How do you get into character?

Question

I'm fairly new to acting and would like to improve my skills. I'm looking for tips on how to get into a character.

Answer 1

A few ideas:
1. Keep a journal as your character. Write in it every day as if you were actually the person whom you are portraying. A more updated version of this is starting a MySpace as your character.

2. Have the other actors in your group conduct interviews of each other. Ask questions with answers that aren't necessarily spelled out in the script. This will allow you to develop your backstory and work on your improvisation skills as well.

3. Read literature and listen to music from the world of the play. Try to 'soak up' as much of the culture as your character as you can.

4. Try improvising some of the scenes that aren't seen in the script, but perhaps mentioned. Think about where your character goes when he/she leaves the stage and who they are with. This can give you some insight into the life of the character as well.

Answer 2

Well find out what character you are playing. See what you know about your character. How old they are, what they have been through and all that stuff. Then you put yourself in that situation, what do you think you would act like in those circumstances. Practice your character in front of a mirror. Go to a resteraunt and act as if you were that person. (My friends and I did that and we were various characters from RENT, it was a lot of fun.)

Answer 3

understand the role, put yourself into the character's shoes, get under the character's skin.

now all those may sound good on paper, but how do you go about getting it done practically?

here's how:

01. read the script.
02. read it again.
03. understand why your character says and does the things that are in the script.
04. try to figure out the basic characteristics of your character... sad, happy, emotional well-being, friends, foes, family, etc.
05. try to understand why your character exists in the script. raison de etre? possibly.
06. try to look at the script *without* this character... how would it look / sound / feel?
07. look at yourself in the mirror, and see yourself as this character... how would you react to situations in the script, as yourself and as this character.

...and so on.

good luck!

ps: just added this: also look at the character's thoughts without a script in place... here's where you replace yourself with the character subconsciously, and this is probably one of the most important methods.

Answer 4

Don't think of it as "getting into character." Think of it as "being." Find empathy for every disgusting thing your character does. Make them human. Challenge the audience to like your dispicable (sp?) characteristics. Then, go read An Actor Prepares and Michael Shurtliff's Audition.

Answer 5

What i do is imagine what my characters attitude and lifestyle is like. Then i think of someone i know that is like that. I then combine the two together to make a good mental image. Finally i make myself act like that. Hope this help. Good luck acting!

Answer 6

making up a backstory is always good. also read through the whole script first. Really creating the character is a big part of it.

Answer 7

When you took acting classes, what did your acting teacher recommend for "getting into character?"

Answer 8

Imagine you are someone else. Think about what the character you are playing's habits are, the way they walk and how they speak. Hope that helps.

Answer 9

Become the character

Answer 10

theres n exercise called focus where u just stand with ur hands at ur side, relaxed and focus on one spot for a few minutes. while ur focusing, think about ur character. think about how they'll walk, act. also think about what kind of animal your character would be