How to Get Into Character for Acting
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- Опубліковано 17 лют 2018
- Today, we're deep diving into the world of becoming your character!
One of the mot popular questions I get asked here on my channel is " How do you get into character ? " / " How do you create a character ? "
And for the most part, I just think. I spend time focusing on the details of the world and of my character. Thinking about it makes it more real. It grounds me in who this character is in the real world-- rather than just who we see onstage or on screen. As always, these tips work for theatre acting, television acting, film acting, and auditions. If something doesn't work for you, don't worry about it! Every actor is different and different advice works for different people. This is just what I do and what works for me.
Anywho, let's talk about how to get into character for acting!
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If you're new to my channel, HI! I'm Katherine and I put out a new theatre related video on every #TheatreThursday plus bonus uploads throughout the week! My videos cover a variety of topics include musical theatre / acting advice, theatre kid lifestyle, performance reviews, and general broadway geekery. Additionally, I make usual UA-camr videos, but with a slight theatre-y twist.
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i'm an engineering student and none of these things are relevant to me, but i find all your videos so therapeutic and i don't know why.
That's fantastic
I agree! I’m an aspiring actor. I have watched sooooo many videos on acting. Covid and all. And she definitely has amazing views and so much personality in her voice. And I can relate to them. Very cool!!
The last time I was early, Elle was picking out an outfit for Warners proposal...
👀 🍵
Usually what I do is that I go somewhere quiet and I start playing memories my character would have before "entering the scene". For example, I played Elizabeth Proctor in a production of The Crucible and there's this super emotionally intense scene between her and her husband John who she hasn't seen for 3 months because they were both imprisoned and sentenced to hang for witchcraft (the scene takes place on the day John is supposed to hang).
To get myself into that mindset, I'd sit alone by myself about ten minutes before my entrance playing these fake memories in my head of Elizabeth sitting alone in a jail cell, being interrogated and even tortured into confessing that she's a witch (morbid, I know, but it definitely got the job done) this way when I got onstage it was like I was already in an ongoing scene with myself and was in the moment
Sarah Nowik I do the same not just to get into character but also to prepare my character, to give it depths. Sometimes I just sit down at home and start talking as my character the way he would think. Always helps me to build some background. :)
Why is that actually ingenious! ! U needed that!
Although I’m not an actress, I play characters in ballet! So this was super helpful for conveying a character even if I’m not talking 😊
Yay!! Happy to help!!
1. OK KATHERINE I SEE YOU OUT HERE LOOKIN LIKE A WELL COOKED SNACK
2. Thanks so much for this you always post things when i need them the most
3. I love you so much hjsgdjfg
Ok im done
HI YOU ARE THE SWEETEST OMG
When i played Leaf Coneybear earlier this year in Spelling Bee, I got into character by unleashing my child at heart, wearing a ton of tie dye, using Frozen band-aids on all my cuts, watching cartoons, and giving hugs to everyone, because my version of Coney was childish, and quite confused, yet pretty adorable. My friends now joke with me about the phrase "Leaf Hug!" which I would say when I gave them a hug. I actually got to hug Olive at the end of My Friend, the Dictionary, and give Mitch a bear hug at the end of I'm Not That Smart Reprise. The other thing I did was think about his relationships to other characters, especially the other kids, for example, like I already mentioned, he loved Olive, and really looked up to Schwarzy, thinking she was smart due to her politics. He was scared of Barfee's brashness, and the list went on. This really helped me when I was doing scenes with other characters.
That's awesome! Marcy is a really fun role. The girl who played Marcy at my school is a great dancer, but I can't even get close to how good she is. Being clumsy and awkward kinda fit with Leaf, though
where did my comments go (but yay! playing her was so much fun)
I've never done spelling bee but I love it! I've always wanted a day where we can go around
School or town or something method acting in full costume!
Playing Evan Hansen? Just like, cry for 45 minutes. It’ll work, we promise.
