Richard Lawson Studios
Richard Lawson Studios
Subtees Process
Intention
Intention The best way to understand the Subtees process is to understand the intention behind it. Subtees is actually taken from two different words. Sub is short for subtext and tees is taken from Stickies-- which is an Apple invention that uses Post-it notes as a computer-generated application. I just changed the spelling a bit. Let's look at the Wikipedia definition of subtext: Subtext is content of a book, play, musical work, film, video game or television series which is not announced explicitly by the characters (or author) but is implicit or becomes something understood by the observer of the work as the production unfolds. Subtext can also refer to the thoughts and motives of the characters which are only covered in an aside. Subtext can also be used to imply controversial subjects without specifically alienating people from the fiction, often through use of metaphor. Subtext is content underneath the spoken dialogue. Under dialogue, there can be conflict, anger, competition, pride, showing off, or other implicit ideas and emotions. Subtext is the unspoken thoughts and motives of characters -- what they really think and believe. Subtext just beneath the surface of dialogue makes life interesting, but it can also cause people to be misunderstood. Examples of subtext often include the sexuality of the characters, such as the nature of the relationship between the teachers in the film version of Lillian Hellman's play The Children's Hour (which was based on an actual case in Scotland), or the gender ambiguity of Mr. Humphries in Are You Being Served? A scene in Woody Allen's movie Annie Hall, in which subtitles explain the characters' inner thoughts during an apparently innocent conversation, is an example of the subtext of a scene being made explicit.
Intention Especially in light of their inherently ambiguous and self-referential character, many authors have explicitly used subtexts (or subtexts about subtexts) in humor. In the episode "My Best Friend's Bottom" of British TV comedy Coupling, Captain Subtext is a tool used in the narrative to explicitly make the viewers aware of the subtextual message in the dialogue. In it, the dialogue and the subtext have been deliberately made humorous. It might also be claimed in these last two examples that once the subtext is made explicit, it is no longer a subtext: The authors are highlighting a supposed subtext in order to create a new subtext about the transformation of the previously implicit subtext. Because of their complexity and implicit character, subtexts are often debated, especially by theorists wishing to advance a particular position or theory by claiming something as a subtext. Subtext is also a frequently used method of subtly inserting social or political commentary into fiction. Subtext is often also inserted in narratives where explicit themes are unable to be shown or expressed due to censorship or simply interest in appealing to a general audience. Frequently, these subtexts may be of, but not limited to, a sexual nature or possible references to sexual orientation. Their inclusion is such so that they are easily overlooked by younger viewers but may be caught by more mature viewers. Television sci-fi such as the original Star Trek and Doctor Who (both of which implicitly avoided onscreen sexual situations) have often been discussed with respect to certain scenes or lines of dialogue. Subtext also serves to add a complexity to a premise that may superficially appeal to younger viewers but may also attract older fans, as is often the case with cartoons, sci-fi and fantasy. It also may serve to aid in suspension of disbelief. Subtext.
Intention One thing that is always synonymous with great storytelling: an apparent event and the real event. The apparent event is what the characters say. The real or actual events is the subtext... the stuff that's not being said. Life as we know it does not exist without both dynamics going on at the same time. Part of our social upbringing is learning how to speak the truth with political correctness. A good deal of our lives revolves around learning to communicate in a way where we are not exposed or revealed for what we really think. Take a blind date for instance: that event is alive with queries, questions, opinions and criticisms that go unspoken and sometimes not masked very well. Sometimes my daughter will call or come by for no apparent reason. It will seem like she just came by to say hello, but I can tell in her voice that there is something underneath that is not being said. She will want something, but will be approaching it in a roundabout way. I can sense it in the sound of her voice and the way she moves. I will eventually say "Okay baby, what is it that you really want?" She'll start laughing because she knows she's been caught. All human beings do it. Part of the challenge for the actor is to find the subtext of the dialogue. Every great performance you've ever seen was filled with subtext. Without it, the audience is always ahead of the play or screenplay... they know exactly what's going on. There are no surprises and therefore the play or film is predictable--and thus boring. I've created the Subtees process to help the actor determine what the real event is. There is no one real event. That's the beauty of interpretation and it's what separates one actor from another. You can take the same story and put it in 10 different actorsʼ hands and you should get 10 slightly to vastly different variations on the same theme. The variations could in fact be quite different depending on the actor. This process will allow the actor to originate a truth and a reality gleaned from what is given by the author--the text--to create a rich and exciting story that will first empower the actor and then the audience to a more interesting and exciting experience. The performance will be a discovered experience rather than a predictable outcome.
