Taking the time to develop a character background can be a game-changer for your performance. By understanding your character’s past experiences, beliefs, and motivations, you can bring depth and authenticity to your portrayal that might not have been possible otherwise. Not only does developing a character background enhance your performance, but it also helps you…
Concentration for actors is one of the most, if not the most, important skills to develop. If you are able to develop your concentration, then your acting skills will develop alongside it. It can be worth thinking about concentration as the container for every other acting skill in your toolkit. You can develop all the…
The physical neutral state is one of the most important states for an actor. ‘Neutral’ is the state in which an actor is physically most ready to work. By achieving neutral for actors, we rid ourselves of any personal physical habits which may inhibit full movement or affect the physicality of any characters. When creating…
Emotional connection is one of the elements of acting. Sometimes people reduce acting down to only this, and that is not the case. It’s only one of the elements of acting, and certainly not the most important one. However, it is useful to have a tool in order to navigate your emotional connection to your…
The inner monologue for actors can be one of the most important tools you can use in order to be in character and connect with their circumstances while you perform. In this guide, I’ll explain what the inner monologue is, how it can be useful, and some techniques you can use in order to put…
Strasberg’s sense memory is a great way for actors to become more connected to their emotions. Sense memory was an exercise created by Lee Strasberg, the creator of The Method, in order to help actors connect more fully to their emotions. While it is a highly debated technique, I feel it can be a useful…
If you’re an actor or a theatre enthusiast, you may have heard of Michael Chekhov’s Psychological Gesture. This technique was developed by the Russian actor and director Michael Chekhov, who believed that an actor should not only embody their character physically but also emotionally and mentally. The psychological gesture is a physical movement that expresses…