DI and Character Analysis

**scrtravnos** · 05-13-2003, 08:54 AM

Hey all, just wondering...when you do DI, how do you 'get into character'? I have a friend who is amazing in DI (1st in state, 1st at every tourny--except 1----, best actress and UIL OAP state, and going to Nats) and her charterization is amazing. I find that when I analyze lines and moments I tend to forget all that in my performance. What do you guys do?

**Ryan** · 05-13-2003, 09:10 AM

I use method acting. It emerses you in the character so well that all the lines come naturally and if you screw up, then you replace the mistake with lines that would come naturally to the character. I've gotten so in character at times that I've had trouble getting out of character and back to myself!

**Cinderella** · 05-13-2003, 09:11 AM

I have that problem, too. I'll analyze everything and practice it and everything, but when I actually get up there, I do it completely different. I dont know how big of a difference it makes, but it apparently works for your friend.

**Cinderella** · 05-13-2003, 09:15 AM

Originally Posted by basaltrock

I've gotten so in character at times that I've had trouble getting out of character and back to myself!

I think its fun to jump from the character to yourself and backif you have a character with a really big personality...it bugs teammates and everything...

**myoreo** · 05-13-2003, 11:31 AM

showing good character personality is a great technique to win. They beat out the monologues in my opinion.

**Lorelei** · 05-13-2003, 08:32 PM

what exactly is method acting?

**Ryan** · 05-13-2003, 08:56 PM

Method Acting, orginally called The Stanislavski Method, requires a performer to draw on his or her own self, on experiences, memories, and emotions that could inform a characterization and shape how a character might speak or move. Characters are thus shown to have an interior life; rather than being stereotyped figures representing a single concept (the villain, the heroine), they could become complex human beings with multiple and contradictory feelings and desires. It is the ability to convey the complexity-indeed the confusion of inner feelings. Marlon Brando, Montgomery Clift, and James Dean were three of the most well-known trained method actors.

**tonyizanxmen** · 05-14-2003, 12:30 AM

Try watching movies or tv, esp. if the chars. u watch are alot liek the person in your piece. study facial expressions, gestures (or evn the lack thereof), or anything else like that. U can learn so much about a person just from a raised eyebrow, or the two muscles above your upper lip (below your nose) that tighten when you get angry and add alot to your piece if you know how to use it. Also, don't overthink. Its not like you need to learn and practice acting cuz its really just emotions and realism, not like a formula or a test that you're taught to. heheh, workd for me, I mean freshmen yr i got 30 nfl pts, soph. yr i made it to state, this yr im goin 2 Nats.

**x7ragicalBeautyx** · 11-17-2003, 06:03 PM

I try and imagine myself in the situation and picture myself talking to one of my friends in normal conversation to see how I might say the line. Then I try to find a part of the character that I can relate to myself. It helps to find a piece that really touches you because it makes it easier to get into character.