DRAMA: ACTING TECHNIQUE TO HELP YOU DEVELOP YOUR CHARACTER by Joy Gardner
* Character- The imaginary person, thing, or animal the actor portrays on stage. The goal of a trained actor is to become a fully realized three-dimensional character, with a rich backstory. I must believe the character you play is truthful and not a cliche or a caricature who barely resembles a human being. I must believe what you say is real and that you're not reciting at other actors. “Acting is an extreme sport! Go big or go home!”
Voice:
Stage Movement:
Body Language:
Relationship- What is my relationship to this other character in the scene I am about to do? Ask feeling questions about your emotional attitude toward the other character: How do you feel about him? What do you want from him? What do you want him to give you?
Observation- Observation is a stream of consciousness you work to achieve. To observe, you must find out what you feel and express it totally. Let one impulse lead to the another without intellectual editing, including all the life that is going on---the interruptions, interferences, and distractions. When you’ve reached an observing state (which means being where you are at this moment in the here and now, including everything that’s going on in you), then you are ready to act.
Communication- Communication is not a one-way street. It’s not just the job of the speaker to say something. Communication needs a listener. If the listener isn’t a participant in the process, then communication is blocked. Communication is much more than the exchanging of words. It is really talking and actively listening to each other on stage. Ask yourself, “Am I sending out and getting back feelings, or am I just talking?” The most successful actors are those who are able to project what they are feeling to someone else. We often fail to communicate in life; we tend to talk at people instead of to them. Make sure your message is clear and check that the receiver has received it. Receiving the feelings of another is even harder than sending out feelings of your own. It requires sensitivity, a heightened awareness of the other person, BEING open, willing to receive, and not closed up.
Active Listening- While another actor is talking, listen with the intent to understand; not with the intent to reply. To be an active listener means you’re fully focused on what the speaker is saying. No looking at your phone during a conversation! You’re also giving nonverbal and verbal cues that demonstrate you’re listening: Eye contact, body language (head nod, forward body posture), smiling, not interrupting, asking questions and asking for clarification, summarizing, and paraphrasing.
Discovery- Every scene is filled with discoveries, things that happen for the first time. No matter how many times it has happened in the past, there is something new about this experience, this moment. In other words, a light bulb / “A-ha! Gasp!” moment / new thought.
Importance- What is emotionally important to you at this moment so you can stay in character? Make the stakes in each scene as high as you can. Acting is an extreme sport!!! Look for the maximum importance and even add importance. If you don’t, no one will be listening to you.
Objective / What are you fighting for? An actor is looking for conflict. Conflict is what creates drama. Who is interfering with your getting what you are fighting for? All of life is a fight: We always want something.
Tactics- The ACTION strategies you use to achieve your objective. You play each strategy or ‘tactic’ through your partner until they ‘tell’ you they are not working. Then you move onto another strategy or tactic until you reach your objective, give up on it, or give your last ditch effort. Using a variety of tactics will add color and interest to your performance so you are not just “attacking,” “begging,” or teasing” the entire performance. Acting is an extreme sport! Go big with your tactics or go home!
Emotional Memory- Using your own memories from your real life to inform your character’s realistic reaction while you are acting.
Immediacy- Dealing with the problems of anticipation while searching for something lost or mislaid. To arrive at immediacy actors have to fight to prevent anticipation and planning ahead. When we anticipate, our actions become mechanical, and we start to concern ourselves with the outer form of what we are presenting, and bad acting always results. A fine actor does not anticipate and forgets what’s coming. He forgets even the next line he has learned until he needs it!
Entrance- What can I do back-stage while waiting for my cue to enter? Specifically, these essential steps before an entrance are: What did I (my character) just do (off stage)? What am I doing right now? What’s the first thing I want when I go on stage?