When I told my friend who had entered the competition before (and got in the finals) about the 2000 scripts, she said she thought it was a slow year since it's usually like 6,000. So, yeah. It's rough and why I won't find out anything until October. I think with the first cut they take it to 500 scripts and then work down from there.

Oh my goodness That is a lot!! Sending every possible good vibe your way! I'll throw in some crossed fingers and toes!!

Thanks FC. Yeah, I think the 2,000 were the last-minute people like me. I would assume they've been reading scripts that people have sent in early so they're not reading all 6,000 at once. I can't imagine being a reader for one of these contests. To narrow it down. Also, one minute you may be reading a tragedy then a comedy then a horror movie. I wonder what kind of shift they have to make in their thinking after they read one script and have to start on another.

It's so difficult for me to wait, but I know I have to.

I appreciate the good vibes.

Green Eyez, are you allowed to do anything else with the script while you wait? Or is it like their property now until they decide if they want it?

Austin, it's still my property and I'm allowed to do whatever I want with it, but it something should happen, say I was paid for it, then I would have to remove it from the competition. You can't have ever sold a script or something, especially the one you have entered.

Yeah, GE, but you can get two more written by the time the contest winners are announced....

{{{{ohhhhh, I am sneaky}}}}

Frazz, I think my AOL is screwing up royally. I know you are the best at answering emails, so I'm pretty sure the problem is with my lovely email service.

I'm taking this here because it's appropriate for the topic and maybe it's better if you answer in public, since people might be interested in what you have to say.

I am in the process of re-writing my script. The lady who did the analysis says I have to SHOW the humiliating things I had my character merely talk about in the script.

I would have thought there would be tons of video on Stella Adler so I could get a feel for her. What she looked/sounded like. She's like THE acting coach who taught anybody who's anybody. Alas, I can find no video. Oddly enough, I can't even find that many pictures. Was this woman a recluse?

Anyway, I just need enough to set up the scene:

What does an acting class look like?

What did she look like at the time? Was she deceptively grandmother-looking or did you know she was going to nail you to the wall when you looked at her?

How does the class begin? Does the teacher start out talking to the students and then pick people out to do scenes?

What's a typical (now) acting class scene?

I have some quotes from her, so I've got a feel for her that way, but I need something visual. I would really appreciate it.

I'm sorry. You're my go-to actress and your descriptions are excellent. I couldn't have written my best scene without you. You're awesome.

Huh. Nope, I have no e-mails from GE!

OK, I need to put the questions here, and I will intersperse answers:

GE: I am in the process of re-writing my script. The lady who did the analysis says I have to SHOW the humiliating things I had my character merely talk about in the script.

GE:I would have thought there would be tons of video on Stella Adler so I could get a feel for her. What she looked/sounded like. She's like THE acting coach who taught anybody who's anybody. Alas, I can find no video. Oddly enough, I can't even find that many pictures. Was this woman a recluse?

Fraz: I thought there was a a video or DVD available at Samuel French of her teaching, but I am not finding it referenced online. But somewhere there are tapes of her as one of PS's American Masters:
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/database/adler_s.html
Stella was very grand and theatrical. I can imitate her voice and her disdain if you need that.

I know I have seen many pics over the years, so I will go on a search and see what I can come up with. (The Group Theater is a place to start googling.)

GE: Anyway, I just need enough to set up the scene: What does an acting class look like?

Fraz: It usually takes place in a small theater, and the teacher either sits on the stage at the side (Stella and Uta Hagen, who also has a teaching DVD) or in the audience front and center or to the side at the front.

GE: What did she look like at the time? Was she deceptively grandmother-looking or did you know she was going to nail you to the wall when you looked at her?

Fraz: She was obviously ferocious and fabulous. Deep theatrical voice, coy little girl flirting, grand gestures, but absolutely brilliant thoughts, brilliantly expressed. Everybody was terrified of her. And fascinated.

GE: How does the class begin? Does the teacher start out talking to the students and then pick people out to do scenes?

