Professional Acting Advice - Cultivating Your Sense Memory to Create a Realistic Character

As an actor, you have a myriad of training lessons surrounding you in your everyday life; however, most actors are unaware of two things - that they exist, and how to capture and learn from these items.

Perhaps one of the most interesting ways of cultivating yourself as an actor is by tuning into your surroundings and becoming a true observer. Enhancing your awareness of the world around you benefits you as an actor by developing your sense memory. Your sense memory can be used as a means of developing a three-dimensional character that is based in realism and sincerity.

There are three types of information you can gather by tuning into the world around you, which include: human behavior, human situations and abstract qualities.

Human Behavior Sense Memory

Every human has a unique way of walking, talking, laughing, listening, loving and hating. These mannerisms are what makes them unique, and when you're developing a character you must call upon your sense memory of observed human behavior to cultivate a person that is a far cry from yourself while still being believable. When observing human behavior take note of a persons way of moving, speaking, gesturing, smiling, communicating and sitting.

Human Situation Sense Memory

We as humans place ourselves in various situations throughout each day, and it is how we respond and react to these situations that make us unique and individuals. When you're in the process of creating a character, think about the people you've observed throughout your daily life. How did these people react when involved in a specific situation? How did they respond? What did their body do?

You may use this information to help create a character that beckons the audience to continue watching as his actions are unique, realistic and full of conviction.

Abstract Quality Sense Memory

Throughout your observations, you should not only look at people, but at other objects within your surroundings. The movements and behavior of animals and plants are known as abstract qualities, and while you may not be able to directly use their influence when building a character, you can use these innate objects to help shape how your character would react when these objects are within his vicinity.