Creating relationship is the heart of acting. It is basic. It is essential. — Michael Shurtleff Copy Share Image
The first step to a better audition is to give up character and use yourself. — Michael Shurtleff Copy Share Image
Take nothing for granted. Make an emotional discovery as often as you can find one in every scene. Ask yourself: What is… — Michael Shurtleff Copy Share Image
An expression of feeling isn't worth anything unless it interferes with what the other actor in the scene wants. — Michael Shurtleff Copy Share Image
Humor [in a scene] is not jokes. It is that attitude toward being alive without which you would long ago have jumped… — Michael Shurtleff Copy Share Image
Acting in theatre or television or screen is only for the irrecoverably diseased, those so smitten with the need that there is… — Michael Shurtleff Copy Share Image
If we lived for reality, we'd be dead, every last one of us. Only dreams keep us going. — Michael Shurtleff Copy Share Image
To go into acting is like asking for admission to an insane asylum. Anyone may apply, but only the certifiably insane are… — Michael Shurtleff Copy Share Image
There's only one reason why a character drinks: to seek confrontation. To fight for what they want in ways normally denied them. — Michael Shurtleff Copy Share Image
Conflict is what creates drama. The more conflict actors find, the more interesting the performance. — Michael Shurtleff Copy Share Image
An actor must make his needs (goals, wants, objectives) so strong that he is willing to interfere with the other actor in… — Michael Shurtleff Copy Share Image
We don't live for realities, but for the fantasies, the dreams of what might be. If we lived for reality, we'd be… — Michael Shurtleff Copy Share Image
Listening is not merely hearing, it is receiving the message that is being sent to you. Listening is reacting. Listening is being… — Michael Shurtleff Copy Share Image
Competition [in a scene] is healthy. Competition is life. Yet most actors refuse to acknowledge this. They don't want to compete. They… — Michael Shurtleff Copy Share Image
An actor is looking for conflict. Conflict is what creates drama. We are taught to avoid trouble [so] actors don't realize they… — Michael Shurtleff Copy Share Image
Competition is healthy. Competition is life. Yet most actors refuse to acknowledge this. They don't want to compete. They want to get… — Michael Shurtleff Copy Share Image
Often actors ask me if I think they should go on trying to be an actor. I have the same answer for… — Michael Shurtleff Copy Share Image
Whatever you decide is your motivation in the scene, the opposite of that is also true and should be in it. — Michael Shurtleff Copy Share Image
Listening is not merely hearing. Listening is reacting. Listening is being affected by what you hear. Listening is active. — Michael Shurtleff Copy Share Image
Every scene you will ever act begins in the middle, and it is up to you, the actor, to provide what comes… — Michael Shurtleff Copy Share Image
Often actors ask me if I think they should go on trying to be an actor. I have the same answer for everyone who… — Michael Shurtleff Copy Share
That's why there's so little romance in our world now: everyone thinks romance is weak. — Michael Shurtleff Copy Share
There's only one reason why a character drinks: to seek confrontation. To fight for what they want in ways normally denied them. — Michael Shurtleff Copy Share
Conflict is what creates drama. The more conflict actors find, the more interesting the performance. — Michael Shurtleff Copy Share
If we lived for reality, we'd be dead, every last one of us. Only dreams keep us going. — Michael Shurtleff Copy Share
We don't live for realities, but for the fantasies, the dreams of what might be. If we lived for reality, we'd be dead, every… — Michael Shurtleff Copy Share
Everyone thinks romance is weak. Yet romance is everyone's secret dream-it's why we're alive. — Michael Shurtleff Copy Share
Humor [in a scene] is not jokes. It is that attitude toward being alive without which you would long ago have jumped off the… — Michael Shurtleff Copy Share
Every scene is a love scene. The actor should ask the question: 'Where is the love?' — Michael Shurtleff Copy Share
Every scene you will ever act begins in the middle, and it is up to you, the actor, to provide what comes before. — Michael Shurtleff Copy Share
An actor must make his needs (goals, wants, objectives) so strong that he is willing to interfere with the other actor in order to… — Michael Shurtleff Copy Share
Competition [in a scene] is healthy. Competition is life. Yet most actors refuse to acknowledge this. They don't want to compete. They want to… — Michael Shurtleff Copy Share
Competition is healthy. Competition is life. Yet most actors refuse to acknowledge this. They don't want to compete. They want to get along. And… — Michael Shurtleff Copy Share
![“Humor [in a scene] is not jokes. It is that attitude toward being alive without which you would long ago have jumped off the 59th Street Bridge.” quote by Michael Shurtleff](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/504/michael-shurtleff-19554_acting_humor-in-a-scene-is-not-jokes-it-is-that_611053.png)
![“Competition [in a scene] is healthy. Competition is life. Yet most actors refuse to acknowledge this. They don't want to compete. They want to get along. And they are therefore not first-rate actors.” quote by Michael Shurtleff](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/75e/michael-shurtleff-19554_acknowledge_competition-in-a-scene-is-healthy-compet_1161371.png)
![“An actor is looking for conflict. Conflict is what creates drama. We are taught to avoid trouble [so] actors don't realize they must go looking for it. Plays are written about...the extraordinary, the unusual, the climaxes. The more conflict actors find, the more interesting the performance.” quote by Michael Shurtleff](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/39e/michael-shurtleff-19554_acting_an-actor-is-looking-for-conflict-conflic_3222619.png)
