10.

PLUMB YOUR

EMOTIONAL DEPTHS

Dns CHAPTER REVIEW

“Let’s explore that depth of ‘it’s fucked up.” —Samuel L. Jackson

MASTERCLASS

Sam directs the actors to perform a scene from The Negotiator in which Danny Roman talks to Farley on the phone while they’re waiting for a hostage negotiator to arrive. Danny is in control of the scene, while Farley makes a doomed effort to try to talk Dan- ny down. Sam has the students do the scene in pairs, acting both parts in quick succession. The goals of the exercise are to expe- rience the highs and lows of the two characters’ different status- es and to push the students to plumb their emotional depths to connect with both ends of the power spectrum.

TAKE IT FURTHER

Study techniques for playing high-stakes scenes.

ASSIGNMENT

Find a partner and try out Sam’s exercise of acting a scene in which two characters are on opposite ends of the power spec- trum. Perform it once and then immediately switch roles. How do you feel going from high status to low status, or vice versa? How did your body language change? Which felt better? Record your performance and share your experience with your class- mates in The Hub.

SAMUEL L. JACKSON 25