Acting Techniques - article by MOREinfo-About.com

Acting Techniques

When acting in a performance, an actor must find ways to create a convincing character as depicted by the author. This involves adopting body language and speech delivery which create a real, legitimate character, and then exhibit acting which consistently fits that character's behavior. Convincing acting must somehow evolve out of a feeling of truth about a character, and must be consisten throughout a performance in which acting holds to that truth. Acting techniques might be compared in a sense to the techniques used in creating visual art. One must use the brush properly, having understanding of color and form...but, as with acting, the final creation must come from the heart and soul of the artist or it is superficial.

Acting techniques can be initially learned: vocal control, intelligent line interpretation and delivery, body language. But the excitement and fire of fine acting comes from an inherent ability of the actor to develop and project the essence of the character portrayed, as it was envisioned by the playwright. True acting can be difficult, however, if the character is not clearly defined by the work of the playwright. If the character is shallow and ill defined, then acting techniques have to be stretched to develop something from nothing. Then the acting is a result of the actor actually creating the character himself' This is difficult, and can probably never result in great theatre because the material itself is shallow.

It is fortunate indeed when there is a happy combination of a fine playwright's work and the acting performance of a skilled actor whose acting combines a knowledge of all of the basic techniques involved in acting with the sensitivity and intuitive insight to project a living, convincing character to the theater or motion picture audience.

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