can someone give me tips about method acting?

Question

I am an upcoming actor. I have heard a lot about the Method acting theory. some say Halle Berry is a trained method actor and hence her winning the oscar. can any one share with me what this same method acting is all about?

Answer 1

I sudied this at college and uni, Stanislavskies method is to become the character you are intending to portray, rather than just imitate, for example look at how demiro prepared for his role in taxi driver, he didnt just pretend to have that life of being a taxi driver, he actually lived as one. you cannot portray a certain character without actually having those life experiances yourself, this helps to build the character and its layers, i always thought of a character as an onion, there are numerous layers to that character that displays who they are and their motivation into acting a cartain way or expressing certain emotions.

Another example is : Your character in a play is on stage and the dialogue says that they are going to make a cup of tea, a true method actor will go off the stage and actually make a cup of tea, so to have that experience of making a cup of tea as that character.

Read stanislavskies book an actor prepares which is a rockin book top. Spend time as your character simply doing the mundane and maybe write down your characters thoughts, this will give you a brilliant insight into your character. Go into town as your character to discover how they react to situations and interact with people, I did that many a time and it really helped.

With method acting your lines wont need to be remembered as if truly at one with your character that will be the only natural thing that your character could say.

As you can tell I could ramble on for hours! if you want chat more anout techniques or anything at all its [e-mail]

Break a leg!!

Answer 2

I think it has been said by other people, but in esence it is living the life of that person as they go through their daily existence; you may be given the task of living the life of a tramp on the streets, so you would enter that world, observe and replicate that state.
Robert De Niro and Kevin Spacey are exponents of this style and many trained in the famous Lee Strasberg school in New York, which was a leader in this style of acting.
The potential dangers of this, although minimal are that, suppose you were given an assignment to portray a manic depressive and you decided to live out the role for three weeks in true method acting fashion; the ramifications of this may lead you to stay in that role even if you wanted to come out of it, such is the power of this technique.

Answer 3

Yeah, don't do it. It doesn't work and can sometimes be physically dangerous. Method acting is the direct reason for Brandon Lee's death, and anyone who tells you different doesn't know people who were there. I do. Method acting is by far the absolute worst way to work on-set or off. If you have any acting ability whatsoever, method acting is unnecessary and wholely a waste of time.

Answer 4

Method acting stems from the theories of Stanislavski. read some of his books, particularly An Actor Prepares; they will fill you in on the techniques.

Generally, method acting is considered a form of intense naturalism and realism; where you seek to BECOME the character, not just to represent it. To engage in a role to such a measure; you need to work on emotion memory, role-questioning etc etc.

Answer 5

Method acting involves even the most insignificant actor on the stage, or in front of the camera reacting. Famously a film director commanded, I think it might have been to Marlon Brando in his early days, 'Don't just do something, stand there.'
When there's too much going on in the background, it detracts from the main action.

Answer 6

The story goes that Dustin Hoffman turned up on the set of Marathon Man sweating and out of breath.
Sir John Gielgud asks him what the matter is.
Hoffman: "I'm playing the part of a runner, so I went running to get in character."
Gielgud: "What's the matter dear boy, can't you act."

Method acting is just doing what your character does, it was probably the only way a certain infamous school could teach American starlets how to perform.

Answer 7

I always thought it was Olivier, as the torturing dentist, who told Hoffman to:

"Try acting, dear boy, it's much easier!"

Answer 8

Here's some useful links:
http://www.jeremiahmurphy.net/actingtips/Actingtips.html

http://www.actingideas.com/?gclid=CMnK_cmMmYgCFSZmYwodwVPPXg

Hope it helps! Good Luck!

Answer 9

Fill your mouth with marbles, mumble incoherently, shout "Stella" a lot. Can't go wrong.

Answer 10

live the life of the character that you are portraying.......
ie...a tramp, go and live on the streets for a day or 2.