Fraz: It depends on if it is a beginner or a pro class. Your girl would be in the pro class, which is scene study. Two people either get assigned a scene, which they have to find the script for, or pick a scene themselves, rehearse it, and sign up on a list held by the assistant or class monitor for when they are doing their "first work". On that night, the actors bring huge amounts of props, costumes and set pieces, using everything from garbage bags to steamer trunks on wheels. They do the scene, and the teacher stops them right way if it sucks, or lets them go on a bit and then stops them and asks question like, "what is your objective?" --there are many typical questions, and a great variety of how teachers want the questions answered. Your girl would be frantic to answer in the right language if she could figure out what that was. The teacher might have the actor do an exercise right then and their to get them more into character (this is traditionally where actresses wind up sobbing hysterically). THe boys just go dead. Stella's particular bent was to make you, you piddling little thing, learn to go for SIZE of experience (not size of performance) and to do it using your imagination. Strasberg (her cohort and nemesis) wanted people to use memories from their own lives. Stella: WHO CARES ABOUT YOUR PITZICACCA LITTLE LIFE!!! THIS WOMAN IS A QUEEN, A LEADER, FACING EXECUTION!!!!!

GE: What's a typical (now) acting class scene?

Fraz: Most teachers want you to do characters more or less age-appropriate. But the scenes vary (in a theater acting class) from Shakespeare to Chekhov, to Ibsen, to Odetts, to Maury Shisgal, to Caryl Churchill...anything that is considered good. Current "film acting" classes use scenes from movies and modern "relationship" plays, like Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Twilight of the Golds, various David Mamet plays...

GE: I have some quotes from her, so I've got a feel for her that way, but I need something visual. I would really appreciate it.:


Fraz: That's it for now. I will see if I can find some pics.

*** Update: a page of pics
http://www.stellaadler-la.com/aboutstellaphotos.html
THe pics are not enlarging correctly for me, but at least eh thmbnails are there.

Also, Google "Stella Adler" and then click "images"

Here is a little one:


*** More update:
http://www.vh1.com/movies/movie/49303/plot.jhtml

And go to Amazon and read the pages that are available online.

And on this one, too.

And, quotes from a number of acting teacheers:
http://www.jbactors.com/actingphilosophy/actingquotations.html

Your girl being humiliated but by someone who is doing the humiliating from the most ferociously noble intentions (doesn't mean they aren't abusive...but their motivation is rarely sadistic..the motivation has to do with not being able to stand how spiritually, intellectually, and emotionally UNAMBITIOUS the students (and the world) are, is what will make your scenes truly great.

The teachers who humiliate just because somebody humiliated them go out of business, fast. They are not famous acting teachers.

Damn. Now I am all riled up and have no interest in going to bed so I can get up and go to work.

I really need to bore myself to sleep.

Frazz, as usual, your description is so visceral. I am THERE in class with you. I'm now going to have trouble just limiting it to one scene. I want my whole script to be this now.

I did find the PBS thing and could not get the video to work. If you could, I'd be interested how.

Thank you so much for being you and I'm sorry I riled you all up.

Awww, GE...I was EXCITED. Now if only I could stay in that state and also make money!

I could not make the little video on the pbs site work, either, but i know that the American Masters shows show up on ebay, so they must exist.

You know, when I was trying to research for this script, I kept trying to find actor's blogs and just anything that described the process they go through and the things they do in terms of learning their craft.

I came up with nothing.

Then I type in "what is your objective?" and VOILA! I have hits galore! You're right. That is the magical phrase.

This script is infinitely better than my last run. I cannot WAIT to show it to you. You are a big part of it. I couldn't have written it without you, frazz.

I FINISHED MY SCRIPT! AGAIN!

It's 86 pages. It started out 88 pages. Then my teacher asked me to cut three characters AND the last 10 pages. Oy.

I recorded her notes. Since she goes through the script page by page and her notes are clear and concise, I was able to get through it in no time. Then I saw I had 81 pages. Oy again.

So I re-tooled my re-tools and the script is now a shadow of it's former self. The general structure is there, but most of it has been changed greatly.

Thanks to Frazz for once again saving the day. I would like to send the script to you for your perusal before I send it in to my teacher (I meet with her March 3, but need to get it to her before then). If you can't read it before then, don't worry.

However, my last foray into sending an email did not turn out well. If you could send me an email so I can send one back with the script, that would be great.

WOO HOO! Sweet freedom!

YAY YAY YAY...gonna send you an email right now.

OK, sent it. If you do not get it, let me know here.

I realized the problem. I had an old email.

It's sent! Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!