Read the scene in full. If you have the time, read the full script from which the scene is taken. This will give you a sense of what is at stake in this moment. Consider the character you’re playing. What is this character feeling during this scene? How does this character’s past, present, and future come into play during the scene? What is the context of this moment? If a character is yelling, arguing, or crying, there was obviously some buildup to this point. Try to look for the complex underlying layers of a character in a dramatic scene. For example, a character may be crying at his father’s funeral. He is sad, of course, but there may be other factors at play. What was the character’s relationship with his father like? What emotions might the character be experiencing? What memories is he recalling in this scene? Don’t forget to take into account how your character may be relating to other characters present in the scene. The key to being a great actor is being present and listening—nothing believable between two actors can ever happen unless you’re both truly working off of each other. [1] X Expert Source Jim JarrettActing Teacher Expert Interview. 28 April 2020.
Consider your character’s emotional investment in a given moment. If your character is arguing with someone else, why is that character drawn into this argument? What is going on in the character’s head on a deeper level?[3] X Research source A good experiment to help can be a free write in which you write from a character’s point of view. Try to imagine how that character is feeling in this moment. Pretend you’re the character, writing a diary entry after the scene took place. Really dig deep, considering the character’s past and present, and try to write how you imagine the character feels. Audiences get bored with drama for the sake of drama. If you can show why this dramatic moment matters, in context of a specific character, this will ground your audience. They may respond more favorably to your performance. [4] X Research source
An exclamation point usually indicates a line should be delivered with slightly more force. However, the added force can stem from a variety of reasons. A character may be overjoyed. However, she may also be frightened or angry. Read the scene in full to get a sense of how to deliver a line with an exclamation point at the end. A line like, “What a beautiful day!” can be read several different ways depending on context. If your character is exhausted after having a long fight with her mother, it likely indicates frustration. You could read the line with a sarcastic tone. If the line is delivered during the main character’s wedding day, it may indicate joy. You can deliver the line with an upbeat, excited tone.
A lot of physicality goes into a scene. What the characters are doing in a scene speaks volumes. Read stage directions carefully and see how your character moves. Maybe your character keeps rearranging furniture nervously while talking, for example. Make sure to incorporate this into your performance. You should also strive to pay attention to your body, even if there are not specific stage directions. In acting, you’ll use your entire body to convey emotion. How might a character stand if he’s feeling tense? How might a happy person gesticulate? Keep character emotions in mind and try to use your body to reflect what a character is feeling. Be careful to concentrate on the scene alone—don’t be distracted by the audience, or the cameras, or the crew. This will allow you to commit fully to the imaginary world of the scene, and to attune your body and mind to what your character would really do in such a situation. [6] X Expert Source Jim JarrettActing Teacher Expert Interview. 28 April 2020.
Allow your emotions to be fluid. If you try to constrict or control the emotional arch of the scene, your performance may feel forced. Try to really get inside your character’s head and experience what that character is feeling. This will be easier to do if you have, as we discussed earlier, truly made an effort to get to know your character. [7] X Research source It is very hard to try to sustain or control emotion. While you should be aware of yourself and your body, you may find yourself suddenly being struck by a line. If you find your voice wavering or getting upset, go with it. Allow yourself to embrace your emotional response in any given scene. [8] X Research source Being an improvisational, instinctive, moment to moment, from your gut, out of your head actor is one technique for great acting. [9] X Expert Source Jim JarrettActing Teacher Expert Interview. 28 April 2020.
If your character is angry, you may be inclined to yell or raise your voice. However, what about stone cold anger? You can instead convey anger through silence or quiet words. If your character is sad, maybe portray him in a manic light. Your character is trying to mask his sadness by appearing resilient and cheerful. When it comes to an antagonistic character, avoid playing the character as openly malevolent. Instead, play the character as polite, friendly even. Oftentimes, villains that appear cheery can be even scarier to audiences than outright angry villains. This may not work every time. You may want to do some trial and error in rehearsal to see if playing the opposite works. It’s a technique worth trying, however, if you’re acting out a dramatic scene.
Even if your character is supposed to be angry, shouting too loudly can be a bad idea. You’ll have a hard time controlling the tone of your voice, and how you’re delivering the lines, if you’re screaming on stage. Keep your voice somewhat quiet and even. Paying attention to physicality can help. If you feel your voice is inadequate when it comes to conveying drama, you may unconsciously raise your voice. However, tune into the physical when you feel you’re not delivering in a scene. Do something with your body to convey feelings of anger, sadness, and frustration. This will help you feel like you’re portraying your emotions effectively, lessening your need to overexert your voice.
If a character is arguing with someone else, do not focus on arguing against the other character. Instead, think of it as your character arguing for that particular relationship. Your character wants his relationship with this person to play out in a certain way. That’s the fulcrum of the emotion in this scene. [11] X Research source Getting to know your character can really help here. If you perform a scene and feel so-so about your job, spend more time reviewing the work and getting inside your character’s head. This can give you more insight into your character’s needs, allowing you to channel them while acting.
It may help to do a free write on the topic of sad moments, jotting down the saddest moments you can recall. This will give you a stockpile of sad memories you can use in the event you need to cry on cue. You do not have to focus solely on your own personal experiences. It may be too stressful to channel personal experiences. Instead, try to think of a moment from a book, movie, or TV show that made you cry.
