Script and Character Analysis for Actors

There’s no doubt about it – acting is a complicated craft. There is no one right way to do it, or prepare for it. While some actors prefer to go with their instincts, others spend hours utilising script analysis techniques, pouring over the script for hints about characters. Whatever your preferred method might be, having a wide range of tools at your fingertips means that you can try various tactics when you first receive a script.

In this article, we’ll be discussing some of the most common script analysis tools. We’ll begin with a brief overview of the most famous acting methods; then, we’ll cover the script analysis techniques you can use from each of these methods. Finally, we’ll explain some less well-known techniques that can help you find another ‘route’ to the character.

While you may not choose to use each of these tools every time, you can pick and choose the best methods for each script by having them at your disposal. Subsequently, by using these tools, you should always be closer to understanding who your character is and what you need to do to portray them truthfully.

 

Using Famous Acting Techniques For Script Analysis

Konstantin Stanislavsky

Any discussion of script analysis techniques should begin with Stanislavsky’s system. His method is still used as the foundation for script analysis taught at most drama schools worldwide. In fact, most drama schools begin their training by outlining the teachings of Stanislavsky. While his methods are some of the oldest, dating back to the 1930s, his technique remains the standard method of acting to this day.

When most trained actors sit down with their script in one hand and a pen and highlighter in the other, they are most likely using the Stanislavsky method principles to annotate their script and dissect their character’s place within the script. Here are some of the main principles of his method, and a guide on how to annotate a script using these Stanislavsky techniques and principles.

 

Given Circumstances

Stanislavsky taught that actors need to understand their characters ’ given circumstances and the given circumstances of the film as a whole. Most actors will instinctively understand the given circumstances after reading the script once or twice. Nevertheless, stopping to ask yourself where and when the play is set will make you rethink your character. For instance, you may initially think your character overreacts to a situation and behaves irrationally. However, when you remember that they were raised by controlling and cruel parents, you may come to understand their reaction better.

Given circumstances script analysis is instrumental when you play a character whose circumstances are very different from your own. For example, if you’re playing a princess from 200 years ago, you will need to do a lot of research to understand this character’s upbringing, ideals, vocabulary, etc.

Ask yourself the following questions about the character in each scene:

• Who am I? Name, age, gender, education, etc. Think of this as a biography.
• Where am I? Inside, outside, at home, somewhere new? What is your relationship to your surroundings?
• When does the scene occur? Nighttime, daytime, your birthday? How does the time affect your character in the scene?
• Why are you here? This will give you your objective, which we’ll discuss later.

 

Before Time and After Time

To make each moment in the play feel truthful, Stanislavsky taught actors to clearly imagine the time leading up to the scene and the time that occurs after the scene. This helps each scene feel like a snippet from reality instead of a theatrical, made-up moment.

Ask yourself where your character has just come from. Was it cold, raining, a long journey, and so on. Ask yourself where your character is going after the scene ends. Write down these specifics before every scene you’re in.

 

Objectives and Super-objectives

One of Stanislavsky’s most famous ideas was that of objectives and super-objectives. This principle is based on the idea that each character has an overarching goal in each scene. When added together, these objectives make the overarching super-objective that they pursue throughout the film.

Ask yourself what your character wants in life. Then, ask yourself what they want in each scene and how this will help them achieve their overarching goal.

 

Units and Beats

Once you know your objectives throughout the script, you can break the text into smaller units and beats. For example, if you’ve ever wondered how to score a script, this method may be helpful to you. This process is another famous Stanislavsky technique that helps actors understand their character’s emotional and intellectual journey through a scene.

Within each scene, there are usually a series of beats. Each beat denotes a new moment in the scene. The beats change with each change of thought and a new mini objective for the character. The beats aren’t marked in the script, so it can be helpful to go through your scenes to mark these smaller (but critical) moments. This will give you a better idea of your character’s journey through the scene.

 

Actions and Tasks

The next level of script annotation is to action each beat in the script. Many actors don’t bother with this step as it can feel a little prescriptive and pedantic. Nevertheless, it can be a helpful way to understand how your character goes about getting what they want in each beat.

An action is a verb word that your character does as a tactic while pursuing their objective. For instance, you might decide that your action word for a particular beat or line is ‘annoy’. Put into a sentence, you would write ‘I annoy you’ next to your text. This will give you a clear tactic to ‘play’ when you are in the scene.

Using actions helps you to make clear character choices throughout a scene. It’s also a technique that allows you to try and affect a change in your scene partner, making the scene feel much more exciting and high stakes!

It can be helpful to action your script with a few different verbs that may work as you play the scene. Of course, once you are on set and the cameras are rolling, you may throw these words away as you respond and react to your scene partner intuitively – but we all know that an actor prepares!

   

Subtext

In good film scripts, what isn’t said is just as important as what is said. For instance, simple phrases can be loaded with meaning and emotion that remains unspoken by the characters. As an actor, you must know what is going on in your character’s head and what your character chooses not to say. This is referred to as subtext.

