Five Minutes of Imagination

"The actor relies utterly on the senses; they are the first stage in our communication with the world.  The IMAGINATION is the second." -Declan Donnellan, The Actor and the Target

When I started to working on this post I found my brain going blank.  I was at a loss of words--to discuss imagination!  Imagine THAT!  How is that even possible?  By definition, my imagination should inspire an ENDLESS amount of possibilities of word and thought!  But there I was finding it very difficult to IMAGINE where to START talking about the actor's most useful tool.  I mean, its so much part of who we are that we often overlook just how present it is IN our daily lives--not to mention the VITAL role it plays in the creation of art and acting.  And that thought inspired a revelation.  I realized that I wasn't actually drawing a blank.  My imagination wasn't being strangled or shut down.  My imagination was in fact RUNNING WILD!  But where it was running was the disturbing part.  I was so concerned with what NOT to say about imagination that my focus turned to insecure worries about crafting the "prefect" post.  As a result I sent my imagination off after failure.  There is no such thing as perfection and all I was really doing was allow my imagination to run amuck about useless fears.  But never the less my imagination WAS quite active. 

Our imaginations are CONSTANTLY at work.  They are alive and running all over the place every second of our lives.  I've always been taught that my imagination is like a muscle and if not exercised then it will grow dim and atrophy--and while this IS true I think an important element is missing.  Here was the revelation.  Your imagination IS like a muscle but I do not think it is just ONE muscle.  I believe it is made up of groups much like the muscles that work together to rotate, flex, and extend your arms, legs, or whole body.  One set pulls one direction.  Another set pulls a different direction.  With your imagination the muscles fall into two categories--creative and destructive.  And over using one WILL cause the other to weaken and waste away.  You may not notice until it is too late and your destructive imagination has grown so strong that it is the only one doing the heavy lifting.  In real life it is useful to cultivate a healthy dose of destructive imagination.  It keeps you safe and instigates precaution.  However, as an artist this muscle can cripple and there's the rub!  My writer's block was a perfect example of what we often DO with our imagination--we let it run to the dark side.  Our creation is over before it ever began.  We feel like the tap is closed and don't understand why we can't open the flood gates but in reality the flood gates ARE open and we are drowning in imaginary fear and insecurity!

As children our imaginations run wild with fantasies.  We conjure imaginary friends, we concoct elaborate and detailed stories of the adventures, we travel with a team of experts through the caverns of our closets, under our beds, and though the woods.  We use our imaginations to compensate and find creative solutions for all sorts of challenges we face in our early development.  And as mentioned above we also use our imaginations to stifle and halt our development with fear and uncertainty.  But for the most part the spirit of our imaginations are challenged and encouraged to thrive positively.  If you think about it our imagination is the driving force behind mankind's evolution and development throughout the history of time.  It makes me wonder if our imagination should be considered instinctual.  Because where would we be as a species if we never never thought two simple words--WHAT IF?

As an actor, your imagination is your greatest ally, your strongest asset, and you most useful tool.  Your imagination is what opens the door into every creative universe that you embark to re-create.  It is the link between your personal experience and the character's reality.  Your imagination is how you are able to experience ALL the experiences you HAVEN'T experienced and MORE.  It is the sights, the sounds, the smells, the tastes, and the touches of your creation.

In Stanislavsky's system he perfected the use of that marvelous phrase the "Magic If."  It was such a popular concept that it is used throughout most, it not all, modern schools of actor training.  You see it in the teachings of Meisner, Adler, Hagen, and Strasberg to name a few.  I believe the Magic If is so effective because its universal appeal to a core element of humanity.  Everyone thinks "what if" it was me?  "What if" (blank) were to happen?  Stanislavsky was just one of the first to articulate what artists do naturally.  However, what is brilliant about the Magic If is the use of our natural creative process as the corner stone in the foundation for the actor's technique.  Stanislavsky says it perfectly--the IF "works as a lever to lift us out of the world of actuality into the realm of imagination."

Still the realm of the imagination must be fed.  I MUST be encouraged to grow and be attended to on a continual base.  As actors we have an obligation to cultivate our creative imaginations and dissuade our destructive ones.  So it only makes sense that this is done with care.  Force will only produce destructive outcomes and strengthen the negative images.  So what if we think of our imaginations as something wild, like a wild pup?  That pup sees us as a threat.  There is uncertainty.  So we slowly coax her out of her lair.  We offer her treats.  We give her affection. We gain her trust.  Our imaginations are not that dissimilar.  The more confidence we build in our ability to coexist with this wild animal the stronger our bond will be.  Your creative imagination will eventually be like a loyal friend who will always be at your side.   

When I was in graduate school, Earle Gister was the mentor who introduced me to the concept of an actor's imagination as a muscle that must be exercised EVERY day.  He would ask us to dedicate at least five minutes each day to an imagination exercise.  This is a small commitment to make but the rewards are beyond valuable.  When you play with your imagination it's sometimes easier to start as an observer.  You don't have to create an elaborate VISION on the spot.  You just need to SEE to start with.  Maybe you are on a dirt road?  Maybe there is a huge oak tree looming overhead?  Maybe it's autumn and the leaves are bright red?  Where does the road lead?  Which brings me to the next helpful idea--let your imagination be active.  Let it TAKE you.  MOVE you.  FOLLOW it where it wants to go.  It will be safe because you are right there looking after it but give it some slack to explore the world it has suddenly found itself in.  Before you know it you are no longer an observer but a participant.  Always remember that TRUTH is found in the details.  Clarity and specificity will create a continual "living" picture that plays out in our performance and informs and arouses our emotions within the limits of the play. The details of truth are where your imagination thrives.  It draws inspiration from your sensory storehouse of personal images and memories and from there creates a clear and effective experience that has a living effect on the character.  As a result, every invention of your imagination must be thoroughly worked out and built on a basis of facts consistent with the world of the story such as:

When?  Where?  Why?  and How?
 
It is IMPOSSIBLE to discuss acting without the IMAGINATION.  It is the most crucial part of EVERY actor's technique.  An actor's imagination is like a hammer to a carpenter--you will always need it and need it close.  Never forget--if you find yourself artisticaly STUCK have faith your imagination will always show you the way out but you can't find your way out if you never ask the question.  What if?