Acting Tips - the Magical "If"

As an actor, it is not uncommon for you to encounter situations in which you feel completely stumped. I remember working on a script several years ago. It was a stage play by a relatively new playwright and his characters were so detailed, out-there and almost attached from any form of reality, it was incredibly hard to connect with my imagination to discover the true intentions and objectives of my character.

While I spent countless hours performing scene analysis, writing a full character biography and studying psychology coursework that dealt with my type of character, I was still at a loss.

This is when I remembered one of the most important acting training techniques ever taught to me - utilizing the magic "if." This two letter word can completely alter your own universe and help make even the most outrageous character seem within your grasp.

What is the Magic "If?"

The magic "if" is the process in which you as an actor ask yourself one basic question, "What would I do if I were in the same circumstances of this character?" While this goes against some of the other rules of acting, being that you are NOT your character, if you are having a hard time understanding the motivation or emotional planes of your character, this can be one of the most powerful acting tools at your disposal.

Utilizing the "If"

After you've fully read a script, performed a character biography and engaged in any other process you use to connect with a character, it is time to unlock your imagination and release any boundaries by asking "If."

Take a notepad, and find a quiet corner where you will not be disturbed. Close your eyes and meditate on a particular scene. Ask yourself the aforementioned question, and on the sheet of paper write your answers.

For example, the scene involves your character standing outside of a bank where he was instructed to walk in, shoot the guard and collect all the money; however, the character is hesitant as this is his first time.

Now, imagine yourself as this character. Imagine your life has been the exact same as his, and you are standing outside of this bank. Feel the adrenaline being released, your hands sweating and your breath quickening. What are your thoughts? How are you standing? Are you looking around widely hoping to catch a way out of this predicament, or are you excited and waiting for the right moment? Would you wait to go in until the mother and child you saw walk in leave?

Answering these questions help humanize a character by placing yourself in his shoes, and by relating to him you can then draw conclusions and hints of his personality as he is no longer words on a piece of paper, but a living and breathing organism - just like yourself. n