Details that Matter and Details that Don't: A Conversation with Burgess Jenkins about knowing what is important in our preps

Are all the details in our backstories important? Are they all helpful in creating a fully fleshed out character? Do they all make us more connected, more present, more alive?

Burgess Jenkins, actor and founder of Actors Group, says no. He has talked in class about the difference between specificity and minutia. I sat down with him and asked him to explain what he meant by that. He says, “You can’t overwork a scene but you can wrongly work a scene. When you are breathing life into a whole new human being…anything that you create, in the right way, lends itself to the fullness of this human being walking around.”

He goes on to explain that both the analytical and the emotional components of a scene are important. “You have to understand your character, but you also have to know how you feel about the situation that they are in. If you leave either of those sides out you end up with a hollow human being.” And nobody wants to be hollow as an actor.

Burgess has been in a myriad of projects ranging from arthouse independents to blockbuster films. He is best known for his role as Ray Budds, in Remember the Titans, opposite Denzel Washington. He was Hilary Swank’s husband in The Reaping and most recently worked with Shirley McClean and Mira Sorvino. He’s had several recurring roles on such shows as the Young and the Restless, Army Wives, and One Tree Hill.

When he is not acting, he is an instructor at the Actors Group studio in Winston-Salem, which is a training ground for film and television actors.

If you want to chat or ask questions about the episode go to FB: https://www.facebook.com/tarmeydanielle/ and visit the group site.

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Find out more about Actors Group: https://www.actorsgroup.net/

Find out more about Burgess Jenkins: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0420792/