Every actor will have a different process for discovering the subtext of a scene. You may go through the script and note down ideas of what your character may be thinking. You might try writing an ‘inner monologue’ for your character that occurs during the scene. For some actors, the subtext will be less literal – it may consist of mental images or memories.

Experiment with different ways of writing down and playing with subtext. Again, once on set, you probably won’t be thinking about the inner monologue you wrote for the scene. However, it is likely to still be there in your subconscious, and it will help bring another dimension to your performance; and a greater feeling of reality to your character.

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Sanford Meisner and Stella Adler

Konstantin Stanislavsky was a Russian acting teacher who was active at the turn of the 20th century. His legacy is vast. Many famous American actors and acting teachers took his method and put their own spin on it. Two of the best known are Sanford Meisner and Stella Adler. While these two teachers began their careers as actors trained under the same method, they parted ways ideologically later in life. The various methods they created offer useful tools actors can use as they decide how to annotate a script.

   

Sanford Meisner

Meisner is known for his intensive repetition exercises designed to get actors out of their heads and into the present moment. However, many fail to realise that he was also a stickler for script analysis. Most of his methods are borrowed directly from Stanislavsky.

One interesting exercise that Meisner developed was to ask his acting students a series of questions that led the actor to understand their character’s emotional circumstances in addition to their given circumstances.

Therefore, once you have established your physical given circumstances, write a series of questions about the lines and beats of the script that you find difficult. For example, why does your character say nothing when you yourself would speak up in the same situation? Why does your character stay in her unhappy relationship? What about the word ‘no’ makes your character storm out of the room? And so on.

Using the given circumstances, force yourself to answer these difficult questions about your character’s behaviour in the scene. This may help you to understand your character’s emotional circumstances better.

 

Stella Adler

Adler spoke at length about how to read a script as an actor. The first reading she called ‘impressions’. This initial reading should be about ascertaining facts about the text. This approach to reading the text is a great way to get an excellent overarching view of the film or play without making hasty judgements about your character or other characters.

Adler also recommended that actors stay active and vocal while doing their textual analysis work. She didn’t believe that actors should sit in a quiet corner, scribbling notes in their scripts. Instead, she thought that the actor would naturally become more connected to the character by connecting the analysis portion of acting with the physical body.

 

 

Other Useful Script Analysis Techniques and Exercises

During an actor’s career, they’re likely to come across other script analysis methods that work for them. While the Stanislavskian approach can be precise and methodological, sometimes other script analysis techniques are equally effective and offer another ‘route’ to the character.

 

Pride and Shame Thoughts

Write down five to ten ‘pride thoughts’ and five to ten ‘shame thoughts’. These are the ideas that your character keeps coming back to about themselves. They’re the type of thoughts they would never share with someone else.

Firstly, pride thoughts should be about what the character is proud of in their life. For instance, “I am a good wife,” “I have built a successful business,” “I would do anything for my sister,” and so on.

Secondly, shame thoughts are the dark thoughts that everyone can have when they feel unworthy or ashamed. For instance, “I have shallow friendships,” “I always put myself first in relationships,” etc.

Above all, knowing this series of thoughts will help flesh out your character and make them feel multi-dimensional and multifaceted.

 

Write Down the Facts About Your Character

Separate a page in your notebook into three sections. Go through the script, and write down:

• Everything your character says about themselves
• Everything other characters say about your character
• Everything your character says about other characters.

This simple textual analysis task will give you a better idea about the nature of all of the relationships in the script. You’ll begin to understand how your character sees themself and how other characters see your character. You’ll also start to notice how your character sees others.

 

Create Memories for Moments in Script

If your character speaks of a moment in their past, try writing down a few specific things about this moment. Who was there, where it occurred, what were you wearing, etc.? Try to make the memory as accurate and detailed as possible to recall specifics and remember the moment as you perform.

 

Historical Research

This is crucial in textual analysis if your script is set during a specific historical moment. For instance, if you are playing a young man in the 1800s, you will need to find out about the class system, manners, fashions, hobbies, and education system in place at the time.

 

Don’t Make Notes About How to Say the Line

If you are looking for other ways to make notes in your script, avoid planning how you intend to say your line. Notes like ‘angrily’ or ‘quietly’ are usually unhelpful. These surface-level notes will make your performance feel wooden and one dimensional. Instead, think about tactics and subtext, then let the line come out naturally as you perform in the moment.

   

Final Thoughts on Script Analysis Techniques

Whether you choose to follow Stanislavsky’s method precisely or mix up your analysis by selecting a few of the ways mentioned above, the most important thing is to spend lots of quality time with your script. By familiarising yourself with the action in the text and your character’s place within it, you will naturally develop an affinity with your character and understand why they do what they do and say what they say.

Incorporating these specific exercises can further clarify your understanding of the character and create a truly multi-dimensional person out of the text. In other words, with deliberate, thoughtful analysis, you’ll be able to bring this fully-formed character with you to set, and you’ll find that you actually don’t have to ‘work’ quite as hard at making your acting feel (and look) truthful for the camera.