This is a question I've recently been thinking about because I'm in a very serious play. Thanks, Katherine!
all these bonus uploads recently we are so blessed
💕💕
you said it, dude! cath is LIFE
I love how you introduce yourself as if it's everyone's first experience every time - it makes it feel as though people who haven't been watching you from the beginning don't feel displaced and it's so nice! 💖
That's exactly why I do it!! Thank YOU so much ❤️❤️
HI KATHERINE I HAVE A QUESTION. I was wondering if you could a video about making the most of small roles and how to keep them fresh. Also how to go about understanding and learning difficult texts like shakespeare and songs like sondheim? THANK YOU I THINK THAT YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY AMAZING AND I WANT TO BE MORE LIKE YOU I WISH I WAS AS TALENTED YOUR VOICE ACTUALLY GIVES ME LIFEEEEEEEEEEE
Ailbhe Sweeney i might be incorrect, but i actually think she might have made a video about making the most of small parts? might just be in a q+a though
Completing Uta Hagen’s 9 questions for each scene makes a world of difference ;)
Wait where do you find those questions?
Soon I'm going to audition for an arts high school for 9th grade theatre and I think is really going to help me! Thank you!
howd the audition go?
Oh my god I was literally thinking about requesting this video in the shower today!! Love the frequent uploads❤️❤️ I’m in a show at the moment where I play 13 different characters, and my director is really strict of differentiating them so this was super helpful!! Thanks
Thank you for making a video on this!!! Character development is my absolute favorite part of theatre and I love seeing how other people get into character!
Hi, Katherine! Thanks for uploading this - I've been having some trouble with getting into character in my last couple of shows. In the past, I've had larger roles, and so I've had a lot of flexibility to grow my character's perspective and personality. In fact, many of the compliments I recieved for those roles were regarding how well I stayed in character throughout the performances and rehearsals. In the summer, I switched companies, and have gotten cast in ensemble roles (which are definitely fun in a much different way) which limit my creativity and take away a lot of characterization. Most hints of characterization that I'm provided through lyrics and storyline are shared with 35 other cast members since our company is so large. I definitely miss the opportunity to truly become my character onstage and this video gave me some great tips that hopefully will help me to figure out how to embrace even the smallest of roles. I love all of your videos and just thought I should tell you that they really do help people like me! Thanks again
This is literally the best ideas to get into character! Love you sooo much!! 😘👍🏻💞
I GOT MY ROLE FOR SEUSSICAL IM YERTLE THE TURTLE IM SO EXCITEDDDDDDD
YAY!! Congrats!!
NO BC IM WATCHING THIS VIDEO BC I HAVE A SEUSSICAL AUDITION TOMORROW
I’m pretty good at getting into character quickly but I think I really start to get into my character when I’m on set. Even during tech you’re just like transported to this whole new world and I think it’s so facinating and one of the many things I love about theatre. Also I’m so happy you posted!! I’m so glad and grateful you’re able to do bonus posts so much more even while you’re working on Into The Woods. Love you!❤️
Whenever I'm preparing for an audition or something along those lines (frozen rn) I watch your videos. Sometimes I'll even put headphones on and lie in bed doing so. I just close my eyes and listen to you talk.It's like, so therapeutic and useful at the same time.
thanks so much kath!! i'm currently in a production of TLM as Ursula and I always have to remind myself to stay in character
ADOREEE that red dress (top???)!!
Top!! Thank you!!
every time i feel a lil out of it on stage i come back to this video and it helps a ton
I just got cast as Miss Hannigan in Annie, and one of the things I did beforehand was find out what many women’s situations were before the crash in order to give her backstory and even researched what kind of books women would’ve been reading in her situation. Now I just need to get my hands on one of those books to go even deeper!
This really helps me too because I’m playing summer from school of rock I don’t know what I would do without you x
Kath I love this so much! I absolutely love hearing how other people get into character and getting ideas from them, it’s so interesting not only from an actor’s point of view but from a human point of view from thinking about how complex everyone is and how everyone is made up. Thanks so much for this video 💗 xx
aw thanks jenny!! glad you liked it!!