Affirmations It is my belief that you are a genius until proven otherwise ---Richard Lawson To believe your own thought, to believe that what is true for you in your private heart is true for all men--that is genius. Speak your latent conviction, and it shall be the universal sense; for the inmost in due time becomes the outmost, and our first thought is rendered back to us by the trumpets of the Last Judgment. Familiar as the voice of the mind is to each, the highest merit we ascribe to Moses, Plato, and Milton is, that they set at naught books and traditions, and spoke not what men but what they thought. A man should learn to detect and watch that gleam of light which flashes across his mind from within, more than the lustre of the firmament of bards and sages. Yet he dismisses without notice his thought, because it is his. In every work of genius we recognize our own rejected thoughts: they come back to us with a certain alienated majesty. Great works of art have no more affecting lesson for us than this. They teach us to abide by our spontaneous impression with good-humored inflexibility then most when the whole cry of voices is on the other side. Else, tomorrow a stranger will say with masterly good sense precisely what we have thought and felt all the time, and we shall be forced to take with shame our own opinion from another. ---Ralph Waldo Emerson
How It Works
Materials Needed
Materials! Super sticky Post-it notes (four different colors)! Sketchpad 18" x 24"! Pencil
Important to Know
Important to Know One of the most important elements of using the Subtees process is to understand that tremendous contemplation is unnecessary. We as human beings know what we know and we generally know more than we give ourselves credit for. Trusting oneself is hugely important. It's one of the most challenging aspects of creating anything that has to do with art...especially acting. After 35 years of teaching some of the most successful and talented actors in the business, getting people to trust themselves is still one of the most challenging aspects of teaching. Remember what Emerson said: Abide by our spontaneous impression with good-humored inflexibility then most when the whole cry of voices is on the other side.
Stage 1
Stage 1 When you get your sides, read it a few times just as a factfinding mission without trying to act it out. If a series is already on the air, then research is vital. It s imperative that one does the following: Look at the show to understand its style and tone Research the show runners, producers, writers, casting directors and actors For a test sample, we are going to use a scene from NYPD Blue.
NYPD Blue INT. POKEY ROOM DAY Sipowicz and Clark are present with BARKER, middle management with the Transit Authority - - CLARK!! Sorry to interrupt the seminar, Mr. Barker, but we!! did need to talk to you.!! Thatʼs okay. These seminars are about a half hourʼs worth!! of material and six hours worth of donuts. CLARK!! What time did you leave for work this morning, sir?!! Same as usual. Seven a.m. CLARK!! You go by yourself?!! Right. SIPOWICZ!! Did you know Craig Woodruff?!! Just from seeing him in the building. SIPOWICZ!! You never had any dealings with him? No!! problems? Disagreements?!! No sir. SIPOWICZ!! You know he was murdered?!! My wife called and told me.
NYPD Blue cont d. CLARK!! Do you own a gun, Mr. Barker?!! No. SIPOWICZ!! You oughta know that a gun was found in!! the building.!! Wasnʼt mine. SIPOWICZ!! That gun is going to be put through ballistic tests!! and dusted for fingerprints. If it turns out to be the!! murder weapon and it comes back to you or your wife,!! the fact that youʼre lying to us isnʼt going to work!! in your favor.!! What reason would I have to be lying to you? CLARK!! Do you know if your wife was acquainted with a!! Mr. Woodruff?!! Only to say hi in the hallway. SIPOWICZ!! Is it possible there was more to it and you didnʼt!! know about it?!! Are you suggesting my wife was unfaithful? SIPOWICZ!! Weʼre asking if you had any reason to believe!! she was.
NYPD Blue cont d.!! The answerʼs no. SIPOWICZ!! Is it possible Craig forced himself on her and!! she used the gun to defend herself? CLARK!! We donʼt have any problem believing the first part!! of that - - we know what kind of guy he was.!! If you know what kind of guy he was, why are you!! working so hard to try and find out who killed him? SIPOWICZ!! We know who killed him, Harold. Your wife killed!! him. Weʼve spoken to her, there are inconsistencies in!! her story and we have the murder weapon.!! It was not my wife. SIPOWICZ!! How do you know? A BEAT!! Because I shot him. I shot him and I hid the gun!! in the laundry room. (beat) All he needed to do!! was leave it be. There was nothing he had to say.!! Just allow my wife and myself to go back to our!! apartment and work it out between ourselves. SIPOWICZ!! He didnʼt do that.
