Cain Versus Abel II: This Time, It's Personal

James Franco: Oh, hello, I'm James Franco, and welcome to Acting with James Franco. Here, to help me, is my brother, Davey.

Davey: Uh, Dave.

James Franco: Davey. [uncomfortable laugh]

Chapeter One: Sense Memory

James Franco: A question I get all the time is “How Do I Cry on Camera?” It's very simple—sense memory. So, [turning to Davey] what we're going to do is we're going to think about a painful memory and, hopefully, that will bring up enough emotion that you actually cry. …

So, do you remember our very first cat, Tobey? … Of course, you remember Tobey. That was my very first pet. And I'd play with him. And we had this little flashlight that I'd just shine on the wall, and he never figured it out. He'd always just follow it around. Mom said she was just going to take him to the vet for a check-up, and I remember I said, “Oh, okay. Bye, Tobey” You know: I didn't think it was anything. Then, I went over the street to Joey's and she came back and she said that they'd put him to sleep, that … He didn't wake up. [Begins crying]

Davey: Well, yeah, that's good, but I didn't really know Tobey. So I can't… I shouldn't… Maybe, …

James Franco: No, you did know Tobey.

Davey: Well, I was, like, two. I barely knew him.

James Franco: Well, that emotion is stored up. You can use that. Look, I just gave you a lot.

Davey: Well, yeah, you knew Tobey…

James Franco: Man, you can come up with a million excuses or you can go with it and feel what you really felt. I know it's really scary, but really feel it.

Davey: Okay, what about if, um, if for me, I remember that day I slip through the jungle gym and broke my collar bone.

James Franco: Oh, you broke your collar bone? That's stupid.

Davey: I couldn't play baseball that year.

James Franco: You broke your collar bone and you couldn't play baseball?! My fucking cat died! …

Davey: Yeah, I don't think that's doing for me, though, either, so let's …

Do you remember that time that, um, I walked in your room and, um, you had carved out that hole in the bar of soap. Remember that? You can use that if you want.

James Franco: That doesn't make me cry. I still do that, different feeling than my hand. Why would I cry over that?

Davey: I don't know.

James Franco: You should cry over the times I did it in your socks.


I'm crying over that, and they weren't even my socks.

That said, I don't know any more about acting than I did before watching that video, but I know a lot more about my older brother and his motivation for acting the way he did when we were growing up.

I'm crying about that insight—just a little—too.