Sanford Meisner on Acting

If Meisner were teaching today, his bullying tactics and cult-like persona would put him out of business. Nobody would put up with that crap. I remember liking aspects of the Meisner technique, so I'm re-reading this book. He's so horrible to his students, it's painful to read. Today, this book reads more like a biography of an megalomaniacal ogre than an acting primer.

The 3 Golden Rules:1) Do not say or do anything until something happens to make you do it.2) An independent activity must be difficult and there must be a compelling reason why you're doing it.3) Wait for the cue, but the impulse comes whenever it's felt.I read this book (long ago and far away) as an actor. There's a lot of jibber-jabber but buried within are some very essential truths for actors.I've re-read this book as a struggling screenwriter and rediscovered the essentials that I'd hope actors would recognize and draw upon when performing my script.

I read this to get a better understanding of Meisners technique and hope to learn something new. It wasn't my style at all.Though there are some gems here I took to heart about preparing, listening and emotion.This is not a very encouraging book and he seemed very arrogant.Overall a discouraging read.

I have to compare this book to other “narrative” acting books out there and by doing so I have come to the conclusion that these “narrative” acting books need a re-write.The Pros:1. Some good principles of Acting that can be repeated throughout an actor’s career2. Transitions away from the “Method Acting” technique and the “Emotional Memory” Technique, which a lot of Kool-Aid Drinkers in Hollywood feel is a MUST in order to achieve critical and fan acclaim. No, you don’t necessarily need to check into an asylum to play that role of a man battling crippling depression.Cons:1. Extremely Long and Boring Narrative outline Is front loaded before the actual principles he is trying to teach. The book should be frontloading these principles at the beginning of each chapter instead of burying them in the mundane and monotonous narrative. Example “How are you”, “I am fine”, “You are fine”, “yes I said I am fine”, “yes you said you are fine”, “yes thats right I said that i am fine”, “yes thats right and I am saying that you are fine”...blah blah blah blah blah. Then somewhere in here we get to the actual point of the lesson. If not for this, I would have given the book a full five stars. However, the dribble is so bad and outdated that it brought the entire book down to 3-stars2. Although others penalize Meisner or should I say “Sandy” for his brutishness towards his students, i feel thats just his personality and doesn’t detract from his teachings. However, I will offer a disclaimer that Sandy is a bit rude and it shows in his book and so if rudeness is a detraction for you in terms of learning then you have been forewarned.Overall, a good book for any actor/actress and their repertoire, regardless of their current reach.

I had to read this in high school in my theatre class. After my senior year I donated it to the school. I didn't realize I would still need this as an reference after high school so I bought it again.

Sanford Meisner is one of the greats in the acting field. He shows his ability to teach and inspire. This book is also very well-written and understandable, even to the novice actor. Thank you Sanford, for thinking about your fellow actors enough to help them along their way.

I read the entire book. Meisner is funny as hell. He is real and is not afraid of being transparent with the students he taught. My favorite lessons was using the imaginary "as if" which helps a whole lot and the repetition exercise which gets you out of your head and into "living under imaginary circumstances". It gets you to react to the other person which is vital if you want to make a scene in a movie or play seem legit. If you read this book, and you should, use a high-lighter and take some notes. Loved it!

What i like about this book the most is that it’s written in dry clear language, no emotional estimation, business only.And that’s why it brought me clear understanding of Meisner system. AND emotion afterwards, too.

Sydney explains and describes the lessons that Sanford Meisner had with his students. As a Meisner student I found this book as a good introduction to my classes, however I think book although very good is not enough to learn practice technique and it's best just to find a teacher who is Meisner trained.

If you're new to the acting scene, this book is a must-read. The Meisner technique is referenced in many acting courses, and this book gives you an in-depth look at the technique as well as the reasoning behind it.

Got to recommend this book purely because I was stuck using the method of actioning training in the second year of uni. This has opened my eyes to what acting is about, being realistic and truthful. It gives an insight of what Meisner teaches and his method of how to prepare for any scene as an actor. Definitely using his method from now on!

Fantastic book. Great insight into Meisner and his techniques.

Got it as a present.