Plays

Sanford Meisner on Acting

Sanford Meisner on Acting

  • Downloads：9699
  • Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
  • Create Date：2021-07-21 09:54:10
  • Update Date：2025-09-07
  • Status：finish
  • Author：Sanford Meisner
  • ISBN：0394750594
  • Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
  • Download

Summary

This book， written in collaboration with Dennis Longwell， follows an acting class of eight men and eight women for fifteen months， beginning with the most rudimentary exercises and ending with affecting and polished scenes from contemporary American plays。 Throughout these pages Meisner is delight--always empathizing with his students and urging them onward， provoking emotion， laughter， and growing technical mastery from his charges。 With an introduction by Sydney Pollack， director of "Out of Africa" and "Tootsie，" who worked with Meisner for five years。



"This book should be read by anyone who wants to act or even appreciate what acting involves。 Like Meisner's way of teaching， it is the straight goods。"--Arthur Miller


"If there is a key to good acting， this one is it， above all others。 Actors， young and not so young， will find inspiration and excitement in this book。"--Gregory Peck

Download

Reviews

Jayvan ，

genius he's a genius genius he's a genius 。。。more

Castor ，

Why do all actors write like this？ Drives me a little bonkers。You really only need to read the first half of this book。 The latter half has less substance， I feel， and is more confusing。 I find his technique interesting -- definitely not my way in， but someone's for sure。 Why do all actors write like this？ Drives me a little bonkers。You really only need to read the first half of this book。 The latter half has less substance， I feel， and is more confusing。 I find his technique interesting -- definitely not my way in， but someone's for sure。 。。。more

Jamie ，

In one of the introductions and forwards in this states that there are no good books on teaching acting， and I have to say that this belongs in that category。 I think it's inherent in the medium - reading is passive， and acting is， well， action-based。 While the words on page may have value， there's no practicality behind them when reading and all inflections and emotions are the reader's own。 Its even one of the lessons of the book: That a lot of acting is reacting， and it's hard to react emotio In one of the introductions and forwards in this states that there are no good books on teaching acting， and I have to say that this belongs in that category。 I think it's inherent in the medium - reading is passive， and acting is， well， action-based。 While the words on page may have value， there's no practicality behind them when reading and all inflections and emotions are the reader's own。 Its even one of the lessons of the book: That a lot of acting is reacting， and it's hard to react emotionally to dry words on a page。 And more， there's not a ton of original thought in here that wasn't already really gone over by Stanislavski （from what I remember about his book）， so I would suggest starting with An Actor Prepares instead of this one。 Also， I know it was the 80's， but I don't think Meisner would stand a change in today's "Me Too" world， and from the sounds of his personality， I don't think that's a bad thing。 Crotchety， sexist， controlling。。。 I don't think we would have had a good student-teacher relationship because he doesn't seem to respect that his students might have something to teach him in turn， and also， his disrespect for what writers want out of their scripts also left me scratching my head and brings us back to the age-old question of whether the actor is just a prop for the writer， or if the writer is simply a vehicle for the actor。 My question is why can't it be both and why compete or look to unbalance it with ego？All in all， this was a slightly valuable read because it reinforced some things from my current acting class， but for the most-part I could have done without it because I'm already learning those things in class and my teacher is so good that I got the lessons without needing this enhancement to his teaching。 。。。more

Jo ，

this book moved me

Evans ，

Another great acting book。 I don't use all of his methods。 I have found that I can achieve the same results using other methods that I prefer。 That is just my personal preference。 Another great acting book。 I don't use all of his methods。 I have found that I can achieve the same results using other methods that I prefer。 That is just my personal preference。 。。。more

Sara Woodyard ，

This is my acting bible。 It's how I approach acting on stage and screen。 A must read for any actor。 This is my acting bible。 It's how I approach acting on stage and screen。 A must read for any actor。 。。。more

Jane ，

Sandy Meisner is known for being one of the greatest acting teachers of the 20th century。 In this book we follow 16 students for 15 months as they learn "Meisner technique" from simple exercises to help them obtain an authentic emotional response and reaction to their scene partner to polished scenes from contemporary plays。 To take a class on Meisner technique is on my "to do" list for a while。 I felt where this book did somewhat try to explain what it is， it is something that can be only under Sandy Meisner is known for being one of the greatest acting teachers of the 20th century。 In this book we follow 16 students for 15 months as they learn "Meisner technique" from simple exercises to help them obtain an authentic emotional response and reaction to their scene partner to polished scenes from contemporary plays。 To take a class on Meisner technique is on my "to do" list for a while。 I felt where this book did somewhat try to explain what it is， it is something that can be only understood by doing， however the examples were very helpful in gaining a bit of an academic understanding of it。 。。。more

