Practical aesthetics facts for kids

Practical Aesthetics is a special way actors learn to act. It was created by David Mamet and William H. Macy. This method helps actors think about what their character is doing and how they are doing it. It's like a guide for actors to make their performances real and exciting.

This acting style was developed at the Atlantic Theater Company and Atlantic Acting School in New York City. You can learn more about it in the book A Practical Handbook for the Actor.

How Actors Use This Technique

Practical Aesthetics helps actors by breaking down acting into two main parts: Action and Moment. The goal is to make acting simpler for them. Action means "what your character is doing on stage." Moment means "how your character is going to do it."

Anya Saffir from the Atlantic Acting School says, "Once you understand the story and have a clear plan, you can go on stage and just let go."

Action: What Your Character Does

Actors start by looking at each scene in a script. They use a four-step plan to understand the character's action:

1. The Literal

This is a simple description of what the character is saying or doing. It's just the facts, without adding any meaning. For example, "The character is literally asking their partner to marry them."

2. The Want

This is what one character wants the other character to say or do. For example, "Character A wants Character B to agree they are soulmates."

3. The Essential Action

This is the main goal or purpose of your character in the scene. It's a universal idea, like "To get someone to throw all caution to the wind." This is the actor's choice, not just what the character wants.

For example, if a character is proposing after six months, and they want their partner to agree they are soulmates, the Essential Action might be "To get someone to throw all caution to the wind."

If the character is proposing after 34 years, and they want better insurance, the Essential Action might be "To cut a good deal." Or it could be "To make a responsible choice."

4. The As If

This step connects the Essential Action to the actor's own life. It's not about remembering past feelings. Instead, it helps the actor imagine a situation that feels urgent and real to them. This helps them stay honest in the scene.

For example, if the Essential Action is "to retrieve what is rightfully mine," an actor's "As If" might be: "It's as if my grandpa, who has memory loss, gave away a family treasure to a nosy neighbor. I need to get it back for our family."

This "As If" helps the actor's imagination and body work together. It makes the task feel important now. Actors learn that using old memories can limit their acting. It's better to imagine something that could happen, not something that did happen.

Mary McCann from the Atlantic Acting School says, "We don't use emotional recall, but we use our imagination. We become open to emotions."

The "As If" helps actors focus on a goal that motivates their lines. Even though they know how the scene ends, this tool helps them play through the scene as if the outcome is still unknown. Like an athlete in a game, the actor tries to win their goal. They eventually replace the "As If" words with the script's words. This keeps the acting fresh and exciting.

Moment: How Your Character Does It

Once actors understand the scene's action, they can go on stage or camera. They can then act freely in the moment.

Robert Bella, in Training of the American Actor, asks, "How should you say the line? Maybe you should ask, 'How does my scene partner need to hear the line? What's the best way to achieve my action right now?' Figure that out, then say the line to reach your goal."

Actors are taught to pay attention to the other actors. They use tools to improve their listening and how they react physically.

Anya Saffir says, "We are really interested in the live, spontaneous, unexpected moment."

"Moment" work means the actor reacts honestly to others and to what is happening. They play through the scene based on their character's Essential Action.

Famous Actors Who Use Practical Aesthetics

Many well-known actors use Practical Aesthetics. These include William H Macy, Felicity Huffman, Elizabeth Olsen, Rose Byrne, Gina Rodriguez, Jessica Alba, Rhea Seehorn, Stephanie Hsu, and Clark Gregg.

Some of the main teachers of Practical Aesthetics are Scott Zigler, Mary McCann, Karen Kohlhaas, Anya Saffir, Melissa Bruder, Lee Michael Cohn, Robert Bella, and Jacquelyn Landgraf.