Behind the Scenes of Aris Kurniawan, Establishing an Acting Studio and Writing a Hypnotherapy Method Book for Actors

"I am not a graduate from IKJ. It's dangerous, man. Sometimes people don't believe that, you know. But when we write with a main writer, we really think about the material in writing, it becomes a strength," said Aris Kurniawan during a conversation with Kapanlagi.com on Monday (4/8/2025).

The book he wrote with his colleague, Mas Budi Utomo, is not just an ordinary acting book. This senior actor revealed that the main method he presents in the book is the hypnotherapy method to delve into a character.

"Sowing Character to Reap Wealth: The Effective Steps of Hypnotherapy in Producing Outstanding Actors and Actresses. So the method at Genta is hypnotherapy. Why use hypnosis? Because this is something that is still rarely done by fellow filmmakers or acting coaches," he said.

This knowledge was actually gained from his educational background before diving into the entertainment world. The knowledge in psychology that he studied in college became the foundation of his unique teaching method.

"Because I studied government back then, at APMD in Jogja, the School of Government and Rural Development. So there was one subject, psychology, applied psychology and so on, then we collaborated, we combined it with the materials we got from Pak Haji," he said.

His desire to have a studio and this book is also based on his personal experiences in the past. The actor Aji Basa Pamungkas shared that he used to really want to learn acting formally, but he was not given the opportunity and was asked to learn directly on the shooting location.

"Why do I want to be outside, Sir, focus. I often get scolded for this. You don't feel me getting scolded. Yes, bullied, this and that, my dialogue is wrong. I want to learn, you know. Well, one day I will open a studio. It will happen," he explained.

Now, through the studio and his book, Aris hopes to share his knowledge with young talents. He also advises that becoming a great actor requires a process and there are no instant shortcuts.

"Because all of that is a process, Bang. There is nothing instant, there is no Genta like that. So I personally also learn, even though I, because why this book came to be, exists, is because honestly we, I personally am not a graduate of an art school," he concluded.