NYPD Blue cont d.!! He thought heʼd have a little fun. Talked about his!! sexual prowess. How I better get used to the fact!! that there was now no way my wife would ever!! be happy with me. CLARK!! What did you do at that point, Mr. Barker?!! Had dinner with my family. Tried to go to!! sleep. Then around five oʼclock this morning, I!! decided I needed to tell Mr. Woodruff that if we!! were to continue living down the hall from one!! another, he had to respect my wife, my family,!! and he had to respect me. (beat) He was angry!! that I woke him. He cursed at me, then he laughed!! at me, then he slapped me in the face. SIPOWICZ!! Then you shot him.!! I had no forgiveness left. Off which FADE OUT.
Stage 1 cont d.
Stage 1 cont d. After reading it, write out the dialogue (All the characters in the scene) on yellow, super sticky Post-it notes and place them on the sketchpad or a wall if you don t have a sketchpad. CLARK Sorry to interrupt the seminar, Mr. Barker, but we did need to talk to you. Thatʼs okay. These seminars are about a half hourʼs worth of material and six hours worth of donuts. CLARK What time did you leave for work this morning, sir? Same as usual. Seven a.m. Continue writing the dialogue on separate Post-it notes until finished.
Stage 1 cont d.
Important Questions to Ask What s the history? Ask the next question Taking from what the writer has given you in terms of information, facts, queries, references made by other characters, etc., one must determine the history or background of the character. All it takes is one word from the script to create a revolution of sorts. Just continue to ask the next question. For instance, the writer says the character has been drinking. What s the next question? What has the character been drinking? How many drinks? How do they behave when they get drunk? Etc.
Important Questions to Ask Int. Pokey Room. Day Most people would ignore that. Who cares about the location, right? In this case, the location gives us a very important detail: Pokey Room. In the old Western movies, people talked about spending the night in the Pokey. It s a jail cell or interrogation room. They took Mr. Barker away from the seminar and took him downtown to question him. That s pretty significant.
Important Questions to Ask The writer describes Harold Barker as middle management transit authority. Middle management could mean a number of things. Upwardly mobile, stuck in the middle or descending downwards. If I m playing the part, I have a bit of a gut-- which suggests to me that I may be stuck in the middle. If I were upwardly mobile, I would probably be more fit. Why would I be stuck in the middle? Perhaps because after reading the material, I realize that Harold s wife (or my wife because right from the beginning, I want to think of this character as me), has been having affairs which suggests that my marriage is not going so well. I immediately think about a woman that I know whose name is Mary and she was married 8 times. All the men in her life would throw themselves underneath a bus for her. Perhaps my Harold loves his wife the same way.
Important Questions to Ask As a middle management person, working for the New York City subway system, I probably make $40,000 a year. That s not a lot of money in New York City. That suggests the kind of clothes that I wear. A series of interchangeable sports jackets and slacks with a number of white shirts that have been washed thousands of times. Shoes that are slightly worn. And clothes that are fitting a bit too tight because I ve lost control of my weight, partly because of the circumstances of my marriage and me not being able to confront it. All of these ideas and concepts come to me very quickly because I am not pondering nor doubting my first impressions. Remember: Abide by our spontaneous impression with good-humored inflexibility. I write out the history that I ve gleaned on Post-it notes.
Creating the History Iʼve been working for the Transit Authority for 35 years. Iʼm stuck in this $40,000 a year middle management job. Iʼm just struggling to get by. How did I get to this point in my life. Iʼm probably sitting in the same seat that John Gotti and the Son of Sam sat in. Iʼm over weight and out of shape. I sweat profusely because of high blood pressure. I love my wife even though she canʼt be satisfied with the simple things in life.
Stage 1 cont d.
Important Questions to Ask What s the before? Given the history, there is always stuff going on with characters before they speak: The scene never begins on the first line. What are the thoughts of the character (that you re playing) before he/she opens their mouth? They have a point of view what is it?
Stage 1 cont d. Iʼve been working for the Transit Authority for 35 years. Iʼm stuck in this $40,000 a year middle management job. Iʼm just struggling to get by How did I get to this point in my life. Iʼm probably sitting in the same seat that John Gotti and the Son of Sam sat in. Iʼm over weight and out of shape. I sweat profusely because of high blood pressure. I love my wife even though she canʼt be satisfied with me or the simple things in life. Look at the way theyʼre looking at me with those smug faces, I know they think I did it. CLARK Sorry to interrupt the seminar, Mr. Barker, but we did need to talk to you. Just be cool baby.
Stage 1 cont d.
