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Your character may have a strong exterior, but you add greater depth when you reveal a vulnerability that lies beneath the surface. Take the hit and be changed. Have a blind spot or an Achilles’ heel. Play for the loss. Assume the blame. In short, allow even the strongest character to have moments of vulnerability.
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something that makes a character uniquely identifiable.
A good character is distinct and memorable. You can accomplish this by giving your character a hook.
Exercises
Close your eyes and imagine a day in the life of your character. Then, write a first-person journal entry in your character’s personal journal or diary. In addition to writing about the events of the day, include your character’s hopes, fears, and feelings. Repeat the process once a day for a week.
Exercises
Do research into aspects of your character’s life. Create a list of ten things that you learn from the research. Create a “because of that” list for each of the ten items. Turn three of those items into playable actions.
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something said or done to slip quickly into character
When actors perform with an accent, they often have a phrase they say to get into it. You can use a similar approach when playing a character. Find something physical or verbal that makes you feel like your character, and make that your shoehorn. It’s might be anything: a gesture, a facial mask, a costume piece, a catch phrase. Whenever you need to drop into character, simply use your character shoehorn. It’s a basic conditioning technique that helps you get into character quickly and easily.
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It’s important to know the character you’re playing. It’s equally important to be flexible. If you find yourself thinking, “My character wouldn’t do that,” don’t let that stop you. There are reasons to do things that feel out of character.
Exercises
Player A and Player B each play a character that they have developed. They determine (or are given) a circumstance in which their characters might encounter each other. They play out a scene that illustrates particular traits, perspectives, and characteristics of each of their characters.
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One of the joys of being an actor is the process of creating a character. Here are some common elements that help to define who a character is.
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