Michael Paone ，

LOVE THIS MAN！ Very much loved deepening in my acting work。 Really r0unds out the experience of actually doing it。 Also I love Meisner's way of being - just reading his anecdotes and approach to life really illustrates the actor's way of being in the world - simple， cut to the point， find the emotion， don't overcomplicate， trust your impulses。 LOVE THIS MAN！ Very much loved deepening in my acting work。 Really r0unds out the experience of actually doing it。 Also I love Meisner's way of being - just reading his anecdotes and approach to life really illustrates the actor's way of being in the world - simple， cut to the point， find the emotion， don't overcomplicate， trust your impulses。 。。。more

Eveningstar2 ，

Meisner would've got along alright in a zen monastery。 Meisner would've got along alright in a zen monastery。 。。。more

Julian ，

Wanting to be an actor with very little training， this is the book for you。 Although I disagree with some of Meisner’s methods， this book is still a great tool。 I’ve learned so much reading this and feel like it has helped me become a better actor， or at least give me more of an idea of how to act。 All in all great read。

Abdul ，

I've never read a book like this before， very interesting and insightful。 Meisner is such a brilliant and lively character， I know I would have loved seeing him in action。This book gave me an insight into a world I've never really had much to do with， but have always been interested in。 Not just acting， but acting well。 While it does have some boring parts/parts that go over my head， it's also given me a rich look into what makes the true， deep acting performances that I/people truly respond to。 I've never read a book like this before， very interesting and insightful。 Meisner is such a brilliant and lively character， I know I would have loved seeing him in action。This book gave me an insight into a world I've never really had much to do with， but have always been interested in。 Not just acting， but acting well。 While it does have some boring parts/parts that go over my head， it's also given me a rich look into what makes the true， deep acting performances that I/people truly respond to。Turns out it's the same thing we all respond to - real experience， real emotion - that which is genuine， true， and real。 。。。more

Margaret Matejcek ，

Great format of story telling - really helpful and interesting way to gain insight into the Meisner technique and Meisner himself。 While the repetition of the book became boring at times （no pun intended）， I know that that is *something* to react to！

Laurel Kathleen ，

Neat！

Michael Whitehead ，

Great explanation of the Meisner Technique。

Rachel Heritage ，

Very engaging books， narrating classes with Meissner yet in a way where you can take the advice and exercises and use them for yourself

Anna Krjatian ，

Excellent。 Simply， excellent。

Jennifer ，

I knew nothing of the Meisner technique before reading this。 It was very interesting but all the exercises and advice in here didn’t translate well as a book。 Every thing became more clear to me when I searched for actual videos online of the classes that are transcribed in this book。

Ashley Wilcoxson ，

Coming from a person who is an aspiring actres with no formal training this gave me insight on how Meisner thought which allowed me to understand how he taught his students。 Great book and very helpful。 Definitely will come back and read after I’ve touched on other acting techniques ！

Ciaran ，

The foremost book on the subtle yet complex craft of acting。

Karmilia Andrade ，

I had to hold this book close to my heart and give it a kiss once i was finished。 Phenomenal read！ What an honor it would have been to learn from Meisner himself。 I’d have given anything to listen to his advice， even if he did come across as mean， too direct， or intimidating several times in the book。 As someone who has just started to get into acting， i figured it would be best for me to pick up copies of acting books from all the greats- Meisner included- before i could afford acting lessons， I had to hold this book close to my heart and give it a kiss once i was finished。 Phenomenal read！ What an honor it would have been to learn from Meisner himself。 I’d have given anything to listen to his advice， even if he did come across as mean， too direct， or intimidating several times in the book。 As someone who has just started to get into acting， i figured it would be best for me to pick up copies of acting books from all the greats- Meisner included- before i could afford acting lessons， and I’m glad I’ve done it。 I’ve learned to understand that acting is a craft that needs to be taken seriously and nurtured well。 I believe this is a great book for actors to read regardless of how little or how much experience they may have。 It never hurts to stay open to learning。 。。。more

