There are actors who manage to steal the show from everyone as soon as they step onto the stage. They are so good at acting that they drag you into their world and leave you in suspense until the very end. Read on to find out how to become a great professional and convey emotions that will captivate your audience.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Preparing for the Role
Step 1. Read the entire script two to three times
You need to know the whole play or movie well, not just your character. The actors belong to a team: they have the task of carrying on the overall theme and the plot of a theatrical or cinematographic work. If you don't understand the main themes and ideas of the script, your performance will seem out of place. When you read it, ask yourself what the main theme is. What role does your character play in the story?
Once you've grasped the full story, focus on your parts and read them a couple more times. Now, focus on your character's role and lines
Step 2. Ask several key questions about your role and find an answer
To fully understand this, you have to totally immerse yourself in the page, then go further and start considering your character's reason for existing. You won't necessarily be able to demonstrate all this work on screen or on stage, but the details will help you come up with a complete portrait and can lead you to make important discoveries about how to interpret it. When evaluating the answers, trust your instincts, or ask the director or writer for help.
- Who are you?
- Where do you come from?
- Why are you there?
Step 3. Know your character's main ambition
Every character wants something, this happens in practically all stories. It is the basis of the plot. The desire can be to save the world, get a date, or just grab a bite. In any case, you must know him. To be able to portray him accurately, you also need to know why the character has this aspiration. In one way or another, all his actions arise from this desire. It is what gives it impetus and energy.
- A character's wishes can change, so you need to make a note of when this happens. It is almost always an important scene or moment for your performance.
- To do an exercise, try to identify the wishes of your favorite characters / actors. For example, in the movie "Il petroliere", the protagonist is deeply driven by the need to find more oil. Every action, look or emotion is born out of this insatiable and passionate greed - you can see it on Daniel Day-Lewis's face in each scene.
Step 4. Practice the lines until you have fully assimilated them
You should never stop and think about what you need to say. Instead, you should worry about your interpretation. The only way to get to this point is to practice the lines over and over, do your best to recite them without consulting the script. Ask a friend to play the other parts so you can realistically lead a dialogue.
- Experiment with jokes as you read. Try them multiple times, with different intonations or emphases - see how they affect your character.
- Shooting yourself on camera and looking back at you later can help you catch small mistakes or find new ways to interpret jokes.
- Before worrying about how to perfect your lines, focus on memorizing. You need to be able to recite them without looking at the script, then you can improve the interpretation later.
Step 5. Talk to the director to find out what his or her vision of your character is
If you already have the part, contact the director and ask him if he would prefer to give you specific instructions for the performance. Briefly explain your ideas about the character and how you think he can contribute to the themes of the project. Then, listen to his ideas too. Remember that your goal is to contribute to the work in its entirety, you don't have to think only about your interests. You need to be able to gracefully accommodate constructive criticism and ideas from others.
If you haven't already gotten the part and need to audition, choose a unique interpretation for the character. Don't try to meet what you think are the director's needs. Instead, read your notes and prepare your lines in the way that feels most natural to you
Step 6. Put yourself in your character's shoes
If you don't get into his head, you can't represent him adequately. The words are printed neatly on the script, but your actions and positions aren't always written in stone. Plus, knowing your character will help you improvise in case someone forgets their lines. Preparing for a role means entering the mind of your character, embodying it in the best possible way.
- According to the Stanislavsky method, an actor should never go out of character when on set or at the theater. Between takes, he stays in the role and tries to fully embody it, so that he is always perfect when he plays it in front of the camera or the audience.
- Identify the parts of the role that seem familiar to you. Have you ever felt the same emotions your character feels? Do you know anything about his struggle? Find ways to channel your moods into the character's lines for a better result.
Part 2 of 3: Playing Credible Characters
Step 1. Dedicate yourself body and soul to each role
As an actor, your job is not to rewrite the script so that your character is more likeable. You shouldn't even judge the narrative style or role and instead create a version that reflects yourself. Your job is to portray a character who could credibly inhabit the world of the film, play or show. Just like the writer, director, cameraman and so on, you have to work within a larger and more consistent group in order to get a good result.
- Don't feel embarrassed by certain actions of your character, because ultimately you just have to act. If you have reservations about a disgusting, violent, sexual, or emotionally difficult scene, you would only end up alienating viewers, so your acting will feel unrealistic.
- The best actors are completely dedicated to their roles. Have you ever wondered why Tom Cruise is still an action movie star? The reason is that he doesn't wink, joke, and show enthusiasm in his interpretation of the script. He is always full of energy and fully immersed in the character, even in bizarre or comical situations.
- Dedicating yourself body and soul to a role means doing whatever it takes to realistically portray your character, not what allows you to make a good impression as an individual.
Step 2. Learn to react
Not everyone agrees that acting is about reacting, but it's still an important aspect to consider when studying acting. In fact, it means that you have to work on your reactions to any situation foreseen by a script. Really focus on the actor's lines in front of you, listen carefully, just like you would with any other person in a real conversation. You have to answer honestly with your character's voice, even if the scene doesn't revolve around you.
- Live in the moment. Don't try to think ahead of the next scene and don't worry about how you interpreted the lines earlier.
- If you want a nice example, watch Charlie Day on the show "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia". Even when he's not talking, his brows, eyes, and fingers move quickly. He gets completely involved in the crazy and unpredictable energy of his character.
Step 3. Try to have a posture suitable for the role
It is important to remember that this aspect can also make a big difference, however small it may seem. Not only will it allow you to look more confident, it will also help you bring the character to life further. If he's weak and lonely, hunch your shoulders and distance yourself from others. If it's heroic, stand up straight, with your chest open and your head held high.
