Details.

So- I might have mentioned before that I am taking my first official acting class ever this semester. I absolutely love it!

i feel like a sponge. I just want to remember every moment!

So, my teacher loves little catch phrases to sum up a principle. and one of those phrases is...

Details are the KEY to imagination.

Basically it means when we are acting, details are what are going to make it real...what do you see? Taste? Feel? Smell? What is the logo on the object you are holding? etc.

so, today we did a little exercise; it incorporated a TON of principles, but this was one of them: details.

The whole class found a spot on the ground, laid on their backs and closed our eyes. We were instructed to listen to our teacher and to imagine we were going through this situation. It was emphasized that we focus and see the details.

I want to recount a summary of how some of this went down. (in italics is what we were told by my teacher, in normal is what I was imagining....)

You are at the airport, just finished at security, maybe putting your shoes or belt back on...

I'm standing trying to put my brown, fluffy boot on as fast as I can, but people are still walking around me to grab all their stuff out of the blue bins. I grab my red smart phone out of my own bin and wait for my backpack to come all the way down the little ramp thing.

You are walking to your gate.

I stop to look at a sign, I'm unfamiliar with the airport. I find my gate, C, to my left and begin walking towards it, casually looking at all the people sitting in gates A and B. I did pass a bookstore, back by the sign. It was cute, well lit and 2 or 3 people standing in line at the registrar. 

You arrive at your gate, you have a drink, what is it? You see someone attractive; what do they look like?

I find a seat close to the window, pull out a SoBe lemonade and open it and take a small sip. yummy! I glance over to gate D and there is one attractive guy, 24ish, with short, clean cut dark hair. He is dressed in business casual and is reading a book.

~this goes on for awhile...eventually we end up on the plane, and we take off (LOTS more details being imagined that what I am actually posting)~

The flight attendant hands you a napkin and the small plastic cup with your complimentary drink.

I'm in the window seat, so the attendant leans over the man in a business suit with glasses to hand me the napkin with the Southwest Airline logo in the bottom right hand corner and the small, plastic cup with my Sprite in it. I just finished a bag of peanuts and the bag is sitting on the try in front of me. I am about to take a drink when...

There is some turbulence. You spill your drink...

 I say "Crap" under my breath as I grab my napkin and wipe up the small puddle of Sprite. 

The turbulence doesn't stop...the plane gets quite and the pilot's voice comes on and says they are returning to the airport for an emergency landing. The flight attendants come rushing down the aisle collecting trash.

I put my tray up and my hands immediately grasp my arm rests. I press my head against the head rest and glance out the window. It is very rocky, so I close my eyes and my breathing gets more labored. I hear small sniffles from the ladies behind me. I focus on my breathing...in...out...in...out..

LOUD CRASH! (my teacher actually drops a metal chair on the floor) The pilot comes on and instructs everyone to put heads between their legs. The plane is slowly inclining downward.

I jump and grab my arm rests even tighter. My only thoughts are to keep calm and to not panic. I slowly follow the pilot's instructions. I blink very slowly, afraid to keep my eyes closed too long, but not wanting to have them open either. I say silent prayers. My breathing continues to be shallow and labored, especially since I'm leaned over. I notice the grooves on the floor- dirt has settled in between all the grooves and there is even a piece of pink gum smashed into it. The plane is silent except for random, soft cries of surprise when the turbulence hits.

You begin to feel the plane level out. You hear sirens from rescue teams below. 

I lift only my head to glance out the window- I see red and blue flashing lights down below. I spring my head back down, focusing on the gum on the floor and making sure I continue to breath. 

~long story short, the plane lands safely, then our teacher instructed us to get ourselves out of the plane, and when we were done to sit up~

The applause for the flight crew finally ends. As soon as the people in my row file out, I walk (my legs feeling like jello), out to the aisle, almost forgetting my backpack that was up above my seat. I can't help but stare at the ground as we all slowly, file out of the plane. I am breathing slowly, yet once I get out to the airport I nearly collapse on the black waiting area seats, grab my phone in my sweatshirt front pocket and with shaking hands begin to dial my mom's number. My eyes begin to fill with tears as the shock wears off and my body all begins shaking.

At this moment in class, I sat up very quickly because I realized my hands were actually hot and sweaty and my eyes were actually filling with tears. My heart was racing and as I began to wipe my sweaty hands off, I saw they were shaking too. Our teacher had helped guide us to see with such great detail, that my body was literally reacting. 

I was amazed! I loved it! I loved experiencing first hand how I could emotionally connect to a situation I have never been in before. I have previous experience I could draw from and was able to create a whole new (imaginary) experience!

 Woah. so. cool.

 I have so much to work on so I can actually apply this to my acting, but I just thought it was the coolest thing! :)