The Intent to Live: Achieving Your True Potential as an Actor

There is no one book out there that will make you a great actor, or there would be a lot more great actors. However, if you want to take your acting skills to the next level, "The Intent to Live" is an indispensable addition to your library. Larry Moss covers everything from script and character analysis; development of motives, intentions, actions, and back stories; being in the present; to practical vocal and physical exercises to unlock new physical, vocal and emotional flexibility. Best of all, the author is not partisan about acting theory. He incorporates a lot of ideas from past noted acting teachers (Meisner, Adler, Strasberg) and others), but allows the actor to use the techniques that work for them in a given situation. Overall this is an outstanding book which teaches a variety of theories and practical techniques without being dogmatic.

Wow! This is a great book One of the jobs of an actor when interpreting a part is to put into place his or her experiences, to take advantage of the past in the present moment. In his book, Larry Moss not only gives us, actors, tools for acting, for the technique of acting, but he shares his personal experiences, showing that acting is also living and being able to re-create specific moments in your life. That is the secret that makes this book different from many other acting books. Moss's personal experiences tie The Intent to Live together with a thread of powerful emotional content. I responded particularly strongly, for example, to his account of a dinner party with Stella Adler. The conversation and inspiration felt so personal and true that I found myself weeping together with everyone around the table. In addition, Mr. Moss offers many exercises that, as a professional actress, I believe useful, creative and unique: "The System of Wants" and "Thesaurus" exercises are a couple of my favorites. Larry Moss tells us his truth. He reveals himself as a human being and as an actor who benefits from lived experience. When he talks about his life, it could be my life he's talking about. When he talks about his path as an actor and growth as an artist, his story resonates so closely with my own that he becomes a companion in the quest for the career as well as the art of acting. I applaud his honesty and humility.

Larry Moss gives a very deep and truthful look into the artistic pursuit that the actor must take to continuously improve their craft and stay at the top of their game.

I've been taking acting classes for years, and have also read basically all the acting books. Most of the books are pretty useless, because most of what you need to learn comes from *doing* in classes which you can't get from reading, and the books treat aspects of acting either too superficially (e.g. a single page on substitutions) or else are too opinionated and polemical (you *must* do it this way and not that way). This is the book to read *after* you've taken classes for a year or two. Larry covers *everything*, describes everything with tremendous detail and justification, and tends not to take sides but explain how different techniques work for different people. Basically, he goes a level deeper that most acting coaches do, so you get a lot of the "why" you might be missing from class, or just fills in gaps of knowledge you have. So, it's just a masterpiece. BUT... the book bothers me because the cover is SO, SO, SO bad, SO cheesy. I had refused to buy it for years because with a cover so tasteless -- looks like it's from 1985, with the blood-red handwriting, the super-dramatic author headshot, that I couldn't believe any good coach would ever approve a cover so "slick" and faux-"serious" and completely devoid of life or joy. Even the title "Intent to Live" sounds fake-dramatic. It was only after an acting coach of mine told me it was the best book out there, that I took the plunge and read it. So buy the book and ignore the cover. Hopefully someday a new edition comes out with a cover that seems to actually reflect the book's content, instead of communicating the exact *opposite* of what's inside.

This is one of the books I use as a text book for the acting classes that I teach. Moss is able to clearly and succinctly share with the reader, the tools needed for acting (and *directing). Divided into useful chapters he breaks the process down in such a way that the reader can apply and fairly quickly put into action what they are reading. Universally my students have found it incredibly useful. *Any student of directing will find this book useful as Moss articulates the acting process in such a way that it parallels script analysis.

It's an amazing book with more hands on information than you can imagine. But it, read it. You'll love it

Buy Larry's book. It will not only enrich your acting, but it will also enrich your life. I have had this book for two years now and am constantly referring back to it (I especially love the "Monologue Workout Program" near the end of the book). I keep it on the bookshelf next to my bed so that it's always within reach. Along with Betsy Polatin's The Actor's Secret and Bill Connington's Physical Expression on Stage and Screen (both books on the Alexander Technique that are the perfect complement to Larry's book), The Intent to Live is as good as it gets outside of actually taking classes with him. Just wait and see what his approach does for you.

I graduated from the Yale School of Drama I also have a BFA from a four year conservatory. I'm not giving away any secrets by telling you that Larry documents just about everything you would learn in the best schools and maybe more. He gives you the best parts of the famous tools from.. Stanislavsky, Meisner, Adler and even Strasberg and shows you how to apply them together as one powerful technique. Throughout the book you can feel his love for the actor and the craft of acting through every chapter and his whole goal is to challenge you to take it seriously to become all you can be. I will admit that I was slightly bored through lots of it but that was only because for me these lessons were more reminders than enlightening new skills. But, if I was to recommend any book as a starting point for someone interested in becoming an actor, a REAL actor, I would definitely hand them this book. It's all in there! He covers pretty much everything. The only reason that I'm giving it a four star instead of five is that it could have been a little more of a fun read. Being someone that studied most of this already I would have loved to chuckle more. Sometimes, there were too many examples of movies and plays and personal performances in a specific chapter. Although, many examples might be extremely useful for a beginning actor. I will say that for someone that shies away from Lee Strasberg's affective memory exercises (think of my dead puppy), he clarifies and makes a great case for me to reconnect with it. Well done! And, you can feel him giving you a good kick in the ass if you're not pushing yourself hard enough. I'm definitely more inspired now! All in all, it's a book that should come with a degree!!

Questo è uno dei coach migliori del mondo, ha lavorato con Leonardo di Caprio, Jim Carrey e tanti altri. Se siete attori dovete avere questo libro in casa e leggerlo spesso!

Ce livre coute 10 euros et regorge d'informations précieuses! Si vous voulez devenir acteur et que vous ne l'acheter pas, c'est que vous ne vous donnez pas les moyens de réussir. C'est 10 euros et j'ai corné presque toutes les pages, et surligné des pants entiers à apprendre par coeur. Il parle (entre autre) beaucoup d'objectif, d'implication émotionnelle, et de comment bien aborder le texte. Les bouquins d'Eric Morris sont plus axés sur les blocages de l'acteur.

this is very helpful book for actors . this book contant so many story , drama, and examples and practicles also so please actors read this book .

If you want to become an actor, or are an actor, this is the book for you. You can never learn enough to exceed in your field. Great book, highly recommend.

LARRY MOSS IS A LEGEND!! One I hope to meet one day! I’ve watched his interview over and over and over and this book is GOLD! He knows SO much about the business and is SO incredibly potently passionate. He trained with the best! I’ve no doubt if I am to sit in a class / coaching session, I would be transformed in the first 5 mins. Looked him up right after the interview - and so glad I could find this GEM!