Step 4. Use the rhythm and volume of your voice to dictate the energy of a scene
When you recite lines, it can be tempting to express them as quickly as possible. The problem is that you risk losing the nuances of your role. Instead, let the rhythm and volume of the voice mimic your character's mood.
- Nervous or frightened characters often speak fast, in bursts of words.
- Angry characters raise their voices and may slow down the speech (to emphasize something) or speed it up (when they cannot control their anger).
- Happy and enthusiastic characters tend to express themselves with a uniform volume, or raise it as the speech progresses. They speak quickly.
- Varying the rhythm and volume of the voice according to the scene is a great way to show the changes and reactions of the characters to certain events.
Step 5. Play with the emphasis of the lines
Think about the subtext of each line and emphasize it accordingly. Emphasis is the most meaningful part of the joke. Try to figure out what the key word or phrase in the sentence is. It may not seem important, but emphasis can play a huge role in whatever you say. For example, the phrase "Ti I love"has a different connotation from" You I love".
Again, you can be inspired by famous actors to practice. On the internet, search for an old movie script you've never seen, then pick a character and try to play a couple of lines. When you watch the movie, compare how the actor decided to express them with your choices. There is no absolute right answer, but this can help you notice the subtleties of emphasis
Step 6. Respect the script
Unless you're given permission to do this or just improvise a couple of words, stick to the script as much as possible. Maybe a certain phrase recalls another line or scene, or the director prefers the actors to say the exact words for a certain reason. When in doubt, always stick to the script. If the director wants you to improvise or try something different, he'll tell you.
Step 7. Try to make constant movements and stop at a precise point in the scenario
Once you've made a deal with the director about it, don't change your mind. Make an effort to do the same movements over and over and stop at the same spot for every film shot, rehearsal, or scene. This guarantees a certain continuity. Plus, help the rest of the cast and crew plan their work.
This is particularly important for filmed projects, as always moving in the same way and stopping at the same point in the scenario allows the editor to make cuts between the various shots without the viewers noticing
Step 8. Ignore the camera or audience
Observing, recognizing, or reacting to viewers immediately pulls you out of character. In most cases, the characters don't know they're on stage or in a movie, so neither should you. This is achieved with practice, but a good way to prepare is to simply stand in front of the camera. When you see it or feel observed, do not react to this feeling.
- Many experienced cast and crew do not make eye contact with the actors while acting, because they know that humans tend to return a look. Try to help your colleagues by doing the same while they are acting and you are on break.
- Pay attention to what you do when you are nervous. Avoid playing with your hair, hiding your hands in your sleeves, or nervously moving your feet. Instead, deal with nervousness by breathing deeply and drinking water.
Part 3 of 3: Mastering the Art
Step 1. Research human behavior through conversations and books
To play a wide variety of characters, you need to connect with different types of people. When you know someone, do your best to be silent and listen. Invite him to tell you about his life and history. Observe his way of expressing himself and pay attention to the language he uses. Learn to absorb like a sponge. Reading directly offers you all this. Also, reading activates the very same part of the brain that you use when you recite.
You should also do some specific research for your part. If it is based on a specific person or historical period, find out as much as possible. You can insert these details into your performance, even if only subconsciously
Step 2. Look and relate to the actors you admire
When you watch someone act, don't think too much about the scene the first time - act like you would in front of any other movie. Then, review it paying special attention to each individual actor. What does he do when he is not talking? How do you express your lines? How do you position your body and what is its posture? What movements do you make to make the interpretation convincing?
- Would you read the same lines differently? If so, how?
- Classical plays, such as those of Shakespeare, are great for understanding the art of acting. For example, watch five different actors on YouTube playing the same Hamlet monologue. How do they differ? What were the choices of each artist that contributed to making the character unique?
Step 3. Sign up for an acting class
Classes often culminate in a production or show, so they're great for practicing in a low-pressure environment. Observe not only the teacher, but the other students as well. What can you learn from them? How would you improve the way they play certain roles? Would you make different decisions for a certain character? Make friends with your classmates and ask them for advice or suggestions on your performance from time to time.
You never know if your mate will be successful, maybe he can help you get a part. Be kind and friendly to everyone in class - you will reap the rewards later
Step 4. Take lessons in improvisation, which is the art of spontaneous acting in the moment, letting the character take the lead and react accordingly
The ability to improvise allows you to bring to life characters that seem natural, as if they are reacting to the events they face in real time, not by reading from a script. There are many improvisation courses, but most of the acting lessons also include exercises of this type.
Improvisation-based games, such as acting based on suggestions from friends, using odd props while acting, or staging a short dialogue with a friend, are all great methods for practicing anywhere
Step 5. To be successful at auditions, practice cold reading, which consists of giving an actor a script, asking him to recite it on the spot
Sometimes you have a couple of minutes to check it out, while other times you have to improvise right away. It is not a simple technique, but it is very easy to practice. Buy a book of monologues, extract passages from a book, or choose a dramatic story from the newspaper and read it aloud. You can also read it silently for just once, then take 20-30 seconds to establish your interpretation before you start acting.
It is also a good warm-up exercise that helps prepare your mind and body for acting
Advice
- Try to imagine the script and the emotions as if they were real. Reconnect them to your life or someone else's.
- Recite the lines by yourself in front of a mirror. Look at your appearance and gestures, then make changes to better fit the scene and character.
- Act with passion. If you like something, don't be afraid to prove it.
- Read any quality books you can find. When faced with a story, you are forced to imagine how a character would react.
- Remember to use your entire body to demonstrate your feelings, not just your voice.
