I promised myself when I started this blog that I would write something every day. What a laugh!
Anyway. I am trying again. Firstly, I said goodbye to Second Life a long time ago. What a waste of time!
Today I want to grouse about the acting profession. In my view, television is killing the acting profession.
These days actors (m&f) have no idea how to project themselves like actors of old. The young ones and not so young ones will insist on mumbling 'into their beards' and through clenched teeth it seems, so that what they say is unaudible. It's very frustrating, especially when watching a murder mystery or detective drama for instance. The viewer wants the know the facts - the facts, man! How can we follow the plot and work out who dun it if we don't hear the clues?
In the past actors have always known how to throw their voices into the auditorium so that the audience at the back of the theatre could hear as clearly as the front row. The television studio has put 'paid' to that.
If only actors would open their mouths and project their voices. Is it too much to ask?
The other grouse I have with actors today, especially young women is that they talk through their noses. These flat nasal tones are so unattractive. Now I notice young Brit female actors are starting to talk from the back of their throats. It feels as though they are afraid to use their voices properly.
The consequence of this muted delivery is that they all sound the same - the viewer can't tell one actor from another not by their voices anyway - and sometimes not by their looks! Sheep in sheeps' clothing.
Neither Richard Burton or Laurence Olivier would ever mumble their lines. Bette Davis conmanded the screen just by her voice alone.
So - Get a grip actors of the world. Project! Project!
http://captaintortue.blog.co.uk
13/03/08 @ 01:25