Ask any of my students or the actors I have directed in the past few years, what is my favourite acting type saying and they all in once voice will shout: Don't act .... be!
Why don't act .... be? Because it's true.
The greatest tool for the art of acting I have learnt over all these years is exactly that. But it wasn't always the case. It took me a long time to apply this simple technique. simple when you know what you are doing and how to do it that is. That's why I drill it in to all my young peers. I say it before they they do an impro, when they are dissecting a script, creating a character and it is the last words I say to them before they step on stage for a performance. If they get the idea now, they will give amazing, rich character performances in the future.
So what does it mean this don't act .... be?
The art of acting is perceived as learning lines and pretending to be someone else. True, to a point, but it is so much more. That's if you are interested in the true art itself and care about the journey you take your audiences.
Oh yes, you can get away with it. Thinking that your natural talent will get you through. Thinking that you only need to say your lines and not bump into the furniture. Thinking that there is nothing to this lark and you get paid for it. Not to mention the accolades, the publicity, the recognition on the street by complete strangers. But eventually you realise you are only fooling yourself and your audiences. You can actually become bored with the work but still love the perks. And believe me this will show. It will show big time.
How do I know this?... been there, done that! Just like any job, activity, sport, hobby you only get out of it what you put in.
It took me quite a few years to work this out. Yes, I became bored with the industry. For a long time I put it down to my fellow actors. No one in particular. Just the whole collection of them. The one way conversations, the constant bitching about the industry, directors, Australian shows (that they weren't in), the actor/actress that got the part that they auditioned for... the list goes on and on. It got to the point were I didn't like the company of actors. I didn't like myself much at this time either because I fell into this trap. A prime example of being a product of your environment.
So, what changed. What fired me up again. What gave me this amazing feeling every time I play a new role... would you believe: A television show!
'Inside the Actor's Studio' hosted by James Lipton. Episode after episode of amazingly relaxed interviews with veteran actors as, Streep, De niro, Hanks, Hoffman, Field, Nicholson and the list goes on and on. Rich insights into how they develop their craft. How they get to their characters. How they ... Don't act but be the character. Be in every situation. Be in the moment all the way. Just be, be, be!
I certainly knew about all the techniques they mentioned and applied. Knew all about the tutors, their mentors and their methods that helped them on their way. But what I didn't know, what I had only experienced once at that time, which of course I hadn't realised till I listened to their stories, was the outer body experience, totally engrossing yourself in the character that for the moment it is real.
I'm sure you have all read stories of actors totally living and breathing their character beyond the film/TV set or theatre stage. A wonderful lampoon of this was Robert Downey Jnr character in the film: Tropic Thunder. A tragic and to the extreme example would be Heath Ledger. His most amazing performance as The Joker came at a price.... so it is believed. George Reeves as the original TV Superman, as the story goes is another but I really think this is more myth than fact or acting technique.
Although I'm certainly not an advocate of 'taking your work home' beyond your pretend world. I do know that it can happen. Especially if it's a character that you really love playing, You have to remember that your characters still contain parts of you. They are always most certainly also made up of people you know. So slipping every now and then into your alter ego of the moment is always on the cards in the real world.
There are many key elements and techniques to creating a character. The trick is to try them all then use the one's that are you are comfortable with and right for you. But never be afraid to stretch yourself. To try new ways. This is what keeps your characters fresh and gives you the challenge to keep you inspired.
For me: Observation. This is my ongoing 24 hour tool. I'm constantly looking and listening. Looking for walks, mannerisms, gestures, fashion sense, grooming. Listening to conversations. Which I found out the other day is now called 'earwigging' ... I call it research. Listening to speech patterns, accents, inflections and the conversation itself.... although this is mainly as a writer See I can muti-task too!
The clothes (costume, wardrobe): This one is invaluable to me. i have developed many exercises for the kids and adults I tutor revolved around building a character piece by piece using clothing. Now, although the final decision on costume is made by the director. producers, costume/wardrobe master, you can still start with your own pieces. A Op-shop crawl is fabulous for this! Then when you receive your costume/wardrobe for real... the sky's the limit with your character building and fine tuning.
I think I better explain before I continue for the non-theatrical that may be reading this, which by the way I'm very happy you are, why I call it costume/wardrobe. In theatre and film your clothes are referred to as costumes. In television they are referred to as your wardrobe.
Background: In your script/play you are given a descriptive character breakdown (hopefully) and through the story you will gain knowledge of their life past and maybe future aspirations. This is what the audience will also discover. But to give your character more depth and so you will truly understand 'where they're coming from' there are the pieces of their life that the audience doesn't see or hear about. These are in your head. developed by you for you only.
This technique involves taking what you know and expanding on it. Giving your character a life beyond the written word. A history prior to there first appearance on the stage/set. As i said the audience will never know any of this but it will help you ... be!
Now the trick is to be confident in still being conscience of all the technical requirements while performing this character, hitting your mark, finding the light, entering exiting at the right time on the right line etc. while at the same time it all being natural, believable and comfortable. Not only to you but your journey takers (audience) as well.
My final word, and I can hear my teen students saying "Thank god for that!', is a phrase I coined for being on stage/set as an actor;
"No matter how long the run has been. Speak as if the first time ever uttered. Listen as new to the ear and react as never felt before"
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