Character warm ups and "your method"

This is for the thespians.

What do you do to get into character, if anything. What excercises, workshops do you do to explore characters, or does it vary every time?

Come on people, this place is filled with guitarists, we need more actors.

 

i just try to get behind my characters motives and apply what i know about them or what i can infere to my acting. besides that i just try to envision whatever emotion they hold and why.

 

I always write out a sheet of my motives, my personality, reasons behind my actions and backstory that's either given or made up.
And I love pretending to exist in the time period of the play a few days before by speaking the lingo and stuff like that
I always "get into character" an hour or so before the show starts and talked to everyone around me as the character. It makes it alot easier for me to smoothly transition onto the stage

 

That Pretty Much What I do

 

I try to get to know the character through reading the script. And then if theres not already one, I make up a back story. I try to fit my self into the character's persona from time to time when I'm not busy with something else, and whenever I read through the script. And then when the time comes I don't find it hard to slip into or out of character when ever I want. I don't usually get into character more than about 15 minutes before the show, I've never found it necessary to. But it is easier to ad lib if you have to if you get into character earlier though.

 

Once I've got a feel for the character from the script I tend to take on a few of the character's attributes in my daily life, so it's easier to snap into character when I need to.
[good topic btw!]

 

I used to do the same thing. Oh and as soon as I put my first costume on I would get into character.

 

i'm definitely oldschool when it comes to getting into character, total method acting, absorbing myself as completely as i can in the persona.....i tend to get into character hours, sometimes days before the performance (as you can tell, my friends are probably less than thrilled by this, lol!)

research, research, research - then let go of all of it and live it, baby!

 

I find that a really good way to get to know your character is to get someone to ask you questions that you answer as your character. I find that the more obscure questions are the ones that really help you to find a character. Like its all well and good to go through the Name, Age, Purpose kind fo questions, but ask things like "What did you do on your third birthday." You will become suprised at how well you come to know your character asking questions like that - after a few questions you won't even have to hesitiate to be able to think of an answer because you are the character and you just know those things!

I hope that made sense?

 

I just sorta... let it flow. I take a lot of my own experiences and what i know about people and apply that when i'm getting into the part, but usually when i'm actually performing, i get extremely into character. Like, i did this monologue for drama class where i had to be a poorer black woman who just found out her husband was cheating on her (from Fences), and when i was reading through it, i was thinking "people who have just found out their spouses are cheating will go back and forth through anger and sadness, so i'll do that. this character's choice of words make her seem like she's the sort to be honest and supportive, so i don't think she'd be acting like it's jerry springer and she's about to through some chairs....." and stuff like that. but when i actually got up there, i just told myself "i've been with my husband for eighteen years. how could he cheat on me after all we've been through? how could he do that?". it's a very basic method, i know, but it seems to work for me. pretty much, if the character isn't layed out so perfectly like it was for that monologue, i'll try to go on what i know. like, i play a russian woman, and this is a comedy. i think "what do i know about russian women? how can i make that funny?". and i agree, we need more actors on here! acting is my love.

 

yeah, i've never found writing out all the information about my character to be necisary. When i'm back stage and the lights go dark i get quiet, and about 2 steps before i walk onto the stage i snap into character. In the larger plays/musicals i've found it helps to do improv with charcters your character never even interacts with in the play. but it helps both of you develop your character more.

 

I first go and underline all my stresswords, do a character history, fourth wall, personal history with anyone I interact with, or am understood to interact with, intentions, substitutions (AKA as ifs). I am also getting into Meisner work lately.

Oh, and as for warm ups I have a set of stretches and vocal warm ups that I do. lots of yoga and facial massage, along with all the vocalises and toungue twisters.

 

i dont necessairly use any techniques. i just know my objectives and my background. research is a big part of my so-called "technique"

 

I read through everything and get a mental picture of how I see my character and what is pushing them. I try and let go of myself and become what I imagine the character to be.

 

VISUALIZE! visualize visualize visualize. I dunno this is kindof a hard thing for me to describe. I've never gotten into the whole writing out of all the little details, I try to focus on the major events of the characters life especially those that caused the emotions felt in specific scenes. I sit back close my eyes and visualize myself as the character in those situations, I focus on all the details there. Other people, what they're doing, how the situation is making me(as the character) feel, and why. I make the scene as extreme and overdramatic(within reason) as I can to stimulate those emotions in myself. Sometimes calling people or things from my own life into the image helps to make it hit harder. good thread definately, and yeah meisner kicks ass

 

alright.... sometimes if the character is really hard to get into.. Ill put something in my pocket that my character would have in their pocket... see if i was playing a higher class midieval (sp?) woman, maybe I would put some gold coins in my pocket and just before walking onstage I would put my hand in my picket and become what that person would actually feel if they were to do that :]

 

yay, i found the only thread about acting! i actually just got home from my local theater. we just had our second production of "the ransom of red chief". very cute play, i think, and my first one since third grade. i get into character by thinking only of my character for awhile and really just pretending to be her.

 

honestly i just wing it and pretend im that person.

maybe thats why i suck at it though lol....

 

-

 

that's actually a really cool idea, i like that