What Stops An Actor From Getting Into Character? by Mark W. Travis
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 22 ธ.ค. 2024
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In this Film Courage video interview, director/author/instructor Mark W. Travis shares what stops an actors from getting into character.
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"The intent to become the character gets in the way of becoming the character." Mind = Blown
Yours and mine.
"Stop directing the actor, direct the character." I honestly love that so much. It's something I'm going to hold closely for the future. Thank you for this!
Wow ..such a powerful statement
Same here.😎💯💯
Let the actor act and give them the space to do the job. The director has a vision, that is it's role. Communicate that to your crew. Yell at people if you must but don't assume you know the other persons job better than they do.
Me too. It's gold.
All the micromanaging directors who cannot act should stfu and let the actor interpret the character as they see it and feel it and become it
My best acting always comes when I forget myself as an actor and live in the moment as the character. (Acting is a misnomer.) I've always asked myself what is going through the character's mind at this or that moment, writing notes on how to say a line or move to expand those moments into an entire performance, but always from the actor's/my inquisitive perspective, not from the character's raw emotion. This sounds like an easier and faster way of bringing a character to life. Thanks!
Yeah bro I can relate. When ever I practice acting I just forget myself being an actor but live as a character. I don't know why it always happens to me 😃
Yeah bro I can relate. When ever I practice acting I just forget myself being an actor but live as a character. I don't know why it always happens to me 😃
This is why I absolutely love the Meisner technique. I cannot wait to study it full time!
This is so well put. When acting, my biggest problem is the fact I overthink as myself trying to be the character and I try too hard to put myself in it when all I need to do is forget I’m acting and just be in the moment as that character and let the character conduct how I act and how I say what I need to say.
The character doesn’t exist it’s just words on a page. You also shouldn’t be thinking how you need to say. You need to listen and pay attention to the other persons behavior and respond truthfully under imaginary circumstances.
Wow! “…all I need to do is forget I’m acting…” that’s goodn
Same here!
I’m new to the acting career. From all my studies and mind thought's I learned that
you have to love the character ,and know all relationships between characters. To make it feel real you have to think the story happening to you and it’s not just an imagination.
Literally every single time I’m in a show I have an at least five minute long conversation with my dressing room mirror telling myself that I AM my character. I’ve found that it’s the only way that I can truly get into character.
What kind of things do you say? Can you explain further please? Im having lots of trouble believing i am my character
If you don’t mind me asking, which show were you in? Or was it multiple shows?
Shekelberg Goldstein Sam here please explain
@@ceeeceee8753 Yee
Excellent advice! Thank you!
This is how people form themselves. Based on how we are treated, our character responds and develops in accordance to that.
TRUTH!
Also people willl treat you how you treat yourself, which is largely based on how people treated you during your youth
I think this technique works because you're getting into the person's psych by asking /talking / thinking as the character. It takes their focus off of self and puts back into perspective their characters ...
exactly, I see many similarities with the psychoanalytical process. It's like you (the director) turn into the analyst, and you start speaking directly to the unconscious level of the mind of the "patient". By asking questions, he/she is forced to be confronted with the unconscious thoughts of the character, leaving out the actor's ego. By emerging on a conscious level, these thoughts shape the character.
Yes 100%. Simple questions like where they are from, how they got into their profession, their first love continues to shape shape shape. It's a very interesting concept although I do believe that the first action when delving into any character is writing their backstory while simultaneously relating it to your own personal experiences. This should answer alot of the committees questions but like he said the interrogation takes it so much deeper. Very interesting.
@KimberlyNitti I agree. I'm actually in the middle of a film myself and my experience now is that the more techniques that an actor studies for whatever length of time is all relevant. I sort of use any of my past acting classes as a buffet where there are parts that suit and parts that don't. At the end of the day for me anyway I need to find experiences from my past that mirror where the character is at different points of his journey. It the only way for me to bring the organic into play and be as truthful as possible. Yes that's a great book. I always liked her method. I studied strasberg for a number of years and his teachings from Stanislavski but I'm not so sure I want to dig like this anymore. I really don't think its necessary.
Best of luck with your projects. Break a 🦵!!
@@Glynnermang yeah you’re right. Not necessary since you’ve studied. Now you can let your subconscious take over. Thank you so much! Wishing you much success & fulfillment through your projects as well. :)
1:55 I believe the book he is referencing is ‘To the Actor on the Technique of Acting’ by Michael Chekhov, specifically Chapter 5 - ‘The Psychological Gesture’. It is a brilliant source and insight of how to embody a character, their passions, struggles, likes, dislikes, etc, and later portray that in your scenarios. It sets you up with a subconscious awareness of how this person functions, and why that is the case. Again, it’s a great source for any naturalistic approach to your acting and directing!
