The Power of the Actor: The Chubbuck Technique — The 12-Step Acting Technique That Will Take You from Script to a Living, Breathing, Dynamic Character
£19.30
The first book from the instructor who has taught Charlize Theron, Brad Pitt, Elisabeth Shue, Djimon Hounsou, and Halle Berry, The Power of the Actor guides you to dynamic and effective results. For many of today’s major talents, the Chubbuck Technique is the leading edge of acting for the twenty-first century. Ivana Chubbuck has developed a curriculum that takes the theories of the acting masters, such as Stanislavski, Meisner, and Hagen, to the next step by utilizing inner pain and emotions, not as an end in itself, but rather as a way to drive and win a goal.
In addition to the powerful twelve-step process, the book takes well-known scripts, both classic and contemporary, and demonstrates how to precisely apply Chubbuck’s script-analysis process. The Power of the Actor is filled with fascinating and inspiring behind-the-scenes accounts of how noted actors have mastered their craft and have accomplished success in such a difficult and competitive field.
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Additional information
| Publisher | Gotham Books, Reprint edition (18 Aug. 2005) |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Paperback | 400 pages |
| ISBN-10 | 1592401538 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-1592401536 |
| Dimensions | 15.11 x 2.72 x 22.81 cm |
by darkwater73
I’m signed up to attend one of Ms Chubbuck’s workshops in London, and bought the book as preparation. Her ‘technique’ itself is nothing new. Her twelve steps are all lifted, most of them directly, from Stanislavski’s body of work and simply re-written in her own words. She writes in a very straightforward manner, and uses examples from classes and private lessons to illustrate how effective they can be. There are a lot of name drops, be warned, and she is quick to take credit for great performances her actors have given using her technique, while omitting the poor ones. One of the actors she is most often associated with is Halle Berry, for her performance in Monster’s Ball which won her the Oscar. Berry was brilliant in the role, and gave Chubbuck a lot of credit in her acceptance speech. However, Ms Berry has also given a bunch of solid but forgettable performances in other more mediocre films, and thrown in several unwatchable performances (Catwoman and Cloud Atlas for example), suggesting that Monster’s Ball was that joyous meeting of great script, great direction, right actors and right time, as much as Ms Berry’s personal technique. There are some very good ideas in the book but for me its lack of genuine originality loses it a few stars. I suspect Ms Chubbuck’s strength is as a teacher/confidante to her actors, rather than as a great written communicator.
by Kate Holderness
FINALLY! A book for actors that really gets down to the nitty gritty of actually ACTING! Chubbuck gives a complete overview of her technique in this book in an easy to understand way. I used the techniques on a role I’m working on at the moment and immediately felt the difference in my performance. She helps you add layers to your character from within, adding depth and complexity. Fantastic book.
by h howes
I am not an actor and have no intention in ever becoming an actor, but found this a really interesting read from a psychological standpoint. It sounds strange, but I actually find that it helped me to understand people in every day life – an added and unexpected bonus!
by Patricia Twomey
Great common sense. Encouraging. Stimulating. Helps knock out self doubts.
by Julia van Geldern
I was very happy with the way the book turned out. It’s always a little risky buying secondhand books online, but it fit the description perfectly!
by Xander Turian
A must read for all actors
by Dr phillip
This is a life changing book. Can be applied to any aspect of your life. It’s excellent at helping to understand humanity and how an actor can portray their character with more integrity.
by Ella Clayton Bell
Good book, attended one of her classes in Los Angeles, where she is known as a leading coach on my return to England I bought the book