Character Development and Method Acting. Is It For You?

Proper character development is the soul of every actor’s trade. You have to be able to bring the audience into the character’s world but you can’t do that, without knowing and fully being it. At the New York Acting School for Film and Television, we understand the need for mastering different skills.

One tried and true way that actors have learned to take on their roles more authentically, is through Method Acting. Method acting actually involves a series of approaches but its overall aim is to develop believable performances by teaching the actor to embody and replicate the emotional experience of the character through his or her own emotions.

The classical approach, in contrast, focuses on externalizing these processes of character development by developing a certain set of skills (i.e. voice, movement, imitation etc.) But for people who still feel disconnected after using more classical techniques, method acting might be the way.

Here are the key points:

Emotional Memory – Key to the method acting approach is the shift away from the actor’s portrayal of emotion toward the actor’s internalization of that emotion. The actor is expected to feel the emotion rather than simply pantomime it. This process is typically enabled by the memory of a past event within the actor’s own life that triggers the same emotion.

Character Motivation – The actor needs to ask a series of questions to determine motivation: how would the character react in the given situation? What situations would need to occur to motivate the character in a particular direction? What events would trigger particular emotions within the character.

Real Life Observation  – In developing the character, the actor must first spend time observing how the character’s real life counterparts move and operate in the world. Where do they go? Who do they interact with? How do they interact?

Emotional Memory – Key to the method acting approach is the shift away from the actor’s portrayal of emotion toward the actor’s internalization of that emotion. The actor is expected to feel the emotion rather than simply pantomime it. This process is typically enabled by the memory of a past event within the actor’s own life that triggers the same emotion.

Re-Training – The method acting approach focuses on the portrayal of lifelike and “believable” characters rather than theatrical caricatures. The actor is expected to readjust the way s/he thinks and feels to fit the portrayal of the character.

Of course, there’s more to learn and understand than this post can give. To learn more about Method Acting, and other forms of character development, please contact us at the New York Acting School for Film and Television today. We have many classes and coaches waiting for you to take the step toward bettering your career.