Step Up Your Acting Performances| The Power of 'Given Circumstances' & 'Objectives’

To unravel the mysteries of your character, to crack the case of their motivations, to understand their life's landscape, their relations, their drive.

Today, we're focusing our magnifying glass on two critical clues that will help you get into the heart of your character: Given Circumstances and Objectives.

Deciphering the Given Circumstances as an Actor:

Just like any sleuth starts their investigation with the facts of the case, you begin understanding your character by exploring their Given Circumstances. This refers to the entire landscape of your character's life. Who are they? What's their background? What relationships and settings shape their daily existence and specifically, the circumstances of their scenes.

Suppose you're portraying an ambitious entrepreneur. You'd have to delve into their past – were they always ambitious, or did a particular event trigger it? What's their current professional environment like? The answers to these questions start to form your character's back ground.

Combine them with the specifics of the particular scene, where are they at, and what natural or human forces are acting upon the character at the beginning of the scene, we arrive at one of our acting fundamentals - our Given Circumstances.

How an Actor Can Identify their Characters' Objectives:

As an investigator, once you have all the facts, you move on to the motive. In acting, this is where the Objectives come into play. What is your character's motivation? What do they want more than anything else, and what are they willing to do to achieve it?

Continuing with our entrepreneurial character, their objective could be something tangible, like securing a significant business deal, or something more emotional, like seeking validation or respect in their industry.

We all have many different objectives and they can change and conflict with each other from scene to scene. Always remember to choose the objective that is closest to what you need from the character (s) that you are talking to right in front of you.

Applying Your Discoveries In Your Character Work and Scene Analysis:

Now that you've got the Given Circumstances and Objectives in hand, it's time to solve the puzzle and apply these insights to your performance. Here's how:

1. Analyze the Circumstances: Use your understanding of the 'Given Circumstances' to shape your character's reactions, decisions, and interactions.
2. Deduce the Objectives: Determine the goals your character is trying to achieve in each scene, based on your identified objectives.
3. Plot the Course: Map out how your character plans to achieve these objectives in their given circumstances. Will they negotiate, manipulate, plead, or command?
4. Immerse in the Character: Let your insights guide your performance, dictating your character's dialogue, actions, and emotional responses.
5. Experiment and Adjust: Don't be afraid to tweak your findings, try different objectives, or alter the given circumstances to discover new aspects of your character.

Crack More Cases with Our Character Cheat Sheet —

Just like every great detective needs a trusty notebook, every actor can benefit from having a go-to guide. That's where our Character Cheat Sheet comes in. It's an invaluable resource designed to help you dive deeper into the intricacies of character development.

By paying close attention to the Given Circumstances and Objectives, you'll be able to unlock your character and deliver a performance that's engaging, authentic, and captivating. So, put on your detective hat, dust off your magnifying glass, and get ready to crack the case of your next character!