Creating Characters

The process through which an actor creates
a character (whether a specific character
from a play or a character for a skit or
pantomime) is called The Characterization
Process
 This
process involves the actor tapping into
several possible sources for help
Characterization Process

By using any of the following five elements, you can help
create a fully developed character

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Observation and Experience—watch others and remember what
you see and hear
Sense Memory—using your own memories of sights, sounds,
smells, tastes, and textures to help define a character in a certain
situation
Emotional memory—technique of calling upon your own memories
of intense emotions to understand your character (inside-out
approach)
Action Generated Memory—technique in which you perform the
action associated with the emotion in order to kick start the
emotion (outside-in)
Imagination
Motivation and Behavior

What is a motive?
A
clear reason to do or say ANYTHING
 Motive
determines your objective—your goals or
intentions

When analyzing a scene or monologue, first
ask yourself two questions
 What
is my motive?
 What is my objective?

Once you have determined those….
Motivation and Behavior

Figure out the following
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Obstacles—what stands in the way of you achieving
your objective? (hint—the obstacles create the conflict
Strategy—what is your character’s plan to overcome the
obstacles?
Stakes—what does your character stand to gain or lose?
Outcome—what is the result of the action (strategy)
your character takes (in the scene…monologue…the
whole play)?
Marking your beats

When analyzing a monologue (or a scene),
you can divide your character’s changing
emotions into beats
 Beat:
the smallest emotional unit for a
character in a scene
 Determined
by the actor
 Sometimes creates a pause in the line
 Each beat should correspond to a new emotion felt
by the character
 By dividing a scene or monologue into beats, you can
create emotional levels
Blocking a Monologue

Blocking: the process of planning and
coordinating any movement on the stage
 In
a play, blocking in determined by the director
and becomes a collaborative process with the
actors
 For a monologue, the actor must block himself.
Blocking a Monologue

Rules for Blocking
 Never
move without a purpose
 Check the stage directions—sometimes the
playwright has ideas about where and when to
move
 These
are not law; however, you must make the final
decision.
Understanding Stage Directions

All stage directions are written from the
perspective of the actor as he faces the
audience.
 SR:
stage right
 SL: stage left
 C: center stage
 U:upstage (or away from the audience)
 D: downstage (or toward the audience)
Stage Areas

Stage is generally divided into 9 locations