AS AN ACTOR….

WHAT CAN I TALK ABOUT?

SQA MARKING GUIDELINES SAY YOU MAY COMMENT ON ANY OF THE FOLLOWING;

• Characterisation

• Acting techniques

• Acting style

• Stage proxemics

• Interaction between characters

• Use of voice and movement

• The relationship between the spoken text and physical movement or gesture

• Actor/ audience relationship

• Use of costume/make- up/set/props

CHARACTERISATION

MANNERISMSBEHAVIOUR

HABITSGESTURES

STAGE PROXEMICS

Use of space to create distance that can represent a

relationship

ACTING TECHNIQUES(MORE SPECIFIC THAN JUST VOICE

AND MOVEMENT)

PRACTITIONERS (IE. STANISLAVSKI SYSTEM, MEYERHOLD, BRECHT,

GROTOWSKI…)METHOD ACTING

SYMBOLISM

ACTING STYLETHERE ARE ONLY TWO TO

CHOOSE FROM…

NATURALISTICOR

STYLISED

VOICE & MOVEMENT

ArticulationFluency

Intonation Register ClarityPausePitch

AccentPace

TimingTone

VolumeEmphasis

StanceBalance

Body LanguageGesture

Facial ExpressionMime

PosturePace

TimingSlow Motion

BlockingMasking

Use of levelsUse of space

Rhythm

SPOKEN TEXT VS PHYSICAL MOVEMENT

Consider subtext and how to convey this physically

INTERACTION BETWEEN CHARACTERSEYE CONTACT

DIALOGUESUBTEXT

MIRRORINGSUGGESTION

ACTOR/AUDIENCE RELATIONSHIP

Aware of audience or not.Impact – emotion – dramatic

effect – thought provoking

CHARACTERISATIONthe concept of creating characters 

There are two ways of conveying information about a character:

Direct or explicit;The writer literally tells the audience/actor what a character is like.

This may be done via the narrator, another character or by the character him or herself. You may therefore, as an actor, make

use of textual references.

Indirect or implicit;The actor must infer for themselves what the character is like through the character’s thoughts, actions, speech (choice of

words, way of talking), looks and interaction with other characters, including other characters’ reactions to that particular person. This

is the process of character development.

ACTOR/AUDIENCE RELATIONSHIP

Presentational acting:

Refers to a relationship that acknowledges the audience.Can be direct such as addressing them in a monologue or aside.

Can also be indirect such as general attitude or use of language/looks/gestures. Either way, it indicates that the character or

actor is aware of the audience's presence.

Representational acting:

Refers to a relationship in which the audience is studiously ignored. Actors remain in-character and absorbed in the dramatic action

whilst the audience simply look on and ‘spy’. The actor behaves as if a fourth wall was present, which maintains a

divide of dramatic fiction from reality.

ACTING STYLE

NATURALISTICOr realistic; drama which replicates real life. 

See Stanislavski System – a system for encouraging actors to become emotionally and psychologically involved with their roles, in order to create a convincing, realistic

performance. Some characteristics are; characters who act and talk like real people, settings that are

real and from modern times like homes, workplaces, bars and restaurants, and the subject matter deals with real events and social/political issues.

NON - NATURALISTICOr stylised; distinctly removed from truth, describing and portraying something that

isn't necessarily there.

Some characteristics could be playing with space, time or object.Non-realistic acting means that the actor in no way acts as he would do in real life. See

Antonin Artaud for inspiration.

ACTING TECHNIQUESSTRASBERG; Researching every aspect of your character, especially your backstory and

personal life before the narrative of the show begins. You should become so familiar with your characters' lives, the characters would be just as constant as your own life.

STANISLAVSKI SYSTEM; Aims to replicate real life, encouraging you to be ‘in the moment’ but always staying one step away from complete belief. Draws on personal emotion to portray

character realistically.

MEYERHOLD; mixing psychological response with gestures and movement to express emotion. Physical movements should elicit emotion in you rather than the other way round.

BRECHT; the theory that plays should not cause the audience to react emotionally with characters but to provoke self-reflection and critical views in the audience member themselves. 

MEISNER; To react truthfully rather than by manipulation.

METHOD ACTING; Living day to day as your character. Complete belief in who you are and what you are doing.

SYMBOLISM; implies a greater meaning than the literal suggestion and is usually used to represent something other than what it is at face value. Completely stylised.

