BOTOC: Kahncepts Results #2 – Prologue
Lesly’s Not Supportive of Our Efforts
After receiving a scathing review of their Kahncept, S wrote the following to me in his class notes:
“For those of us in it for the long haul, we are plants and we need “the rain,” i.e., “the feedback,” i.e., “the tough love comments about not having inspiration in our Kahncepts” in order to grow. However… [his emphasis] much like the state of California this season, we have received a lot of rain – plants also need some sunshine to grow.”
I’m so sorry you don’t feel supported by my feedback.
Unfortunately, you are no longer baby plants who have never seen the sun or felt the rain. You call yourselves professional actors. You expect the world to treat you as such. You are grown up plants who have taken the Intensive. You know what to do. And you have televisions, computers, iPads, iPhones, Hulu, Direct TV, you attend theatre, and have access to multi-plexes. You know what greatness looks like, feels like, sounds like. So when you don’t do it, you’re making a choice. And I can’t support that choice here in LA. In Nebraska? Sure. In Idaho? No problem. But here in LA, you are competing with the best. So I need you to be the best you can be.
Brittany S, Sandra M in their Friday day Reversals Kahncept
This is your LIFE and I’m not gonna lie to you about it so that you feeeeel better. (That’s why you have a mother.) You didn’t move all the way out here – leave your family and friends, presumably boyfriends and family businesses – so I could pander to you. You moved here to achieve a goal and if it doesn’t appear to me that your actions are leading you towards achieving that goal, I’m gonna have to tell you about it.
I understand that you don’t like it. But this isn’t your high school or college or even grad school acting class in which my primary objective is to instill within you a love of your craft or help you discover the artist within. (You did that back in Minnesota; and that’s why you’re here today.) My goal is to get someone out there to pay you at least $35,000 per week for the pleasure of your company and image on tape. If what I see you do does not appear to me to be leading you in that direction, I have a moral obligation to make sure you know that, and to tell you how to fix it.
S further wrote,
“What makes this project such a challenge is that LK is asking us to create something that we haven’t seen before – we have to create something that we don’t know what it is. This is what we are asked to do in our careers as actors but it is hard. [sic]”
Yes, indeed it is. And I want you to succeed at it, so I’m not going to encourage failure except when it keeps you on the path towards success. As LK&Co. teacher Eyal says, “Say “yes” to everything that comes into your head, then explore it and then say “yes” to that too.”
Hans O
BOTOC: Kahncepts Presentations Feedback #1 – FINALLY!!!!
I am so sorry I’m getting this to you so late. Excuses excuses.
I decided not to analyze each group’s presentation separately and publicly below. Instead I just wrote an overview of the whole project which will appear here on the blog in chapters over the next few weeks. If you are desperate for some SPECIFIC notes on what your group did, email me and I’ll send ‘em to you if I can.
Your grades are already posted on the Class Minutes Blog, and I provided specific notes ONLY about stuff I LOVED therein.
Tuesday Evening Team Dare to Suck Kahncept: Mike G, Hannah L, Aimee S
Mike G, Hannah L
I’ve posted all the handouts you gave me as well as some pix on the main bulletin board in the front hall of the Kahnstitute.
If you weren’t part of the BOTOC, dunno what a BOTOC is or frankly have no idea what I’m talking about, here’s the deal:
Way back in May 2011 we did a Battle Of The Ongoing Classes (aka a BOTOC). It was called BOTOC: Kahncepts because each group was tasked with creating a presentation to thoroughly and completely teach an acting concept of their choice (“Kahncept”) to their class. Like Dare to Suck:
Trevor T Daring to Suck on Monday Night in his Don’t Move on Your Funny Kahncept
There were lots of rules and regulations and requirements.
Kate J, Kelly B in a game by Doug S, Lili M, Kristi S and Trevor T in their Monday Night Don’t Move On Your Funny Presentation
I wrote, “I’m looking for excellence here, folks, not mediocrity. The assignment is extremely structured and you’ve gotten to choose what you feel most comfortable/interested in teaching. The subject matter, therefore, should not be a challenge – only the execution. Excel! Be fab! Enjoy! Have fun!”
The results will follow over the next few days.
BOTOC: Kahncepts Presentations Feedback
TABLE OF KAHNTENTS
Prologue. Lesly’s Not Supportive of Our Efforts
1. Alchemy.
a. You Can’t Just Do The Bare Minimum.
b. You Need A Premise.
c. You Need Faith.
d. You Need Couch Time So You Can Get Into Your Right Brain.
e. You Need Consistency.
f. You Can’t Just Be Linear.
g. You Need To Bring You.
h. You Gotta Relax, Stay In The Now And Stay Outta The Result.
2. Ya’ Gotta Let The Input Change the Output.
a. Be In The Moment.
b. Listen.
3. Ya’ Gotta Be Specific: Clean & Clear.
a. Make Sense.
b. Don’t be Messy.
c. Be Accurate.
d. Make Text-Based Choices.
4. Ya’ Can’t Bore Me.
Sandra M
a. Don’t Just Read Offa The Page.
b. Like Aristotle Says, surprise us.
5. Ya’ Can’t Have Technical Trouble. Prepare. Do your homework ahead of time. Don’t wing it.
6. Ya’ Gotta Stay in the Sceeeene!
7. Ya’ Gotta Be Fat Free.
8. Be Original! And in Performance, Only Copy if You’re Improving Upon Greatness (in Rehearsal it’s OK Just to Copy).
9. Ya’ Gotta Have Fun!
Courtney (Coco) P
10. Ya’ Gotta Come In and Go Out With A Bang!
11. Ya’ Gotta Show The Fuck Up.
12. Ya’ Gotta Take It To The Next Level.
13. My Teammates/Co-Workers/Co-Stars Don’t Work as Hard as I Do and They Bring The Whole Project Down. I Can’t Do It All Myself!
14. Miscellaneous
Kristy J
a. Don’t Burn Your Steps (from the Thursday Night Kahncept).
b. Surprise! There are Reversals in Music according to Thursday Night’s Reversal Kahncept.
c. Tyler P says How You Do Anything Is How You Do Everything.
Epilogue: Where Does Creativity Come From?
Nathalie J, Rich T
