Most actors get into role during the rehearsal process. . During rehearsals, they tend to adopt a role and create the character throughout the process. Homepage
The character’s actions and bodily reactions are outlined through repetition within rehearsals.
By the time the performance occurs, all of the character’s actions, particularly those that involve physicality are ingrained in muscle memory. The actor uses all their senses and instincts combined with ingrained physicality while in role.
The character’s interactions flow effortlessly when actors hear their cues, speak their lines, stand where the character should, move as the character moves, wear the character’s clothes, and carry the character’s props.
During the rehearsal process, the character already has established behaviors, therefore they don’t need to do anything to get there. Their character should already have emerged and ready to go.
The character is less important than the actor, but actors need to unwind and let it their character take shape.
Some actors don’t make time to feel a sense of anxiousness before the show, but can occupy themselves with activities to distract themselves.
Other actors use the sense of anticipation and anxiousness to gear them up towards their performance.
During the rehearsal process it is never a good idea to try to “put on the character” as though it were a set of clothing.
It’s better for the character to emerge through the process of interactions, use of personal instinct, discipline and indepth focus.
Some actors trade off ideas with the director, the other actors in the scene, to help form the character.
Other actors tend to conceptualize the character as an aspect of their own personality. This helps to solidify and anchor their character’s traits, motivations and intentions.
It is continually being constructed and could change as the rehearsal process takes shape.
Actors aim to have a degree of intellectual control over the rehearsal process and development of character.
Hopefully by the time the rehearsal process is over, the character is fully fleshed out.
There needs to be time, discipline, repetition, structure put into the rehearsal process to fully support character development.
In the final phases of rehearsals actors should be playing each moment over and over, and hopefully the range of the character’s responses begin to flow automatically.
Actors shouldn’t don’t need to do anything special on game day to make it happen. If it wasn’t there by then, it can’t be summoned like a genie.
So, what are YOU going to use to get yourself into your character? Check out the following paragraphs from other actors while getting into role during the rehearsal process.
From Professional Actors Anecdotes About Getting Into Role
Adam NY:
Don’t rush into becoming overly ambitious. I would suggest beginning with what you know, but add more. My personality was roughly scaled up by 25% in the first roleplaying character I ever really gave it my all.
I’m a silly nerd with poor social abilities. I created a character who was essentially me, minus the most of my social restraints and learnt etiquette. I enjoyed myself a lot.
Really understand who you are. If you feel so motivated, create a three-page backstory for them. Setting yourself as a baseline can be very beneficial. When I’m creating a character for a roleplay,
I typically amplify one aspect of my own personality to serve as the character’s primary trait before filling in the other details.
Use your unique quirks. If you’re not British or very skilled at accents, I’m not suggesting you try to maintain a British accent the entire time. I’m saying look for material that makes it obvious when you’re acting a certain way.
Try speaking at different speeds, pitches, and volumes. They could sound quite melodious or they might sound completely monotonous.
Maybe they use their hands to speak in a different way than you do?
The journal that Malia Crane described in her response to the question “What are some good roleplay character ideas?” is a wise choice.
Finally, some blatantly cliche advice:
Don’t let anyone else know that you believe you’re terrible, even if you do.
They may also believe that you are a failure, but it doesn’t matter.
“Sucking at something is the first step towards being sort of decent at something,” as Jake the Dog famously said.
- Adam says that some of his character uses parts of himself.
- He says using a backstory is very important
- What quirks would your character have?
- Try different rates and styles of speaking.
- Keep going.
Calvin Jr: Actor
Building a new person is a pretty visual process for me. In my mind, I can see them. I can see people’s eyes and hair (colour and shape) moving.
I can tell where they are “placed” within the body. While some people walk on the balls of their feet, others are more firmly planted.
Others take the lead with their nose or chin, while some lead with their stomachs. I can learn a lot about this person’s priorities and outlook on life from all of these things.
Then I asked them to explain to me why they were placed where they were. The individual’s psychology begins to emerge.
Did they have a background in sport? If they are quiet, powerful, and grounded? Do they have a military education or are they the product of a catastrophic event that made them struggle for their lives?
And how do these things change depending on the circumstance?
This step, which is possibly the most crucial, aids in the development of a character for me.
The audience may not understand the characters’ decisions in every situation if they don’t know the past, but they will start to recognise the patterns and recognise how they ring true.
It gives me the polished and “unexpected quirks” that Jenny Wang was referring to.
I discover that in order to complete all of this, I must truly indulge myself and adhere to old mind habits.
When I write, the story is truer and the characters are more vivid the more I let go of my preconceived notions of what is right or wrong (in a made-up situation).
- So clearly Calvin likes to see the character in detail, he also thinks about their walk and overall body language.
- He delves into their background, likes and hobbies.
- He also looks into the patterns that a character has which the audience can pick up subconsciously.
Jonathan AUS:
I change into a new version of myself.
That’s more challenging when I’m portraying a real person, but in that case it’s just a matter of thoroughly comprehending that person, what motivates their actions, and the decisions they made.
Ask why over and again until you run out of reasons.
Read our similar blog on 13 ways to revive a poor rehearsal
No matter who you are playing—Adolf Hitler, German Dictator, or Ace Ventura, Pet Detective—your character is entirely devoted to and serious about what they are doing, so you should be too.
That leads me to my next point. You must have a character with a backstory, even if you are a nameless, faceless background actor.
So who are you? From where do you hail? What do you eat in the morning?
But don’t get me wrong. While working, you must be in character and maintain that persona, but how you do so is entirely up to you.
Johnathan
As you can see from professional actor’s and their methods for getting into character, they work for them. As a beginning actor or one who wants to take their skills even further, there are a great deal of ways to get you into character and nail a performance.
