• SUBSTITUTION = when an actor uses AN EXPERIENCE THEY’VE HAD to emotionally identify with a moment or relationship.  I happen to think it’s an important, essential tool for the actor –and probably the reason older actors always give richer performances – i.e. they’ve lived more life.  But by the time we are PERFORMING the scene – I happen to believe that all thoughts of situations or people who are not HERE RIGHT NOW – takes the actors thoughts away – like the exercise I had you do where you see your bedroom dresser while looking at me.  It CAN disconnect you from the SPECIFIC GIVEN CIRCUMSTANCES of THIS scene.  Just like driving a stick shift is at first something you think about and then later do naturally, I believe “substitution” works the same way – i.e. it becomes internalized.
  

• PERSONALIZATION is really what we’re going for – i.e. finding a way to make  it personal & powerful to the actor’s experience.  Substitution is simply ONE means of doing that.  Another would be your Meisner “As If” - where the actor is IMAGINING something happening.  I happen to find using the imagination to be quite powerful (and natural to all of us – i.e. kids playing) - but I phrase it a bit differently.  For me, the “as if” also creates a slight separation – i.e. It’s “as if” someone just kidnapped your child – while I would say “Hey!  Someone just kidnapped your child!”   Which do you think would be more effective?