DAVID SCHWIMMERThe words “You are…” were said and, <strong>in</strong> a flash, <strong>the</strong> actors were.We have long <strong>be</strong>en fasc<strong>in</strong>ated by actors, by men and women who can call upon<strong>the</strong> alchemy that br<strong>in</strong>gs to life people who exist only as words on a page.How do actors <strong>be</strong>come actors, and why? What <strong>in</strong>spires and motivates <strong>the</strong>m, andwhat does it take to do what <strong>the</strong>y do? Through formal portraits and <strong>in</strong>terviews,we searched for <strong>the</strong> secrets of 85 of <strong>the</strong>se talented shape-shifters,look<strong>in</strong>g for both visual and personal truths. And by suggest<strong>in</strong>g to <strong>the</strong>m situationsand characters, <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> time-honored exercise of improvisation, we provided <strong>the</strong>catalysts for <strong>the</strong> creation of a wonderful cast of <strong>in</strong>stantly <strong>in</strong>vented people.In <strong>the</strong> process, we were constantly surprised, delighted, and richly enterta<strong>in</strong>ed,lucky to <strong>be</strong> witnesses to fantasy, transformation, magic..—HS, BJO, OE
An exploration of 85 shape-shifters and <strong>the</strong>ir searchfor visual and personal truths<strong>Act</strong>ors fasc<strong>in</strong>ate us <strong>in</strong> part <strong>be</strong>cause <strong>the</strong>y live out <strong>the</strong> truths we cannot,or do not, want to live ourselves. Their power is rooted <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> transformation of words<strong>in</strong>to experiences. In <strong>Caught</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Act</strong>: <strong>Act</strong>ors <strong>Act</strong><strong>in</strong>g, acclaimed photographer<strong>Howard</strong> <strong>Schatz</strong> explores <strong>the</strong> magical transformation that happens when an actortakes hold of words on a page and <strong>be</strong>comes ano<strong>the</strong>r person. <strong>Schatz</strong> demonstrateshis mastery as a director, lead<strong>in</strong>g 85 actors to explore an enormous range ofparts sett<strong>in</strong>g scenarios for <strong>the</strong> actors <strong>in</strong> one-on-one improvisations.The actors featured here—<strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g Pierce Brosnan, Jeff Daniels, Sissy Spacek,Michael C. Hall, Bobby Canavale, Mariska Hargitay, Hugh Laurie, John Malkovich,Jane Krakowski, Michael Douglas, Col<strong>in</strong> Firth, Jane Lynch, Laurence Fishburne,Geoffrey Rush, Amy Poehler, Brendan Fraser, John Goodman, Melissa Leo,Sir Ben K<strong>in</strong>gsley, Greg K<strong>in</strong>near, Rob<strong>in</strong> Wright, Tracy Morgan, Peter D<strong>in</strong>klage,Elisa<strong>be</strong>th Moss, Ricky Gervais, Michael Imperioli, Joan Allen, Jeff Goldblum,Nathan Lane, Brooke Shields, Sam Waterston, among o<strong>the</strong>r illustrious greats — rise to<strong>Schatz</strong>’s challenge with dynamic energy and creativity as he captures <strong>the</strong>complexity of <strong>the</strong>ir emotional and physical range.The <strong>in</strong>ventiveness of <strong>the</strong> collection results <strong>in</strong> a surpris<strong>in</strong>g, delightful, and richlyenterta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g revelation of <strong>the</strong> fantasy of transformation. <strong>Caught</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Act</strong><strong>in</strong>troduces us to <strong>the</strong> compell<strong>in</strong>g world of actors and <strong>the</strong> creative process— <strong>in</strong> additionto <strong>the</strong> improvisations, <strong>Schatz</strong> made powerful, creative and enchant<strong>in</strong>g portraitsof each actor that are <strong>in</strong>cluded <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> book. His <strong>in</strong>-depth <strong>in</strong>terviews with eachof <strong>the</strong> actors explore <strong>the</strong>ir craft and how <strong>the</strong>y endeavor to br<strong>in</strong>g forth an imag<strong>in</strong>aryworld from pr<strong>in</strong>t on paper.JANE LYNCH
Change language