Thank you so much for this video! I’m in a production of Fiddler on the Roof right now, and at Friday on rehearsal we were focusing a lot on what our characters are like and who inspired our interpretations of them. This is really useful💕
Thank you soooooo much for the advice! I am having a little trouble getting into my character for a school play and this really helped me alot!
THIS IS SO HELPFUL OMG THANK YOU
So helpful Katherine! I struggle with getting into character some days which is can be really frustrating. I always like to wear a little bit of my costume even if we are only reading through the script. It helped me a lot in my last performance when I had to be a sweet girl on stage when I just wanted to hide in a corner because I had a rough day so I would throw on some pigtails and jump around for a little bit every time we would start the reading. You're amazing!!! I love how you put so much depth into your character. Every time I watch something I try to spot things like that if I had already seen that production or movie before. :D Break a leg!
omg yes!! Costumes/wigs/makeup play such a huge part in becoming that person!!
Btw, makeup was on fleek today.
Edit: I got a heart!!!
This is so helpful at the moment because I am having trouble getting into character during practice (I’m playing Mae Peterson in Bye Bye Birdie at my school) and I actually needed tips on making it easier to get into character. Thank you!
WHY IS YOUR SHIRT SO CUTE
I just want to say that I have become a regular watcher and usually I don’t do that to channels!!! You are amazing and a pretty cool person who gives good advice!!!
Katherine thank you so much for making a video related to this subject! I'm auditioning tomorrow for Charlotte in 13 and I really needed a video like this! 😊
when u were talking abt differences in productions nd itw, it reminded me of when i was in itw nd it was a steampunk version which was rly cool. instead of woods the set was like platforms nd pipes nd stuff like tht. nd the narrator was a little kid who got into a fight with his dad nd created this whole story which is why the set wasnt rly in the woods; it took place in his room.
loved gaining some insight as to how you get into character! I just had an audition for Bye Bye Birdie, so I'll definitely be using these tips if I get cast in the show!
AAAAA perfect timing! I've got my first callback tonight (for the stepsisters in R&H's Cinderella), so this'll be super helpful :D
Good luck! Im currently playing Gabrielle in R&H's Cinderella!
Thank you!!
How did it go? I love Cinderella!
This is so helpful and your shirt looks amazing! Thanks Kat, and have a wonderful day! :)
Oh my gosh! I needed this so much thanks fam!!!
this is super helpful! My school musical is approaching in the next few weeks and this was perfect, thank you!
Perfect timing! I just started rehearsals for a show and we were creating backstories the other day. I was really struggling but this helped tremendously! Thank you!!!!
Happy to help!!!
this is sooooo helpful, thank you! I'm super new to this process and this is super amazing info to have
MY SHOW GOES ON IN 2 WEEKS SO THIS IS SO USEFUL
BREAK A LEG!!!!
I find music to be my way into the character. As soon as the cast list goes up and I know who I’m playing, I create a playlist of her life. If it’s a production that has been done before, usually go on UA-cam and do research. If the character reminds me of another character I’ve seen in a movie or even someone I know, I go hardcore stalker. It works tho😂
I’m somebody who has always struggled with getting into character, I’m awkward so I tend to play characters awkward but a thing that has helped me so much is giving the character I’m playing a habit or mannerism which is completely different from myself or something I would never do. For example I’ve made a character I play tuck her hair behind her ear when she’s nervous or feeling a bit uncomfortable. This is something I’d never do (I like to hide behind my hair) so it helped me get into character more and also feel a bit less awkward/anxious on stage.
I really want to see you in Into The Woods in LA (because it’s one of my favourite shows and you are amazing!!!) but I live in England 😔. But still I support you and think what you are doing is amazing, you have helped me so much. Thank you ❤️
Thank YOU!!!! :)
This is so helpful. I tend to you know, go through the motions sometimes, as we all doo, and this video was very helpful. Ilysm.👍
My response to this video: YYYYYYYAAAAASSSSS!!!!!
