"It's called 'Method Acting'" Director Bronstein explained to Shawn, his Mom, and Shawn's acting coach. He had just finished explaining how this acting technique was the latest craze. It was a form of acting where the actor tries to somehow literally live the character in his own life.

All of the time.

"Everyone is doing it now. All of my main child stars." Director Bronstein seemed to brag.

Shawn could feel the heat of Mom's judgement, coming off of her in waves where she sat next to him. She was nervous. Eager to please.

"Do you think you can handle it for this next part?" the Director asked Shawn.

"You have to live the part. All of the time. You have to be the character."
This message was last edited by the player at 01:20, Sun 11 Feb 2018.

Shawn tried to be a combination of eager, but professional. Authentically childlike, but ready to follow instructions. An expert on acting, but interested in learning more. It was a really hard balance. ""I bet I can put in a great performance that way! What's my character?" In truth, Shawn couldn't remember the last time he hadn't been acting in his day to day life.

"I'm glad that you asked!" A beaming Director Bronstein responded.

"The last movie, you were asked to play a villain. You know what? I think you did a really good job doing that. That's why I'm going to cast you as the nasty bully in this movie."

Director Bronstein pushed his hands out into the air as if he was describing a picture frame.

"Its about a small town, and a bunch of kids. How they get together and fight off Monsters."

"We don't have a title yet."

"Anyway, your role is the bully that just can't seem to believe that that the monsters exist. So you just go right on bullying these kids. Then one day, I mean, through a bunch of other scenes, you actually become a monster." Director Bronstein explained with dramatic affect.

Shawn nodded seriously, even as he was trying to compartmentalise the part of him that noticed the unfortunate resonance the role had with his own life. "Wow, that sounds really interesting! What sort of monster would I turn into?" He tried to conceive of it as a purely character challenge; obviously, he was a little too small to play a physical bully, unless the other character were really young. He'd probably use hurtful words, or have stronger bullies on his side.

"Well, we're working on that part of it right now. I mean, exactly what we're going to call the monster. But its going to have a lot of fur. And its going to have long, long claws. And it only comes out at night." The Director explained, seeming somewhat happy with his description.

"Capital!" He suddenly yelled, slamming a fist onto the table and making the mug that had pens and pencils in it rattle. Shawn derived that this was some sort of way of saying that the Director was pleased.

Shawn actually felt genuinely happy about that description; fur and claws probably meant he'd get to wear some cool movie monster makeup at some point, and he genuinely found that kind of stuff really fun. "What's my character like, sir? I'm trying to understand for method acting?"

Director Bronstein seemed really happy about the idea and he leaned forward placing his hands in the air and looking up as if he was about to paint some kind of masterpiece with his gestures.

"His family is cursed and he doesn't know it. That's one of the reasons he can become a monster. And, and he hates other boys. He's never had any friends because of this curse. and when he sees another boy, he immediately says something mean to him."

"So let's say you're in a scene and another kid enters the room in that scene. Let's say a male actor. But not an adult." The Director clarified. "You've got to really give it to him. You've got to dig down deep and say something...."

Director Bronstein looked up at Shawn's Mom as if checking to see if she objected. Shawn caught the glance and looked over to see his Mom nodding in approval, or at least, giving approval for Director Brostein to continue.

"...something really, really low and dirty. I mean like a real scoundrel."

"So if the boy just played sports and was sweaty, you might say something like 'boy you stink like the high heavens'" The Director smiled.

"Or if it was an overweight kid you might say 'Look fatty, get out of my way!'"

"Or if the kid was younger you might say 'hey, give me your lunch money'!"

"You understand?"

“Okay, I think I get it; I hate other boys, so I hurt their feelings as much as I can.” It sounded straightforward to Shawn, though he was a little worried about how this might work with this ‘method acting’ Mr. Bronstein had mentioned.

"Capital!" Director Bronstein announced, slamming his open palm on the desk and making the contents rattle.

Then as if thinking about something, he said. "You should be in character all of the time, to make sure your ready when we get to set." He explained, completely focused on Shawn's ability to act, and clearly not thinking about how this might affect someone so young as Shawn. He was completely immersed in his own project, his own movie.

"Capital! Just Capital!" The Director said again, falling in love with the idea right in front of Shawn.

“Are the other boys also doing method acting?” Shawn felt like it’d be weird to just randomly insult people without any reason.

"Well, of course they are!" Director Bronstein said. He placed his hand on the table. "Everyone on the set will be fully in character. That means that Susan, you remember her? Little girl. Nice smile. I think she just did a Yes, well she'll be playing one of the girls that's nice. So I expect her to do that both on set and to practice it at home, of course."

"And there are other kids as well. But we haven't really filled out the rest of the cast in terms of the characters."

“Susan’s really great!” Shawn was relieved that at least there was a girl that he could be at least polite to. This method acting seemed like a good way to really alienate his peers.

"Capital!" The Director said.

"So, are there any other questions?" He asked, looking at Shawn. Shawn got the sense that now would be the time to ask, as the Director seemed to be a busy person.

Shawn tried to sound eager and engaged, hiding his nervousness. “When do we start?”

"I've got to get the rest of the cast. It might take a few weeks. But, we're thinking of starting in late September. Maybe a month from now if everything works out."

"OK?"

“I can’t wait to see the script, sir!” Shawn gave the director one of his patented winning smiles, the kind he could do in his sleep.

At that was it. Shawn knew that there was a heavy expectation. But there was also a reward of sorts.

It was another movie. That meant wardrobe and casting and makeup and all sorts of things.

Another chance to make those around him happy. And maybe even himself. And, a new, untried acting method.


OOC: End of Scene