When you start talking about Human videos, Jim Carrey’s name is probably not the first name to pop into your head, so why would I even mention him here? Because often when you are talking about something as abstract as acting, examples can help a great deal, and Jim Carrey has something that is sorely lacking in scores of the Human Videos that are being performed all over the nation.
So what does Jim Carrey have that these others don’t? He has commitment. Now, I don’t mean by this that young people all over the country lack dedication; that somehow they are shiftless bums. On the contrary, I have a great respect for them and their dedication to rehearsals, to their families, and to their youth ministries. What I think they lack is something having to do with acting.
Acting is not a new discipline. It is one of the world’s oldest, and historically least respected vocations. The Wikipedia article on acting has this to say:
“Acting is the work of an actor, a person in theatre, film, or any other storytelling medium who tells the story by portraying a character and, usually, speaking or singing the written text or play. From the Latin word agĕre meaning "to do", this is precisely what acting is. In acting, an actor suppresses or augments aspects of their personality in order to reveal the actions and motivations of the character for particular moments in time. The actor is said to be "assuming the role" of another, usually for the benefit of an audience, but also because it can bring one a sense of artistic satisfaction.
Actors are generally expected to possess a number of skills, including good vocal projection, clarity of speech, physical expressiveness, the ability to analyze and understand dramatic text, and the ability to emulate or generate emotional and physical conditions. Well-rounded actors are often also skilled in singing, dancing, imitating dialects and accents, improvisation, observation and emulation, mime, stage combat, and performing classical texts such as Shakespeare. Many actors train at length in special programs or colleges to develop these skills, which have a wide range of different artistic philosophies and processes.
Modern pioneers in the area of acting have included Konstantin Stanislavski, Lee Strasberg, Uta Hagen, Stella Adler, and Sanford Meisner.”
When, in the theatre world, we say that an actor lacks “commitment” it simply means that she has not put all of herself into her role. Most of the time that “commitment” in younger actors has to do with physicality. The physical expressiveness that we look for in actors is about giving a role your “all.” It is this “all” that I want to focus on.
If you will look at the things in this article that are "expected" of an actor you will see that it is more than just standing and waving your arms about randomly. Being an actor is like being anthelete. You must train your bodies to do with greater skill what they do naturally.
Go out and look at a Jim Carrey movie. (Bruce Almighty is my recommendation) Whenever Jim Carrey makes a movement, it is not just a movement. It is full of energy, it snaps, it is dynamic. In order to be worthy of merit, a human video artist must think of their movements and make sure that each one is deliberate. I can’t say it often enough, “ Everything that is done on the stage is done for a reason.”
When Jim Carrey, Johnny Depp, or Robin Williams approach a role, they each have their own methods. What we can tell from Carrey’s acting style (the product of his “method”) is that he has a great emphasis on physicality. The way he moves has a great deal to communicate about his character. Try turning off the sound and watching him act in a couple of different scenes. Can you tell, just by looking at him, the kind of person his character is? Can you tell how his character is feeling? Can you see how his body changes to reflect the changes that are going on inside the character?
You can see all of these things not because Jim Carrey is simply a “naturally” good actor (although he might be), but because he has spent time practicing those skills. If you were to watch interviews that Carrey has done, listened to him talk about acting, you will find out that he didn’t just magically know how to contort his face. He practiced. Years in front of the mirror, clowning around for his friends and family, and time spent in acting classes and on stage have helped him develop his physicality.
I tell you this because of one simple fact: Jim Carrey is not the only one who can develop talent. You can develop it in the same way. It will take commitment; both commitment to personal enrichment, and to your character roles specifically. If you will “commit” you will be an artist of merit.
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