Standard Grade Drama Developing Character In developing a character an actor needs to build up a profile of the character to help them make informed choices when playing the role. This can come from the script itself, the stage directions or from research around the subject. Ask yourself the questions, in relation to the character. What do I know?
What can I guess?
What would I like to know?
Also work out the relationship between the character you are playing and the other characters in the play. The script will help you here, as will the work done in preparing the character profile. An actor can change certain things to enable them to present a more believable character. 1.Appearance/Clothing
2.Voice
3.Movement
1. Appearance. The use of appropriate costume, make up and hairstyle can greatly help make the character look more realistic. This may also help the actor to find the character. 2. Voice. The actor can change elements of their voice to suit the role that they are playing. Think in terms of the following elements in relation to the character you are going to play: Tone
Pitch
Accent
Language
Volume
Register
Diction/Clarity
Intonation
Fluency
3. Movement. The actor can also make adjustments to their movement to help portray the character in a more realistic light. Think in terms of the following elements of movement: Speed
Agility
Energy level
Characteristic style/tone
Suppleness/Stiffness
Gestures
Expressions
Posture
Body Language
Mannerisms