Getting in the zone is one of those phrases regularly thrown around by actors – “I was sooooo in the zone”, “I just need to get in the zone”.
WHAT IS THIS ZONE AND WHERE IS IT?
Don’t worry you don’t need to buy a ridiculously expensive plane ticket to get to it and it’s not an exotic island BUT it is a place you need to visit of you’re always going to bring your A game to your acting work and be in peak performance. Your zone is completely within reach because it’s within you. Being in the zone is an actors term for being mentally focused.
WHY DO I NEED TO GET IN THE ZONE?
Well if you’re not in the zone your focus is every where and you’re not giving your best shot. You aren’t offering gifts to your fellow actors and you aren’t going to do your best work. Being in the zone is so important because this is when the magic happens. Being in the zone means you are fully present in the scene allowing your sub-conscious permission to come through when it needs to (this is how we access emotions and how all prep work manifests) and you are also (another actors favourite (working in the moment). Nothing is pre-empted in the zone, the scene flows freely and you come away thinking “wow, I was really living in that moment. When you are in the zone you listen and respond authentically to other characters and live in the imaginary given circumstances. Being in the zone means you are giving your best.
HOW DO I GET IN THE ZONE?
It’s really important you don’t get involved in the “banter” or jokes on set just before your scene. By all means make friends with everyone and create a safe environment to work in but always put yourself first. Your performance can make or break your career. Getting in the zone is different for everyone, but here is how I teach my actors and how I do it myself (based upon the teachings of Lee Strasberg).
1. Find a space away from everyone where you feel comfortable and can fully relax
2. Practise relaxation techniques for 15 minutes – free your mind, body, voice and emotions of stress and tension.
3. Open up your imagination to the life of the character and allow your imagination to let you make believe in the imaginary given circumstances
4. Get clear and allow your imagination to wander knowing where you (character) have just come from and where you are going to (the scene)
5. Create physical energy – begin walking around as the character would and speaking as the character would – you are the character and the character is you.
Now you should be ready for your scene. If you find you are having mental blocks repeat the steps. Of course there is much more to be learnt on a deep psychological level about the steps but this is a very good starting point that will stand you in good stead.
Now can you see why all the great method actors “stay in character” – it’s not that they’re crazy as the media and people who know so little about method acting like to make out, it’s because they are getting in their zone. I challenge you to watch a method actors performance and tell me it is not focused, truthful and on a higher level.