I finished reading An Actor Prepares by Stanislavski and like Mark says here, I think there´s no reason for the methods to compete, but rather to complement each other. This is an amazingly good video and advice. Really thank you!
This is beyond some of the most useful advice I've heard in ages
When working on a character I free form. I start talking in character about situation. It's always helped me go deeper and understand character in the moment.
I’ve never used his technique officially but I’ve done pretty much the same thing... when I’m working on a character especially if it’s a character that is far different than me..I’ll have a friend or family start asking me questions or have a conversation with me in character so I can explore the characters life, thoughts, psychological, past etc... it really helps synthesize all the script analysis and emotional prep I do... and it helps the character to emerge... it’s then easy to go in and out of it because the character exists independently now in my mind.
From a Actors perspective. This Director has some good ideas. I once heard that Jim Carry lived as his Character for a month so as to see life from that Character's perspective. It drove people near him crazy!
I once heard from a film critic on TV, that the actor Jack Lemon used to have a similar approach. When he landed a role, before the first day he'd turn up on the set, he would get into character and stayed in character even when he got home each night, and wouldn't get out of character until the film shoots were completed.
In a simpler way, asking your character “Who, what, when, where, why” is an effective way to find out how the character might behave. I really found the principle Mr. Travis is explaining super helpful.
Damn.. three levels deep..
"speaking to the committee of the character within the character.."
I tried this on myself, and I was so shocked by how effective it was! Definitely keeping this in mind, might just help some fellow actors or directors
living my best life is in the moment having EARNED my own confidence feeling like what I'm doing (acting) is not a job its my life-simply living, forgetting time, feeling the best ever not caring that it just took 20 hours in a work day. In the end you;re living your TRUTH finding it in the characters you are giving life to and respecting them and yourself to come out a better person through your experience of learning from that character's truth simultaneously finding your truth within your soul's connection. Myself + connection/creativity with character = collaborated true character
Almost every acting class in the world trains actors to "play an objective", in other words, to choose an action based on the information you get from reading the script, or, why the character is doing what he is doing. Believe me, that's the easy part of dealing with actions. The piece of the puzzle that few actors learn to deal with is the deeper, personal layer of "why" they are playing those actions.
Without a personal need to accomplish the "action", you have not yet earned your right to stand on that stage and speak the words of the script. I am talking about having the true need to do the things you are doing in the play. The "true need". Not the pretended need or the indicated need, but the authentic need. Having the true need to do what you are doing, is the seed of all life on stage.
In life, your actions are purposeful, you have the true need to do the things you do in each moment or you would not bother doing them. It is the same on the stage - we call this "purpose", your "Acting must be truly purposeful.
Remember, theatre is not an imitation of our lives, it demands a greater truth. "True purpose" is an essential part of that greater truth."
Really powerful comment. And as a fellow student of the craft, is there any methods you found to find this true "purpose" ?
This is hard to do because in reality, I have little purpose besides comfort, pleasure and survival
My own “character” is the most difficult to understand and embody and I believe I’m a better actor when I don’t have to play the role of Myself.
my brother that was powerful and heavy at the same time
Love this
I was coached by Mark many years ago when I was starting out directing and he was just great, supportive and authentic with an excellent communication of techniques that allowed part of an amazing directing Skillset base. His books are still among my most referenced!❤️✌️👍🙏
This has been the best eye opening experience that I have ever had for someone like myself as a Director. Directing the character is the way to go. You are looking for a performance that resembles what is on the page or what you think is that "character". Thank you very much Mark W Travis as this has changed my mindset on directing and how I can improve my work as a director to help those I seek as an actor of a production I direct. Thank You!
This is the most important lesson I have ever learnt as an aspiring actor. I cant really have someone interview as I am not in an acting school, however, I will start interviewing myself for a start to begin this exercise. Brilliant stuff this!!!
This was a large help in understanding techniques of developing character. I would love to know that book tho
As a writer, I have to get into character too. But if I use his method, I can be the director asking the character and then feel the character and write it that way. Really like it when he says the character doesn’t know they’re in a movie. Same for a book! They have no clue they’re in a book. So, this has been really helpful!
This video will never age. The message here is constant and every young actor (or rather those at the start of their journey) should heed these words. I shall direct my students to this video. Thanks for sharing!
Wow... i need to read/study whatever he’s teaching!!
It's based on Meisner and his own observations.
This is literally one of the best TH-cam channels on acting/the arts. Jesus. Thank you so much for all the valuable content, Film Courage.
