>IUDENI SE 


USE YOUR VOICE, 
USE YOUR BODY 


“Find a place of power and 
be in it-whether you're 
gonna stand there and be 
in it or sit here and be in 
it—but find that place of 
power and lock in and lock 
in on the target.” 

—Samuel L. Jackson 


MASTERCLASS 








CHAPTER REVIEW 


Sam analyzes the student actors’ choices of power positions when 
playing Danny and how movement and stillness can each convey 
power in a different way. Sam observes that when the students 
played Farley, they expressed more nervousness than pain. He 
challenges them to reach deeper into the relationship between 
Farley and Danny, which will then bring to light the devastation 
that Farley actually feels. Farley also takes into account his envi- 
ronment (being surrounded by other officers, etc.), which imme- 
diately gives him a sense of being inhibited. Remember that what 
your character wants will dictate how they physically hold them- 
selves in a scene. Sam demonstrates how posture works on each 
side of the phone as each character is pushed to their individual 
limits, which also shows their growing difference in high and low 
status. 


TAKE IT FURTHER 





Sam learned acting fundamentals like power positions, po- 
sitions of weakness, movement, and voice during his stage 
career. Find a local theatre company or college theater and 
volunteer to work in the box office or help build sets—any way 
you can get involved is great! Talk to the other actors about 
where they got their training and how they continue to grow 
and shape themselves as artists. 


ASSIGNMENT 


Find your position of power, or your status. Return to your 
chosen script and find a scene in which one character (it 
doesn’t have to be yours) is controlling another character. 
Rehearse with status in mind, and notice how it changes your 
posturing and positioning in the scene, and how it chang- 

es your relationship as a whole. Act it out with a partner and 
record your performance. Notice what shifted and how that 
maybe changed the response of your partner.? Post what you 
did in The Hub and ask your classmates for feedback. 


SAMUEL L. JACKSON 27 


11, 
NOES 


















































MASTERCLASS SAMUEL L. JACKSON 28