Ten Top Tips: Scott Williams

Scott Williams, one of London's foremost and longest standing Meisner Technique teachers, shares his top tips to empower and deepen the work of today’s actor.

Scott is an international teacher and director and is currently the Artistic Director of the UK-based Impulse Company. Scott trained with Sanford Meisner at New York’s famous Neighborhood Playhouse in the 1970s and has taught globally for over 35 years.  Scott is returning to Australia this July and August to continue his passion for training the Australian professional actor.

1. Acting is living truthfully under a given set of circumstances.
2. What happens to you as an actor does not depend on you, it depends on what the other person does to you. Think of this as “the pinch and the ouch.”
3. Fish don’t believe in water, they swim in it. You don’t need to believe, imagine, or recall. You need to live in what is happening around you.
4. You don’t deliver text. You discover it.
5. Respond to the moment happening now. Don’t repeat what happened yesterday.
6. There is never a shortage of what you feel.
7. Sit in response to your fellow actor, not in judgement.
8. Work for a process, not for a result.
9. Go beyond what you know. That’s where the good stuff is.
10. This work is the most fun you can have with your clothes on.