Those are some great acting tips I use all the time! But the poetry is new. I'm going to have to try it out. Thanks for helping me find a new way to tap into my characters.
I clicked so fast! I really need this I’m in a high school play and I need to know my character more.
You are literally an angel!!
Omg I love your shirt btw. And this helps a lot! Im playing Esmeralda and I've been having trouble getting into her environment. Thanks and love you!!
GORGEOUS HUMAN BEING, YOU ARE UPLOADING SO MUCH LATELY OMG I LOVE YOU 💛💛
Ok so I’m newly discovering at 24 that I am now obsessed with theatre and I stumbled upon your channel omg I binged watched all your videos thanks for the great content
Thank you and YAY! Welcome to the wonderful world of theatre!!
this really helped me! i’m playing a narrator in the show that i’m in right now and it’s been really hard for me to try to connect and play a character that’s not technically a person. so thank you Katherine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Just what I was looking for!!!
Yay!!!
this is so helpful for the show i’m gonna be in soon. I’m playing Bakers Wife in “Into the Woods” & i’m so excited. 🤩💖
Thank you so much I have a callback tomorrow and I don’t know what character I got called back for so I’ll be able to use this on the fly!! Love you!!
Thank you so much. You are inspirational and I have learned so much from your channel. You are so kind and optimistic. You make theatre Thursday the best day of the week!!!!
I NEEDED THIS SO MUCH THANK YOU
Love your channel and your content❤️❤️❤️❤️
This was well organized and helpful! Thank you!
I just had the first rehearsal for my first ever community theatre show! I will definitely be using these tips for my character work, thanks!!
Congrats!! Break a leg!!
thank you for this its so helpful!!
I’m trying to currently learn how to get into tevyes character from fiddler for my school musical, and I’ve been having so much trouble. So glad you posted this now.
Happy to help!!
Love your videos so much!!! ❤️❤️
Yes, I'm early!! I love bonus Katherine videos! :)
LOVE your shirt!! ❤️
I’m currently in a show and I got a character that’s completely opposite from my personality so this really helped! THANKS!
I think something that really helps me (I can’t listen to music backstage either I have too much going on) is listening to the show. Everything you said is spot on but in lieu of poetry I use the repetition of the show to move me into character. I find it easier to be the character the show needs when I’ve already integrated myself into it by silently participating offstage. And it puts me into the headspace of the world we’ve created so it’s easy to just enter and go, so the base character is there in habit and I have room to adjust and grow with confidence.
You are so talented and amazing!!!!
I am auditioning for the queen of hearts ❤ and this is extremely helpful ❤❤thx Kat
These are amazing tips! I love the idea to read poetry that connects you to your character! Personally, I like to use a costume piece to get into character - for example, in a recent show I was a telegraph operator in the early 20th century so I had an old fashioned head-set that I wore in every scene. Because I only wore the head-set while rehearsing scenes or performing, I had sort of imbued the headset with a certain physicality and way of speaking that I slipped into when I had it.
Thank you for making this video!! This is so helpful for me since i do musical theatre and straight plays. Also being a 12 year old I’m still learning on how to act and sing and dance. ILY SOOOO MUCHHHHH!!!!!!!💖💖💖💖🎭🎭🎭
I recently got the role as the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland and I’m suuuuuper excited! This was really helpful, I’ve been having trouble getting into like my head and into character for some reason, this helped a lot💜 I told our director about it and he thought it was such a great idea that he made an exercise where we fill out a sheet about the background of our characters 😂
New subscriber! I’m preparing for a role & this was really helpful
This is great!! Thank you so much! I'm actually about to audition for Into The Woods in a few weeks so this got me super excited!