I love this! Just discovered it. Would like to respectfully add, however, that it’s NOT the actors creativity that gets pushed out of Marks process but rather the actors ego, the “small mind”, allowing the actor access to the subconscious or “Big Mind”, a zen term. And the creative aspect of this, for the actor, is in the allowance of it to flow thru him/her and to express, not get in the way of that. This spontaneous allowance, being totally in the Now, is the very essence of creativity.
So when Mark says the process is not creative I believe he means rather that it’s not intellectual.
Thank you, this is very helpful
Just saw this again after a year and want to add that part of the reason this approach to directing an actor might work with a lot of actors is that this guy’s buying into the child-like pretend that all good actors have and allowing the actor to keep on playing, to not have to drop the fun of being someone else and get all intellectual about it… which usually destroys the creative moment….
I love this! It makes so much sense! The inner dialogue of the voices in our heads... a great way to stop listening to ourselves.
I love the Combo of both method. Step out of self and be the character.
I feel like when we improv our actions in a play we are better “actors”
In improv acting the best feedback I get is when I truly lose my own charcter and let the character I'm portaying take over. If you'd ask me later what it felt like portraying that character my answer would be "being a passenger in someone elses body". It's like seating on the second seat next to the pilot of the airplane, watching what he does, knowing where he's going and making sure he doesn't lose control over the airplane, because it's our job to make sure that the people flying with us would reach the destination safely. Though how can I avoid being stuck as that character? I don't want that pilot to get of the plane with the rest of the passangers once we arrive at the destination! I'd like to know that I'm not walking off stage as that character and not being capable of being myself again.
Ooh. Yeah. I get it. 🙃😁😉
How cool. I think I was that girl. Still really young but I remember you giving me an inner voice. a perfect mind!
While listening, I thought of the way G.W. Pabst directed Louise Brooks in Pandora's Box. He gave her one emotion for the scene and let her be herself, and it was brilliant.
Absolutely fantastic advice for actors and directors. Likely, the very best directorial advice I have ever received. I’m an actor and director and this ‘committee’ technique resonated with me very profoundly. Thank you SO very much!!!!! 😍👍🏻👍🏻
Awesome. I think you are creating something that will be used by many actors and directors in the future if not already. Acting has gone from the Mimic technique onto the Method technique and next Interrogate.
Who made method acting? Lee strasberg or Adler or Stanislavski's?
I would love a teacher like him. 💛
Great advice... great to hear this from someone who has studied a lot of the other variations of the method. What Mark says is pretty much a remixed version of method acting, it is his version. And all versions of the method compliment each other to conquer the same ultimate goal, which is to become the character.
WOW..this is absolutely the truth! Talk to the character!...I discovered this as well.
I just joined a little cal acting group to learn how a one act play was presented/performed. Before long I was handed a script the group were working in to fill in for an absent group member. I'm stunned at how much learning there is involved in acting. In just a few attendances actually partaking in the play the group are currently working on,, changed myself, and also my writing. I learned the importance and value, of really listening to the words, the story and each character in the story.
This was golden thank you
Thank you! I commited to voice act a character who's really elusive right now, and your technique will help a lot.
Hey Mark. Great perspective. !! So good to see your unique technique emerge. ❤
This is brilliant. I’m only starting now, but this is a huge help. I’m extremely nervous to try and be an actor but...wish me luck. Again, brilliant.
it is interresting that Method actors say: Meisner split from the group because he thought he had a better way and Meisner Actors say the same thing about Sreassberg :D Min 7:28 is exactly what Meisner tried to prevent by concentrating on the partner instead of the actor themselves. In this way the actor does not get in their way by trying to become the carracter, because the focus is off themselves.
What a dream come true it would if every director took even 1% of this and seriously put it into practice.
Again, I'm strongly reminded of gestalt therapy. The gestalt approach to dreams is to say that every element of a dream is an alienated part of you, so you don't interpret the dream, you, in Mark's term, interrogate the different parts. Or you set up discussions (which always start off as arguments) between different parts of the dream. It feels a lot like what he says about getting to know your committee.
This makes so much sense. To become someone and live their life authentically.
I am blown away! Thank you so much, Mark. I am going to use it specifically for my interpretations...
The actor has to let go of the intent to become the character because the character is not trying to be himself. This is genius. This reminds me of the concept of “being” vs “doing” you can’t do the actor you have to BE the actor. One is effortless, the other is effort..trying etc vs being
It's like you bypass the actor's "I"/"ego" when interrogating the character. The "I" in the statement "I need to be the character" is removed from the psyche along with the intent of that "I," and only the character remains, with their inner voice as the interrogator.
Director is the voice the soul of the character
The actor is the character ❤ I love it ❤
HOLY MOTHER MAN THIS CHANGED MY LIFE THANKS
This is a goldmine of an interview
Great technique. one of my coaches used it and it helped tremendously.
