Monthly Archives: July 2011

If you have taken or are currently taking a drama class, then chances are you are familiar with the Stanislavsky acting method. Constantin Stanislavsky gained prominence early in the 20^th century both as an actor and a director. Known as the”Father of Method Acting”, Stanislavsky created an acting system that is founded on realism. Until today, this system continues to influence the various acting methods being used in America.

Imagination and Emotions

Stanislavsky believes that in order to achieve realism in acting, the stage actor must be able to believe the circumstances occurring in the play. Therefore, he must use his imagination. One effective method that you (as an actor) can use to achieve realism is by asking yourself the “what if” question: “What if this situation was really happening to me?”

It’s also not enough to rely on what’s written on the script about your character. It’s also a good idea to have a deeper understanding of your role by asking yourself some questions that can help you get to know your character more. “What does my character want?” “Where does my character come from and where does he wish to go?”

If you find it difficult to focus on your character’s emotions, it might help to imagine your motivation and objective instead. You can then translate your character’s motives into actions. For instance, does your character want to help or to sabotage someone? Or does he wish to chase or run away from a certain situation?

Overcoming Stage Fright

Stage fright is certainly one of the most common problems that a lot of beginning actors come across with. Even if you don’t have stage fright, there may be times when you feel tense performing in front of an audience. To help you overcome this anxiety, Stanislavsky recommends practicing to achieve “solitude in public”. You can start by picking out a small area in the stage and considering that as your private space. Gradually, you can start widening this private space until it becomes the entire stage.

Character-Building Exercises

Building your character involves more than just exploring his emotional condition. In the Stanislavsky acting system, actors are also encouraged to develop their characters from the outside. For instance, your character might have a certain way of walking or speaking. These seemingly little physical details can have a big impact on the development of your character.

What To Expect From The Stanislavsky System

Relaxation exercises are an important part of the Stanislavsky acting method. Once you have accomplished these exercises, you can then begin working on your concentration. For advanced actors, they can improve concentration through “emotional memory exercises” (also known as “sensory exercises”). These exercises involve re-creating the circumstances of the scene in his imagination. For instance, if the scene requires you to look guilty, you might want to recall a similar situation where you also did something terrible but did not want to admit to it right away.

As mentioned, the character’s physicality is also emphasized in the Stanislavsky acting system. Expect to spend a lot of time practicing your speech. You might also be required to take other performing classes that can contribute to your acting as well, such as singing and dance.

Most people have dreamed of becoming a famous actor at one time or another. For the majority of these people, it’s just a passing fancy—an entertaining daydream to pass the time. These people really don’t have the desire to seriously pursue acting. Then there are those people who give it a halfhearted attempt. They join a play or two, take some acting classes, but eventually give up when they discover how tough the acting industry is. And then there are those aspiring actors who cannot imagine themselves pursuing any other career. If you think you belong to the last group, then it’s time to see if you have what it takes. Before you invest in an expensive drama school or move to New York or LA, take a look at these DIY acting techniques that you can do by yourself.

Observe veteran actors

One of the easiest ways to learn acting techniques is by simply watching and observing actors that you idolize. If you don’t have a particular favorite actor, then try observing well-recognized or award-winning actors and actresses. Buy, rent or download the films which garnered them awards and study their performances. This will mean watching the film a couple of times. During the first time, watch the film as you would normally watch any movie. The second time around, pay close attention to the acting of the actor. Observe how the actor plays his character, and take notes if you must.

Mimic the performance of the actors

Another effecting acting technique would be to mimic the actor in various scenes in the movie. Not only will this allow you to try acting firsthand, but it will also make you aware of the many subtleties that are involved in acting. These subtle details go unnoticed most of the time, but as you mimic the actor, you will learn how simple details like a nod of the head or a half-smile can have a huge impact on a scene.

Try method acting

Method acting is one of the most popular acting techniques available. Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and Jack Nicholson are Hollywood heavyweights that are also method actors. Method acting is basically becoming the character, instead of just playing the character. It will require you to be in your character’s shoes even when you are off-screen. A good exercise is to create a character in your mind. Make sure that you develop this character’s background, motivation, habits and everything you can know about him. For a few hours a day, imagine yourself as the character while doing the things you would normally do. How would your character eat? How would he walk down the street? Practice with many different scenarios.

Recall emotional experiences

If you have trouble conveying emotions in a believable manner, one of the things you can do is to recall your own real-life experiences. For instance, if the scene calls for you to be nervous, you can go back to a memory of a situation where you were really overwhelmed with anxiety.