Dark & Light Subtees (Thoughts) Dark Subtees (Thoughts - subtext) There is no scene without contradiction (a combination of statements, ideas, or features of a situation that are opposed to one another). There is always a problem in the scene that has to be worked out. Through contradiction we find the dark moments in a scene. Write down your contradiction or dark moments (anger, rage, sadness, etc.) on a super sticky Post-it that you determine to be the dark one and post it next to the dialogue in which it occurs.
Stage 1 cont d. Iʼve been working for the Transit Authority for 35 years. Iʼm stuck in this $40,000 a year middle management job. Iʼm just struggling to get by How did I get to this point in my life. Iʼm probably sitting in the same seat that John Gotti and the Son of Sam sat in. Iʼm over weight and out of shape. I sweat profusely because of high blood pressure. Iʼm over weight and out of shape. I sweat profusely because of high blood pressure. Look at the way theyʼre looking at me with those smug faces, I know they think I did it. CLARK Sorry to interrupt the seminar, Mr. Barker, but we did need to talk to you. Just be cool baby. Thatʼs okay. These seminars are about a half hourʼs worth of material and six hours worth of donuts. Keep smiling, Iʼm in control. CLARK What time did you leave for work this morning, sir? Lie To Them Same as usual. Seven a.m. Yeah, good one.
Dark & Light Subtees (Thoughts) Light Subtees (Thoughts) Being that all of our reactions can t be dark--or otherwise what we create would be one note--we must find the light moments in a scene (humor, charm, irony, etc.) Irony is an important component to possess as a human being. Without it we are transparent and obvious. Write down your light moments on a different colored super sticky Post-it and post it next to the dialogue in which it occurs.
Stage 1 cont d. Iʼve been working for the Transit Authority for 35 years. Iʼm stuck in this $40,000 a year middle management job. Iʼm just struggling to get by How did I get to this point in my life. Iʼm probably sitting in the same seat that John Gotti and the Son of Sam sat in. Iʼm over weight and out of shape. I sweat profusely because of high blood pressure. Iʼm over weight and out of shape. I sweat profusely because of high blood pressure. Look at the way theyʼre looking at me with those smug faces, I know they think I did it. Just be cool baby. CLARK Sorry to interrupt the seminar, Mr. Barker, but we did need to talk to you. Thatʼs okay. These seminars are about a half hourʼs worth of material and six hours worth of donuts. Keep smiling, Iʼm in control. CLARK What time did you leave for work this morning, sir? Lie To Them Same as usual. Seven a.m. Yeah, good one.
Dark & Light Subtees (Thoughts) Read the history, the before, and the dialogue with the subtext out loud at least 15 times or until you have that a-ha moment ( a-ha meaning that you totally get what the scene is about and you feel confident about it.) Don t try to act it. Just read the subtext with the value that you heard in your head when you first conceived it. If what you heard was expressed with vehemence, then say it like that. Each time you read it, write down any new subtext, ideas, or impulses that occur to you on a super sticky Post-it note. Don t become a writer by creating long stories on each post-it. Find a sentence or key word that sums up that particular idea. For example, if your reaction is something like: I can t believe that you re saying that to me, I ve been a great friend to you and now you re going to throw me under a bus? How could you do this to me you stupid idiot! This is over written. All of that is in the same emotional tone. All you need to get the point across is I can t believe. In reality our minds work so fast that the thought flies through quicker than we can say it. After you ve reached that a-ha moment then move to the next stage.
Stage 2
Stage 2 Bring in someone to help you. Let them read the other parts while you read your dialogue and your Subtees out loud, still giving value and evaluation to the subtext that you wrote. (Do this step at least 5 or more times)
Stage 1 cont d. Iʼve been working for the Transit Authority for 35 years. Iʼm stuck in this $40,000 a year middle management job. Iʼm just struggling to get by How did I get to this point in my life. Iʼm probably sitting in the same seat that John Gotti and the Son of Sam sat in. Iʼm over weight and out of shape. I sweat profusely because of high blood pressure. Iʼm over weight and out of shape. I sweat profusely because of high blood pressure. Look at the way theyʼre looking at me with those smug faces, I know they think I did it. CLARK Sorry to interrupt the seminar, Mr. Barker, but we did need to talk to you. Just be cool baby. Thatʼs okay. These seminars are about a half hourʼs worth of material and six hours worth of donuts. Keep smiling, Iʼm in control. CLARK What time did you leave for work this morning, sir? Lie To Them Same as usual. Seven a.m. Yeah, good one.
Stage 2 CLARK You go by yourself? Right. SIPOWIZ Did you know Craig Woodruff? Oh shit. Here it comes Just from seeing him in the building. Damn it. Iʼm starting to sweat Just from seeing him in the building. Thatʼs it. Just put a smile on your face SIPOWICZ You never had any dealings with him? No problems? Disagreements? Just lie baby murdered? No sir.