Hallie Rose how did the audition go?
ahhh i saw you perform into the woods and I met you after. I tweet you all the time and you are actually the sweetest! love you
Thank you for coming!!!! So nice meeting you!!!!
me and my friends really needed this.
we're currently working on forming a theater troupe and we're planning to preform on stages and in public parks around the city and we're all really exited but need a lot of practice still '^^
CAN I JUST SAY THAT YOU LOOK SO CUTE IN THIS VIDEO: YOUR HAIR, YOUR MAKEUP, YOUR OUTFIT, YOUR NAILS, AND THE LIGHTS IN THE BACK ADOEHDJ YOURE JUST SO CUTE
I was just casted as Olive in the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. I am super nervous and wasn't very sure how to play this character this video really helped. Thank you. Love you ahhhh
I’m sad that I didn’t see it right away... but I’m glad for this video, really needed some tips! By the way your top is really cute 😂
For a show I did recently, on show days we would get to the theatre at call time and you were your character right then and there. We got into character as soon as we walked in the door. We hung out like our characters would, talked like our characters would, etc. when our stage manager would say “come get your mic“ I would have to be all like “I do have to listen to you” but of course I did have to listen to her, super fun and super helpful.
With my theatre school, I'm playing miss hannigan. As a boy playing a drunk sensual character this video helped a bunchhh. In my first few rehearsals, I really wasn't sure about this role because it's kinda... insane? But I really enjoyed it and am so glad I managed to pull it off :))
This helped me so much! Thank you!
Gosh I really need this. Currently playing Mr. Packard in the play Mrs. Packard. I really only enjoy doing musicals but I was really looking forward to this show since I need a few straight plays under my belt and a serious character for once. Serious is and understatement for Mr. Packard and I am worried I won't be able to get too into this character for the show. This did help, so I thank you Katherine :) (Mr. Packard is a Reverend who sends his wife to an insane asylum because she speaks out against him in church and doesn't let her see or talk to the kids. Very cold hearted; whereas, I'm used to playing innocent nerdy characters)
This is the reason I love wearing gloves in a costume!! As someone who can't sit still, I'm constantly playing with my hands, so if I'm wearing gloves anytime I do anything with my fingers it's a reminder that I'm playing a character and I have to be ready to go onstage as someone new. I also have been thinking about building character a lot this week because I got called back for the Baroness in "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang," who is my polar opposite, so it's been fun to try to create an entirely different person onstage for a bit.
You're giving me Sandy meets Heather C. vibes and I'm living for it. Yas queen 😍
The red looks gorgeous on you! Also what a helpful video! 💖
Thank you so much!!
I am playing Belle in my school’s production of Beauty and the Beast, and I just wanted to let you know how helpful this video was in enhancing my performance quality. And not only this one. The whole process I went through to get the role was fueled by a lot of advice you have given in your other videos as well. Belle has been my dream role for quite some time, and I just want you to know that I am very grateful for the tips and advice you have given in your videos. They really helped me with auditioning and coming up with cool ways to play the character. 👸👠👑🥀🌹😋
Autumn Nicole ME TOO OMG
stellar as always🔥
💘💘
this was so helpful! our school production of “thoroughly modern millie” opens in about three weeks, and i’m playing gloria! it’s been tough to work put the kinks of her character and give her a stand-out personality separate from the other two priscilla girls (alice and ruth), but it’s been so fun to develop her (and to use a new york accent the whole show!)
Break a leg!! 💕
This is so useful!! ❤
Hey Kathrine! I have an audition in a week for a musical and I would really appreciate if you made a video on how to prepare for an audition!
This is my first year acting and I'm already someone's favorite character! 🎉
AHH KATH I WANTED TO TELL YOU SOMETHING, I just got cast as Mrs.Lovett in Sweeney Todd and it's been my dream role forever I'm so excited and your videos helped me a ton during audition stuff. So i just wanted to say thank you.
( Im so excited !!!!!!!!)
AAAAAAAAAH CONGRATS!!! 🎉🎉🎉
thank you i needed this
OMG I needed this. I am in the lion king and this is my first lead and this helped sooooooooooooo much!!!!
A truly god day is a day with a bonus upload!! 😆
I'm playing Mrs. Corry in my school's production of Mary Poppins and this really will help me become that character. Good luck with playing Rapunzel! ❤