MasterClass

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  • : 2656
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  • MasterClass
  • Documentary

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26
26x1
Introduction
Episode overview
To start her MasterClass, Helen demonstrates a simple act that’s one of the hardest things for an actor to do: walking naturally. She then introduces you to the world of acting and the empty space that will be your classroom.
26x2
Helen’s Journey in the Theater
Episode overview
Helen talks about the beginning of her career and the events that inspired her to become an actress, from an amateur production of Hamlet to a variety show in her hometown.
26x3
Evolving as a Theater Actress
Episode overview
While performing with an experimental theater group, Helen learned valuable lessons about voice training, physicality, and control. Here, she shares them with you.
26x4
Choosing Roles
Episode overview
Helen offers you advice for auditions and shares her unique way of assessing a role.
26x5
Breaking Down a Script
Episode overview
Breaking down a script is a very personal process. Learn Helen’s tricks for tackling a large volume of material at once, and experience the joy of discovering your character’s dialogue in your own mouth.
26x6
Shakespeare, Part 1
Episode overview
Helen shares her process for breaking down a Shakespeare passage by working through Portia’s “Quality of Mercy” speech from The Merchant of Venice, a monologue she’s never performed before.
26x7
Shakespeare, Part 2
Episode overview
Helen breaks down her favorite speech—“Our Revels” from The Tempest—giving you insight into her deeply personal relationship with the lines.
26x8
Finding Your Character
Episode overview
Real life is one of Helen’s greatest inspirations—she says it will always be better than anything we can invent. Learn how to find your character in the world around you and the importance of having a secret story that drives you in every role.
26x9
Research: Fictional Characters
Episode overview
Helen breaks down her two types of research—literal and poetic—and emphasizes the importance of researching the people in your character’s profession, rather than just the profession itself.
26x10
Research: Real Characters
Episode overview
Learn how Helen approached research for historical roles such as Elizabeth I, Elizabeth II, and Ayn Rand.
26x11
Creating Characters: Costume, Part 1
Episode overview
Helen has a deep enthusiasm for costume. She walks you through how various costumes serve the characters who wear them and how to make more thoughtful choices about what your characters wear.
26x12
Creating Characters: Costume, Part 2
Episode overview
Every piece of your character’s costume—down to the shoes—has to tell the right story. Learn how to evaluate accessories for your character.
26x13
Creating Characters: Hair & Makeup, Part 1
Episode overview
Helen teaches you to let go of vanity and approach hair and makeup through the lens of your character.
26x14
Creating Characters: Hair & Makeup, Part 2
Episode overview
For Helen, an actor’s face is an “empty space,” just like a stage, on which characters come to life and tell their stories.
26x15
Preparation and Rehearsal
Episode overview
Helen advises you on aspects of the preparation and rehearsal process, from learning your lines to working with a dialect coach to overcoming creative blocks.
26x16
Human Behavior
Episode overview
Learn the essential human behaviors and aspects of the human experience you’ll need in your toolbox throughout your acting career.
26x17
Film Acting Technique, Part 1
Episode overview
For Helen, mastering on-camera technique allowed her to find freedom in her roles and to have moments of pure, out-of-control inspiration. She shares how she found inspiration in this vein from a surprising source: an abstract painter.
26x18
Film Acting Technique, Part 2
Episode overview
Helen dives into the nitty-gritty of working to camera, sharing advice for staying oriented on set and reserving your energy and emotions for your coverage on camera. She also encourages you not to obsess over every take.
26x19
Film Acting Technique, Part 3
Episode overview
Learn how to drop into character right before a take, how to stay grounded in your process, and how to give your best performance amid the distractions on set.
26x20
Case Study: Prime Suspect
Episode overview
Close-up shots are an opportunity to show your character’s emotions and thoughts without putting words to them. Helen breaks down a scene from the first episode of Prime Suspect to illustrate.
26x21
Case Study: Elizabeth I
Episode overview
Learn the two-track thinking required to have an impactful performance on camera: You must play the emotional moment of the scene in real time while knowing exactly where the camera is.
26x22
Case Study: The Queen
Episode overview
Helen breaks down two powerful moments of her Academy Award–winning performance in The Queen, illustrating how she reveals the nuances of her character without saying a word.
26x23
Acting on a Film Set
Episode overview
Helen gives you a unique look at what acting on a film set is actually like and shares the key to success when working to camera: concentration.
26x24
Characterizing the Set
Episode overview
Actors may overlook details of set decoration, but Helen encourages you to think about what set dressing can say about your character. Learn how changing the dressing of a set can tell different stories about the character who lives there.
26x25
Props
Episode overview
For Helen, props are an extension of your character. Learn how to use them naturally on camera while also cultivating an awareness of the demands of continuity.
26x26
Working With Writers & Directors
Episode overview
Helen advises you on how to create successful relationships with writers and directors, and she shares lessons learned from working with renowned director Robert Altman on the film Gosford Park.
26x27
Conclusion
Episode overview
Helen shares her final thoughts and leaves you with her practical—and delightfully blunt—advice for young actors.
26x28
Bonus: Naturalism
Episode overview
Discover which film actors had the biggest influence on Helen and why their work is so important to her.

Characters