Stage 2 SIPOWICZ You know he was murdered? Just look him straight in the eye My wife called and told me. (Start to wipe my brow with my handkerchief but my hands are shaking too much so I donʼt) CLARK Do you own a gun, Mr. Barker? No. Thatʼs it. Just put a smile on your face SIPOWICZ You oughta know that a gun was found in the building. Wasnʼt mine. Donʼt raise your voice or sound defensive
Stage 2 They think I did it. What the hell am I going to do? SIPOWICZ That gun is going to be put through ballistic tests and dusted for fingerprints. If it turns out to be the murder weapon and it comes back to you or your wife, the fact that youʼre lying to us work isnʼt going to work in your favor. What reason would I have to be lying to you? Donʼt lose your cool baby. Keep it light. CLARK Do you know if your wife was acquainted with a Mr. Woodruff? They know about that too. Only to say hi in the hallway. SIPOWICZ Is it possible there was more to it and you didnʼt know about it?
Stage 2 What the hell, does everyone in the world know about this? Are you suggesting my wife was unfaithful? Youʼre giving yourself away. STOP IT. SIPOWICZ We re asking if you had any reason to believe she was. The answerʼs no. Iʼm soaking wet. My blood pressure is through the roof SIPOWICZ Is it possible Craig forced himself on her and she used the gun to defend herself? CLARK We donʼt have any problem believing the first part of that - - we know what kind of guy he was. Then you know that he got whatever he deserved. If you knew what kind of guy he was, why are you working so hard to try and find out who killed him?
Stage 2 Oh my God. They know everything I love my wife so much I canʼt let her spend the rest of her life in prison SIPOWICZ We know who killed him, Harold. Your wife killed him. Weʼve spoken to her, there are inconsistencies in her story and we have the murder weapon. It was not my wife. SIPOWICZ How do you know? Iʼve got to be convincing. Because I shot him. I shot him and I hid the gun in the laundry room. (beat) All he needed to do was leave it be. There was nothing he had to say. Just allow my wife and myself to go back to our apartment and work it out between ourselves.
Stage 2 SIPOWICZ He didnʼt do that. Iʼve got to fight back this incredible feeling of satisfaction He thought heʼd have a little fun. Talked about his sexual prowess. How I better get used to the fact that there was now no way my wife would ever be happy with me. CLARK What did you do at that point, Mr. Barker? Had dinner with my family. Tried to go to sleep. Then around five oʼclock this morning, I decided I needed to tell Mr. Woodruff that if we were to continue living down the hall from one another, he had to respect my wife, my family, and he had to respect me. (beat) Why do I feel so calm now
Stage 2 The memory is disturbing Harold (contʼd) He was angry that I woke him. He cursed at me, then he laughed at me, then he slapped me in the face. SIPOWICZ Then you shot him. I had no forgiveness left. Absolute calm
Stage 3
Stage 3 Put your sketch pad down or get away from the wall and pick up your sides. Reading with your partner again, Do the same process as before except this time you are doing the history, the before and the Subtees from memory. In this way, you ll discover which subtext you did or didn t retain. (Do this step at least 5 or more times)
Stage 4
Stage 4 Now you can act the scene without saying the Subtees out loud. The scene and the Subtees should be in you now. You ve created a pattern of understanding and certainty about the history, the event, the evaluation and the state. You ve made it personal and specific. You ve empowered yourself to abide by your spontaneous impression with good-humored inflexibility. Act the scene at least five times with your reading partner. At the end of this process, if you find that there is still confusion or mystery then go back and repeat steps 2 and 3.
Stage 5
Stage 5 Reverse roles and read the other part or parts at least five times. In this way, hearing your character from the other side will give you another perspective. Also hearing the other person read it may give you additional ideas that you may not have thought of.
Stage 6
Stage 6 Put yourself on camera to make sure that your product makes it to the screen. This is also a time to work out the routine of the technical aspects of the audition. Things like: How many people in the scene Whether or not to use the edges of the frame Creating the place Use of props (actual or implied off screen) Slate Life force What you worked on is clearly being acted out on camera. Make adjustments to your performance as necessary based on what you see in the playback.
Valuable Final Product
Valuable Final Product After going through this entire process you are now confident and prepared to deliver your product. The most important thing at this point is to forget about it. It should be in your bones. It should feel second nature to you at this point. If it doesn t, then you need to go back and see where you lost the reality of it or where your confidence waned. Go back and do it again. Go for it!