Acting Techniques

Love acting? Me, too. Whether you're amateur or trained, it's good to know about the various acting techniques out there. Here's a quick overview of five well known acting techniques used by actors around the world with links to more information!

Classical Acting Technique
Classical Acting is a technique created by Constantin Stanislavski. In Stanislavski's method, actors study concentration, voice, physical skills, emotion memory, observation, and dramatic analysis. Actors are asked to put themselves in the mindset of their characters and find things in common with them in order to give a more accurate portrayal of the role.

Read more about Classical Acting here


The Chekhov Acting Technique
Michael Chekhov was a student of Stanislavski and later added to the Classical Acting technique. In Chekhov's method, actors focus on the internal problems of their characters and then express the issue through movement. Actors using this technique physicalize their characters' needs and internal dynamics in the the form of an external gesture. Study focus on transformation, working with impulse, imagination and inner and outer movements.

Read more about The Checkhov Technique here


Method Acting Technique
Method Acting is credited to Lee Strasberg and members of his theatre group. Method Acting emphasizes connecting to a character by drawing on personal emotions and memories, aided by a set of exercises and practices including sense memory and affective memory.

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Meisner Acting Technique
The Meisner Technique is closely related to Method Acting. It requires actors to focus not on themselves but entirely on the other actors as though they are real and only exist at the moment. The most important exercise used in Meisner's method is called the Repetition Exercise. A repeated phrase is used and actors are asked to be in the moment and respond spontaneously both physically and vocally.

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Practical Aesthetics Acting Technique
Practical Aesthetics was developed by David Mamet and William H. Macy. This acting technique focuses not on the character but on the actor. What does the actor want to accomplish in the scene? What would the actor do in this situation? This method breaks down scenes using the following four step analysis:
1. Literal - The basic description of what's happening
2. Want - What does one character ultimately want the other actor to say or do
3. Essential Action - What the actor wants within a scene
4. As If - How the actor would respond in given circumstances

Read more about Practical Aesthetics here