The Unlimited Actor is an exciting new paradigm in actor training. Step by step this book will guide you into sensing and controlling the body's mental, emotional, and physical energy centers. Train these "power points" to change at will and your acting range will take a quantum leap. * Boost Your Confidence * Easily Access Any Emotion * Embody Any Character on Cue The Unlimited Actor Easy New Techniques for Auditions, Character Development, and Unlocking your Full Creative Range By Nancy Mayans Balboa Press Copyright © 2017 Nancy A. Mayans All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-1-5043-6221-4 Contents Acknowledgments, vii, Prologue: How It All Happened, xi, 1 So Why Did They Get the Part?, 1, 2 What Is Energy?, 5, 3 Sensing Energy: How to Feel It, How to See It, 7, 4 Your Magical Doorways: The Chakras, 22, 5 Chakras and Their Character Traits, 27, 6 Chakras In Motion: The Movie Version!, 47, 7 Physical Warm-Ups for Each Chakra, 53, 8 Laugh, Sing, Dance: The Creative Warm-Ups, 64, 9 Controlling the Doorways: Opening and Closing the Chakras, 87, 10 How to Create Sudden Shock, Trauma, and Drama!, 98, 11 The Vitality within All Actions: The Four Primal Energy Modes, 103, 12 Beyond the Rainbow: The Full Cast of Colors, 117, 13 Intro to "Downloading" Energy, 127, 14 Embodying Any Essence, 142, 15 Downloading Emotions, 162, 16 Kings, Queens, and Clowns: Exploring Archetypes, 177, 17 Three Archetypal Aspects of Character: Sexuality, Profession, Nationality, 192, 18 Instant Ingenuity: Downloading The Character, 202, 19 In Support of the Actor: Clearing, Protection, and Troubleshooting, 219, 20 THE UNLIMITED ACTOR: Rehearsal and Audition Protocols, 233, Epilogue: You Take it from Here, 239, Appendix A: A World of Color in Other Fields, 241, Appendix B: Additional Physical Warm-Ups for the Chakras, 245, Appendix C: The Unlimited Actor: Exercise Guide, 249, Glossary, 253, Bibliography, 259, Index, 263, About the Author, 269, To Learn More, 271, CHAPTER 1 So Why Did They Get the Part? The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra. — Jimmy Johnson An actress walks into a competitive audition for a featured role on the long-running hit television series Grey's Anatomy. In the scene she is to be helped by the attending doctor after injuries endured from a shocking explosion in the local mall. She tunes into the character in a particular way and suddenly "sees" a hospital emergency room filled with dozens of victims, doctors shouting, and general chaos. She also "feels" her character is not moving her lower body much. She decides to sit for the audition and include the frightening, chaotic environment in her reading. She gets the part! Why? The casting director said it's because she was one of the few to sit down for the audition — and the scene would be shot on a gurney. Even more important, she was the only actress to pick up on the chaotic environment. An actress is auditioning for the role of a newspaper reporter in a feature film. She tunes into the character in a particular way and suddenly feels very aggressive. She takes a chance and shoves her face practically nose to nose with the reader's as she demands answers. Against stiff competition, she lands the role. Why? It turns out the director wanted that much aggression, though there was no such indication from the audition sides. He ends up shooting a close-up with her face shoved right into the face of — this time — Sean Penn. An actress is in final callbacks for a major feature film starring Harrison Ford. At the previous audition she was emotionally weak in a pivotal scene where she had to walk into the hospital room to find her husband mangled after a horrific car accident. Though she had done all her acting homework, she wasn't able to instantaneously break down as the script had demanded. This time is different: she lands the role. Why? She added a new technique she had just learned and suddenly all the tears and pain came flying out on cue. A model, new to acting, gets called in for his first film audition: to play the imaginary boyfriend of the lead character. In the audition, the director has him quickly shift into many different personas. The model works with a new technique he just learned and is able to swiftly and thoroughly make the shifts. He gets the part. Why? The director says it's because he is so flexible, believably changing his "type" in a moment. The project turns out to be a huge hit and wins two Academy Awards. So why are these actors getting cast? What are they specifically doing that gives them that extra edge? They are all using techniques they learned in The Unlimited Actor workshops. They are now working consciously with their energy, having grasped new ways to shift organically into the character. They know how to attune to the energy beneath the writer's words and within the director's vision. As an Unlimited Actor you, too, can learn to ea