, each embodying the tough guy in their own way.
Matthew believed that such a tough guy must remain very calm.
"Where have you hidden her?" Matthew's face was stoic, "I won't give you anything until I see my daughter."
After his lines, David Aster slightly frowned but said nothing.
"This young man, Matthew Horner, has a good appearance," he observed the two actors' performance, "but his acting skills leave much to be desired."
Even without close scrutiny, it was evident that Matthew Horner was imitating Tom Cruise, managing to replicate only Cruise's cool demeanor without capturing the depth behind the tough guy persona.
The performances of the two actors were starkly different.
Matthew consistently glared with great intensity, portraying a stern tough guy, but to outsiders, his expression seemed static; Rachel McAdams, however, was distinctly different. Her acting skills might not have been excellent, but against Matthew's backdrop, she appeared fluid and natural, especially using her eyebrows, corners of her mouth, eyes, and facial muscles to subtly enhance her expressions suitable for the dialogue-driven scene.
Everyone in the room could see that the performances of the two actors were not on the same level.
Even Matthew himself realized it.
Rachel McAdams appeared rather petite, but once on stage, her presence transformed. Matthew felt a term: "appropriate."
This girl not only had an appropriate presence and movements but even the slightest facial expressions like raising an eyebrow or curling her lip were just right. He couldn't keep up with her pace, which was fatal as the script required both characters to be strong, with his being the dominant one and Rachel McAdams as the slightly weaker kidnapper. Yet, Rachel McAdams played the part of facing a super tough guy just right.
If one were to find an appropriate description, Matthew thought of her as a skilled bricklayer on a construction site, whereas he was just a temporary worker clumsily swinging a sledgehammer.
In the last half-minute of the scene, Matthew was merely following Rachel McAdams's lead.
"Stop!"
As the dialogue concluded, David Aster called out and then approached Matthew and Rachel McAdams.
Matthew nodded slightly to Rachel McAdams.
Rachel McAdams, no longer sinister, nodded back, her lovely eyebrows furrowing slightly—she had overshadowed him in the scene.
Indeed, it wasn't entirely her fault since the performance of her male counterpart was mediocre, but even in such a scene, she struggled to control her intensity...
Rachel McAdams shook her head, realizing her acting skills were far from being able to effortlessly modulate, still a long way from even being considered decent.
As for Matthew Horner, while his good looks and cool demeanor were passable, his acting skills were minimal.
"You did well," David Aster first addressed Rachel McAdams, "What you most lack now is consistent, extensive practice and sufficient acting experience."
He then addressed everyone, "Acting is a skill, and the only way to improve a skill is through continuous practice. This is especially true for skills related to body control, just like athletes aren't born skilled but train persistently
to achieve excellence!"
How others viewed David Aster, Matthew wasn't sure, but to him, an individual with significant life experience, what David taught was quintessential pragmatism.
Perhaps there are acting prodigies who don't need much practice, but Matthew was clear, he wasn't one of them.
Persistent practice! This was a mantra Matthew firmly remembered.
David Aster then turned to Matthew, "Your problem is clear, lack of acting experience and a tendency towards simplistic and superficial performances."
Hearing this, Matthew nodded earnestly—he was here for guidance, after all.
"This type of scene isn't just about showing a tough face or a child-like stubbornness as if the acting seems adequate yet overlooks the details," David Aster continued, "You were very stern just now, but the script demands not just a tough guy but also a tender, loving father. Just stern..."
He shook his head, "Do you think that's appropriate?"
Matthew also shook his head, then proactively asked, "Would adding some worry and fear make it better?"
"Possibly," David Aster nodded and then cautioned, "There's no quantitative standard in acting; it's about grasping the nuances according to the situation."
Most of the fourteen people were intently listening to David Aster, considering him a great teacher, particularly those with limited educational backgrounds and no formal training in acting.
Afterward, Matthew and Rachel McAdams stepped away from the performance area as another pair of actors took their place.
Throughout the acting class, Matthew was completely focused, afraid of missing any useful knowledge. Compared to others in terms of talent and acting skill, he might rank relatively low, but in terms of attentiveness, no one could surpass him.
Even Rachel McAdams, who appeared very serious, fell short by a significant margin.
As the morning's classes swiftly passed, Matthew even felt time moved too quickly. Unlike others who hurriedly left, he specifically chased down David Aster, who hadn't gone far, to ask a question he thought was crucial.
"Mr. Aster," he asked politely, "what is the key to being a good actor?"
Though his aspiration was to be a Hollywood movie star, not just an actor, he knew the fierce competition here—if his acting didn't even meet basic standards, even if he became famous by chance, he'd soon fall from grace, which wasn't what he wanted.
"Matthew, right?" David Aster recognized him and after a moment said, "I believe an actor should be humble, and not just superficially so."
Matthew was puzzled, not quite understanding what that meant.
"Perfect acting doesn't exist. Therefore, we must always hold a reverence for what constitutes beauty," David Aster added, nodding at Matthew, "Being eager to learn is a valuable trait in Hollywood."
Noticing Matthew's unique diligence and focus during class, David Aster specifically added, "Keep it up, so when the opportunity arises, you'll have the capital to seize it."
He nodded at Matthew and walked away.
Matthew scratched his head, understanding the latter part but still confused about the humility aspect.
Standing there thinking for a while and unable to figure it out, he simply headed to the school cafeteria for a quick lunch and sat resting for a while before moving to another classroom for a language class he had registered for.
In this classroom, Matthew saw several familiar faces, including those from the morning class, among them Rachel McAdams.
Seeing the seat next to Rachel McAdams empty, Matthew immediately walked over.
"Hi, Rachel," he said cheerfully, "Is this seat taken?"
"Hello, Matthew. No, it's free," Rachel McAdams responded politely.
Matthew pulled out the chair and sat down, remarking, "What a coincidence, you signed up for the language class too."
"Can't help it," Rachel McAdams expressed somewhat helplessly, "My agent says my accent is too strong; I need to correct it."
Matthew laughed, "My agent says the same thing; she thinks my Texas accent is too rural."
Rachel McAdams empathized, "Exactly, my agent also thinks my Canadian accent isn't pleasant."
With a common topic, the two gradually became acquainted.
Meanwhile, Helen Herman, using her connections with Ridley Scott, continually communicated with the "Gladiator" crew to secure an opportunity that would finally elevate Matthew into the media spotlight.
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