This is the most helpful video on acting you will ever see!
This is fantastic. Im putting this to work from now on.
This is one of the best videos i've ever seen! Thank you so much, i'm really greatfull!
I love this I've watched this almost 10 times already
So informative. felt like I read a good acting book in just thirteen minutes, and got the most of it.
In my bugging state of where I am no longer me. Now I am the charter and dealing with this life this moment!
🙏🏽. Thank you got it 💕
The actor and the character......that is wisdom. Thank you Mark.
This was the best video I came across as it was simple and concise. Thank You.😇🙏🏼
"I've been a director for 30 or 40 years". A lot of artists have a bad sense of time, probably from absorbing themselves into projects. Recently I had a conversation with a local artist who said he had a bad sense of time. I had never heard someone confess that in plain English, but I relate. A year to me is a series of creative projects.
Genius. Just pure genius,
Is acting dangerous in some psychological way? I always found it odd how someone can become a character and even have a hard time coming back to reality and leaving that character at work when director says cut. When does a actor become a character and when does the actor become themselfs.....? Not sure if my point is coming across.......
Mentally I find it dangerous to embody someone else...
You dont embody somebody else, you bring behaviour or in other words actions to the words that are in the script, creating an illusion of somebody else. Most people make the mistake of 'becoming the character'
A magician isn't actually magic. It's the illusion of magic. Its the same for actors. Actors apply Actions to the words a writer writes. It's litterally in the name 'Actors'
Hope this helped clear things up
It's probably like when a kid pretends he's a monster. It's in character, but he knows he is playing. If he took it too far, it would be less entertaining. An actor should know that he is acting. He doesn't need to hypnotize himself into thinking it's real.
This happened to Anne Hathaway with Les Miserables
@@greenspringvalley true but also not because. Great actors don’t act. When you see an actor acting then it’s not truthful.
@@greenspringvalley Best response.
Im An Aspiring Actor. & holy Shit this Is Some Of the Most Insightful Advice On Any topic I’ve heard In Awhile. Thankyou
brilliant. yes.
brilliant. eager to implement this method. 🙏🏻❤️
7:11 part right here man.
As a director, I use questions. I don't direct. I ask questions (of the character). I guess it's similar. But I do like the term "interrogation". And the "committee" is great. I like that POV. Thank you for sharing.
very deep knowledge to receive as an actor , thank you so much for this realization !
The great thing about writing is you can pretty much do it anywhere anytime without thinking.
I feel like, if I want to act, I need people around to act with... even though I know that statement isn’t true because there are plenty of comedians on Facebook doing solo skits that are pretty good.
Does anyone feel the same or have something to add?
Excellently explained sir ❤️🙌
This is a masterful breakdown
MercariJacobs it’s a great communication.
This was really profound. Thank you Mr Travis!
Interesting perspective and insight! Could someone give some examples of questions or of the internal dialogue of the committee that the character would answer to themselves? I’m a student filmmaker, learning to direct actors and I could use some help bringing this concept into practice
Here's an example with Mark - th-cam.com/video/5ixw33ZJIgQ/w-d-xo.html
This is just amazing. Took so many notes. Thank you.
oh this makes really sense.... I am glad I found you.... now it's time to be the best
The comment sections under some of these interviews, like Mark, really exposes who the greats are. .
'Direct the character, not the actor', love it.
Could the book you're speaking of at the beginning be 'The Delsarte System' by Francois Delsarte?
If you are saying direct the character. Thn first actor should become character.. After tht you can direct the character.. When actor become character thr is no need to direct.. And I think becoming character is actor's home work.. What is most important according to my opinion is visualisation. Actor Director DoP and editor should visualise same.
Absolutely brilliant!
I love this approach!
Amazing info! Thanks Mark! Looking forward to hearing more from you.
Subscribed!
I've never seen this method before but I'm going to try it.
That was so great!
The book you are talking about sir it mainly refers to the indian origin book called "natyashastra" By bharat muni. It is one of the best epic written for performance art.. U should look at it.
another youtube gem.
Thanks Georg!
Mind-blowing advice 🤯
Incredible!
Thanks sir for sharing this information.
It is very useful and I am going to apply it.
The interrogation constructs the character’s committee. Brilliant.
Thankyou for your priceless insight.
Great Advice
Pure effervescing brilliance. God bless
I love to become an actor but I don't know where to begin
simply incredible
This is great advice, but I have a question. Say I'm working with inexperienced actors, or better yet my friends who I've gotten to participate in my movie. What if I'm interrogating the character, and the actor responds instead, saying they don't know?
this guy nailed it.