There are numerous tales—a few of them legendary at this level—about actors who go the additional mile and keep in character. We consider Daniel Day-Lewis taking a musket to Thanksgiving, Nicholas Cage consuming cockroaches. Forest Whitaker stayed in character throughout the filming of The Final King of Scotland, even when he spoke to his spouse on the cellphone. The query is: does it make you a greater actor? For those who’re questioning for those who ought to keep in character, learn on.
To remain in character is to immerse your self in a task. It may be vastly useful if the position requires important bodily transformation, equivalent to costuming or make-up, and might positively have an effect on your capability to take care of a vocal presence or accent. Staying in character may assist your efficiency emotionally and psychologically. It could actually place you within the mindset of a personality whose means and strategies may differ wildly from your personal. Nonetheless, staying in character doesn’t assure a very good efficiency—notably if it stands in for different performing work that hasn’t been accomplished.
The power to remain in character is, like so many features of the craft, a device. It may be realized, improved, it may be horribly misused. Like all instruments, it might not be the precise match for the job you’re doing, or the best way you prefer to work. However it’s an interesting side of performing, and as you learn on by this text, you’re certain to seek out one thing you possibly can fold into your course of for thrilling outcomes.
Why Keep in Character?
There are a variety of causes you may maintain your self immersed in a task. If a task is bodily or vocally taxing, for instance, you could discover it finest to take care of that side of your efficiency between takes so that you don’t must ‘discover’ it once more. It could possibly be a matter of power. Chances are you’ll wish to preserve the momentum of a efficiency on set as cameras reset and the circulate of a scene is interrupted. Jack Nicholson’s immersive methodology on The Shining is each a terrifying and efficient instance of this (see beneath.)
A variety of actors discover themselves staying in character as a result of it helps preserve the given circumstances of a scene. These are the foundational who, what, the place, when, why and how questions that maintain performers grounded. If these are difficult as a result of nature of the script, otherwise you’re performing towards a inexperienced display asset standing in for the actual particular person/alien/tsunami/tentacle, it may be simpler to seek out your self within the circumstances and keep there.
Is Staying in Character the Identical as Methodology Performing?
Briefly, no. However methodology performing does require some immersion into a task, so it’s simple to see the place individuals get confused. Methodology performing initially referred to the system (0r “methodology”) of performing devised by Russian theatre practitioner Konstantin Stanislavski. His work was a response to the naturalist and realist actions of the late nineteenth century which mirrored viewers want to see ‘actual’ tales and interactions onstage. Nonetheless, Stanislavski’s work developed and was modified by his proteges; what we consider as methodology performing immediately can check with any and all of those teachings.
Methodology performing has a little bit of a harmful fame. A variety of this comes from individuals’s notion that to be a way actor it’s important to ‘stay because the actor, really feel what they really feel and get misplaced within the position.’ In fact, methodology performing is about approaching performing with a system for unlocking emotion and creating truthful performances—not changing into possessed by Hamlet. Methodology performing additionally has a fame for being a ‘egocentric’ approach of performing in an ensemble: actors equivalent to Sir Anthony Hopkins has decried methodology performing and staying in character as “A ache within the ass.”
Admittedly, there are some prime examples of this. But when methodology performing, and even staying in character may also help you do your job higher, everyone on a manufacturing wins. Simply don’t assume you’re lacking out for those who don’t keep in character. And don’t use methodology performing as an excuse to be a foul co-worker.
Methods to Keep in Character
We regularly take into consideration staying in character as an all-or-nothing train: a complete immersion into which you may throw your self and by no means climb again out. The reality is, there are a number of methods to remain in character that you just may discover vastly useful to your course of as an actor. Let’s have a look at some particular techniques you possibly can fold into your course of as an actor—for those who’re not doing these already:
Voice and Accent
The vocal high quality of a personality may be extraordinarily troublesome to seek out, not to mention preserve. The identical may be mentioned for his or her accent—which frequently requires an actor to seek out and preserve a unique vocal posture with their tongue. Sustaining your character’s voice and accent may also help you normalise this and really feel extra pure in your efficiency. It could additionally aid you unlock fascinating techniques of efficiency in regard to the rhythm and pacing of their line supply.
Posture and Motion
As with voice and accent, sustaining the physicality of your character can immerse you within the position, in addition to aid you uncover their innate qualities. In case your character is assured and headstrong, you may attempt main from the chest to match their bravado. This will likely, in flip, have an effect on the alternatives you make elsewhere in your efficiency to raised align with their persona.
Costume
We’ve talked elsewhere on this web site in regards to the energy of costume. You’ll be able to attempt in your character’s garments or footwear for the primary time and, simply, kinda, discover them. Tying your efficiency to some objects of clothes isn’t as loopy because it sounds. The very feeling of them towards your physique can provide you insights as to how your character lives, strikes and thinks. Use this to get into their physicality and mindset.
Vitality
In case your character is in an emotionally heightened state, you could want to maintain them there on set or in rehearsal. This relates again to our dialogue on the given circumstances, and may aid you retain a way of continuity between scenes or takes. To do that, contemplate the second earlier than the scene begins: what power/emotion/baggage/desires is your character bringing into the scene with them?
Relationships
It is a well-known side of methodology performing and character immersion. In case your character dislikes one other character, you may attempt carrying that over into life between takes. In case your character is a solitary determine socially, you could want to skip a celebration or two and really feel that sense of loneliness. The one problem right here is to not take issues too far: your actions ‘in character’ can lengthen negatively to your performing colleagues. And so they didn’t essentially consent to being a part of your course of. Strategy with respect, and discuss to your castmates about your method.
Emotion
Feeling the feelings of your character, or utilizing your personal to gas their journey in a narrative, is nothing new. It’s known as emotional reminiscence, and is definitely an essential tenet of Stanislavski’s early teachings. Nonetheless, steeping within the feelings of your character ought to include a agency warning. It may be harmful to take a seat in heightened emotional states for a very long time. And it’s value noting that Stanislavski really deserted this side of his early methodology when he bought older.
Assume Like Your Character
Lastly, the character work all actors ought to do. Take into consideration what your character desires: their goal within the scene. That is the rationale your character exhibits up within the first place, to not point out the rationale the author who wrote them introduced them into being. Decide your character’s goal and sit with that—don’t ever overlook it, don’t ever let it go. This could sit with you all through all the course of, as your job because the actor is to assist them obtain their goal towards all odds.
It’s additionally value excited about your character’s actions and adverbs. These are how (the motion, or verb) the character acts, and in what method (adverb.) Typically a personality’s path ahead is straightforward sufficient: they should threaten X to get Y. However in enjoying this, you could discover the character has no abdomen for violence or intimidation. How does your character really feel in regards to the pursuit of their desires?
Are You a Higher Actor for those who Keep in Character?
On the finish of the day, it’s as much as you. If staying in character works for you, then go for it. If any of the methods outlined on this article sound fascinating or useful, then why not give them a go?
Character immersion may also help you discover an affinity with the character you might be enjoying. That is particularly essential if the character is villainous, or their actions and motivations don’t ally with your personal. Nonetheless, staying in character is a technique, identical as some other you may make use of in your craft. Discover out what works for you, use what’s useful and go away the remaining.
Performing is a posh artwork type. It asks you not solely to continuously develop your methodology, however to problem it with new and conflicting concepts. Take from each type and course of no matter you possibly can. Use what’s efficient. And the minute you end up comfortable and assured … problem your self once more.
Good luck!
