PERFORMANCE PERSPECTIVES

"The Sixth Sense"
WAITING FOR THE IMPULSE

The actor's goal is to create a character who listens, thinks and then responds in a truthful way to the circumstances that they confront.

Many influences conspire to distract an actor from this goal. It is therefore interesting to see a performance so close to perfect that it sets standards of achievement to which all actors can aspire. I am referring to HALEY JOEL OSMENT'S performance as an eight year old in "The Sixth Sense".

Why is this performance so exceptional?

It's remarkable because HALEY never seems to be distracted from the process of the moment. He hears or observes, works out the significance of what has been said or seen and then responds. He never rushes to the result that the script indicates must follow a particular event but always allows his character to find its own way to the appropriate conclusion. This means his character is never in possession of knowledge about the future but is always just dealing with the moment.

Occasionally the editor has sped up HALEY'S reaction times by tightening the cuts (often these choices are generated by a Producer's desire for production "pace"). But it always appears on these occasions the actor has taken the time that was required to allow himself to make the next choice. The evidence for this is that even if the editor has removed the beginning of a thought process the piece which remains continues with such simple honesty it is impossible to conceive that it did not have a truthful beginning.

In discussing HALEY'S achievements with other actors the general response tends to be - "Of course he's great! He's a child! He doesn't worry about the responsibilities generated by all the other stuff, he just does it."

The Secret of Good Acting
If these comments are a true indication of the foundation of HALEY'S success then maybe they expose the "secret formula" for good acting.

Perhaps it is as simple as listening, processing what has been heard and then responding. Certainly, whatever HALEY OSMENT'S secret is, works exceedingly well for him. For his clarity of purpose, focus of attention and elegant control of his choices on occasions make Bruce Willis look a little mannered and contrived. It is perhaps a little mean spirited to compare Bruce's performance in this way because it satisfactorily delivers the character and the story in this very successful film. However it is instructional to compare the two.

Comparatively it could be said that Bruce could have (at times)

• been more relaxed
• not imposed his pre-determined view of how the character should respond to the moment.

This comparison reveals a further element of HALEY'S successful process. Having heard and understood what the current circumstances meant to him, he never responded until there was an "impulse" within him to do so. Not once did he anticipate that impulse but always allowed it to emerge in its own time.

Trusting the Impulse
Actor's often don't wait for the "impulse to respond" because they feel they are being inert and therefore they should move the character on to perform the act they know will happen next. This merely reminds the audience that what they are watching is in fact only "acting". It was HALEY'S relaxed trust in waiting for the impulse to respond which convinced the audience, that his character was experiencing these events now - in the moment. At no stage does it appear he was acting them out. So it can be said of HALEY OSMENT that he is not so much a great "actor" as a great "inter-actor". And what is more, not only does he interact with the circumstances around him but he also allows himself the space and time to interact with himself.

Actors who don't wait for the "impulse to respond" ignore the simple fact that the difficulty a character has making a decision is much more dramatic, engaging and informative than any action which flows from the decision.

Good Direction
All these elements indicate that this film has been exceedingly well directed. M. Night Shyamalan not only managed to prevent convention and pressure from interfering with HALEY'S process but also surely must have encouraged and nurtured him throughout the shoot to enable such consistency and quality to be maintained.

Another Outstanding Performance
It is not possible to comment on this film and ignore the performance of TONI COLLETTE. This is also a performance of the highest standard and faultless in its execution. The role is a testing one because she has created a character the audience does not immediately like.

In addition the script carries a tricky device for any actor. On a number of occasions she has to state her "intentions" of the moment to her son and ask him to believe her - these requests are of course not only judged by her son but also by the audience. If they fail to be absolutely truthful the character would appear manipulative and devious. The success of these challenging moments is crucial to the audience ultimately liking her character.

She delivers them with a beautiful unrestrained commitment and a simple truth.

This is undoubtedly a film all those interested in the craft of good acting should see.

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