Elijah ，

Acting is the most difficult formal element in cinema for me to see。 Most acting that makes it through to film is very good。 Occasionally we get a bad performance， but good acting is nearly invisible。 My goal is to learn to see acting better。 A friend gave me this audiobook for Christmas， and I enjoyed it very much。 Granted， this is one method， but the goal is the same - good acting。

Jackie ，

Although I disagree with the Freud stuff， this is a decent resource， especially for new actors。

Jakey ，

Fantastic book for actors or those who want to live truthfully o=under all of live's conditions。 If you're pinched on set， what do you do？You say， "ouch！" or "****！" Whatever it is， it is natural。 And what is natural is good on the set of the stage and in the theater of life。 Fantastic book for actors or those who want to live truthfully o=under all of live's conditions。 If you're pinched on set， what do you do？You say， "ouch！" or "****！" Whatever it is， it is natural。 And what is natural is good on the set of the stage and in the theater of life。 。。。more

E ，

Really liked this， and a great thing to read alongside practise in class。 It is not simply a manual on 'how to act'， and what it offers are ideas that make you think。 Granted， it is repetitive （the book that is， but the exercises obviously are too） however it is for a good reason。 This is the first 'acting' related book that I feel has actually improved my abilities， or more accurately my mentality towards 'acting'。 Really liked this， and a great thing to read alongside practise in class。 It is not simply a manual on 'how to act'， and what it offers are ideas that make you think。 Granted， it is repetitive （the book that is， but the exercises obviously are too） however it is for a good reason。 This is the first 'acting' related book that I feel has actually improved my abilities， or more accurately my mentality towards 'acting'。 。。。more

Subham Kumar ，

Goof

Carolyn Page ，

Never before have I read anything on acting described and taught so clearly。 It's like being right there in the classroom with him！ The book takes you through the exercises， the students going through them， the questions and answers， the mistakes， the rebukes。 If you read one book about acting， read this one。 It takes away all that is affected and trite and bares the emotional soul of the actor in everything they do--or don't do。 As Sandy said， "Don't do anything until something happens to make Never before have I read anything on acting described and taught so clearly。 It's like being right there in the classroom with him！ The book takes you through the exercises， the students going through them， the questions and answers， the mistakes， the rebukes。 If you read one book about acting， read this one。 It takes away all that is affected and trite and bares the emotional soul of the actor in everything they do--or don't do。 As Sandy said， "Don't do anything until something happens to make you do it！" and "There is never nothing"。 。。。more

Fedde ，

Erg leerzaam。 Na zo'n dertig jaar regisseren en dramales geven weet ik natuurlijk aardig wat van lesgeven， maar een goede leraar kan je altijd iets nieuws leren。 Sanford Meisner is zo'n leraar。 Erg leerzaam。 Na zo'n dertig jaar regisseren en dramales geven weet ik natuurlijk aardig wat van lesgeven， maar een goede leraar kan je altijd iets nieuws leren。 Sanford Meisner is zo'n leraar。 。。。more

Mary Denise ，

Can’t top Meisner。 Impossible

Patrick Treadway ，

Phenomenal。 I love coming back to this book。 It's one of the best of the acting "master class" genre。 Phenomenal。 I love coming back to this book。 It's one of the best of the acting "master class" genre。 。。。more

João Felício ，

Are you thinking on reading this to learn some technical structure for acting training？ Ok。 Let me save 300 pages of your time。 This book teaches 3 interesting concepts。1- Believe what you are doing when acting in actually real， don’t spare time trying to watch yourself from outside。 Convince yourself that the characters and scene are real and let your instincts do the rest。2- Know yourself well， so you know how to better use your body and expressions on acting even without thinking about it。3- Are you thinking on reading this to learn some technical structure for acting training？ Ok。 Let me save 300 pages of your time。 This book teaches 3 interesting concepts。1- Believe what you are doing when acting in actually real， don’t spare time trying to watch yourself from outside。 Convince yourself that the characters and scene are real and let your instincts do the rest。2- Know yourself well， so you know how to better use your body and expressions on acting even without thinking about it。3- Thinking about acting while acting is at the core of bad actingThe rest of the book is a mix pseudoscientific claims based on psychoanalysis （which is itself， mostly pseudoscience） and tons and tons of allegorical and pretentious classes that just repeat the 3 principles written above。Overall， learning the basic principles of acting from an expert is worth it。 However this book could be 3 pages long。 Or an article in some media。 。。。more

Reference

google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=Sanford Meisner on Acting

hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=Sanford Meisner on Acting&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft

The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,Sanford Meisner on Acting&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0