SPOKEN WORD VS PHYSICAL MOVEMENT

Spoken word is the language used, or the performance of the words themselves. Consider dynamics, rhythm, repetition, pause, emphasis,

slang or rhyme.

Physical movement is non-verbal communication - use of the body to communicate particular messages. Consider facial expression,

gesture, posture, body language and eye contact.

Subtext is content underneath the dialogue; it is what happens when spoken text and physical movement contrast, where other emotions

are implied. Subtext is the unspoken thoughts and motives of characters - what they really think and believe. An actor may say one

thing with his mouth but signal another thing with his body.

REMEMBER TO LINK IT TO THE QUESTION – IN THIS CASE…

How would the actor use voice or movement to show strength/weakness? How would the actor interact with

other characters to show strength/weakness? How would the actor interact with the audience to show

strength/weakness? How would the actor use the space to show strength/weakness? How would the actor use their

costume to show strength/weakness? How would the actor use props to show strength/weakness? How would the actor

use make-up to show strength/weakness? How would the actor use props to show strength/weakness? How would the

actor use the set to show strength/weakness?

VOICEArticulation

FluencyIntonation Register ClarityPausePitch

AccentPace

TimingTone

VolumeEmphasis

MOVEMENTStanceBalanceBody LanguageGestureFacial ExpressionMimePosturePaceTimingSlow MotionBlockingMasking

CHARACTERISATION- the process of developing a character fully

Character

Role Play-exploring attitudes and beliefs

Thought Tracking- when prompted the character says their thoughts out loud

Voice in the Head

Writing in Role

Hot Seating

Thought Tunnel-character walks past other characters.

Those other characters speak their thoughts outloud usually about the character walking past.

CONVENTIONS alternative ways of presenting all or parts of a

presentationSlow motion

Tableau (C) / Frozen Picture (F)Freeze Frame –action frozen in time

SoliloquyFlashback/flash forward

NarrationVoice Over( recorded speech played during a drama)/

Voice in Head (recall words said by others about a character or situation)

MimeMonologuesoliloquy

OTHER ACTING TECHNIQUESAside- to audience only

Stage whisperMasks

stereotype

NAT 5 VOCAB STILL APPLIES!

Lighting Follow SpotProfile Spot

FresnelFlood Light

(gauze)Barn Doors

GoboGel

Pyrotechnics

Focusing (the lights)

Black outSlow fadeCross fade

Snap-to

SoundSound cueCross fade

Recorded voice over

SetBack clothCyclorama

GauzeFlies

Door FlatsWindow Flats

FlatsSceneryTrapdoorRostraTreadsTruckWings

Backstage

StagingVenueThrust

Theatre in the roundEnd on

Proscenium ArchAvenue

AuditoriumRevolving Stage

Ground planKeyRake

Enter/exitAudience

Sight lines Stage Directions

Stalls, balcony, dress circle

CostumePeriod Costume

Write in super detail for full marks

Propsobjects used by actors

Personal PropSet prop

Make Upliners

Wax/nose puttyCrepe hairFake blood

LatexSpirit gum

Makeup palletsStipple sponge

ScarringSkull cap

Tooth varnish

AActing Style

Actor/Audience Relationship B

BLOCKING

CCentral Character

Complex CharacterImportant Character

Minor CharacterMain Character

Pivotal CharacterCharacterisation

Character BehaviourCharacter Motivation

Character DevelopmentCharacter Interaction

Relationships between Character DDesign Concepts

Dialogue

Drama Media

(aka projections, video, sound

scapes)

Drama Process

Dramatic Feature

Dramatic Tension

Points of Tension

Moments of Tension

Dramatic Irony

Duologue

EEpisodic

Structure

FFocus G

Given CircumstancesGround Plans

KKey Scene

Key Moment

HIGHER WORDS TO USE TO SOUND COOLER THAN YOU REALLY ARE

SSet

SettingSite Specific Theatre

Special EffectsTextual Evidence

Traditional TheatreSpecial EffectsStage Imagery

StatusStimulusSubtext

Symbols and Imagery

TTextual Evidence

Traditional TheatreTarget Audience

TensionTextual Analysis

Theatrical BackgroundThemes and Issues

Time periodPassage of Time

Shifts in Time

UUse of levels

VVenue

P

Performance Analysis

Performance Concepts

Pre-Show

Plot

Plot Twists

Protagonist/Antagonist

Purpose

Stage Proxemics

Positioning

MMessage

Mood