Acting Techniques:
What the Heck are Acting Techniques?

For over a hundred years professional actors have been arguing, "Which is Better: Method Acting or Technical Acting (Technique)?"

Please don't confuse the terms Acting Styles and Acting Techniques -- we'll talk about both separately and in detail later on, but basically just understand that an Acting Style would be something like: Shakespearean, Naturalistic, Comedic, Dramatic, etc.

But, Acting Technique is the 'governing mode' the actor employs to portray the character -- generally pro actors tend to categorize themselves as either 'Method Actors' OR 'Technical Actors'.

Further, different acting techniques are required for each of the different acting media, stage, film, tv, commercial acting, and so on.

'Method Acting' was pioneered in Russia's classical era at the famed Moscow Art Theatre, under the direction of Constantin Stanislavski (1863-1938). Stanislavski is considered the Father of the Method Acting technique, what many actors believe is the most "Naturalistic" of all Acting Styles.

Nowadays, Method Acting basically means that the actor trains themselves to actually FEEL what the character is feeling, while Technical Acting means that the actor does all that he needs to make the AUDIENCE believe he feels what the character is feeling, without necessarily 'feeling it' himself.

For example, one training exercise that pro actors using the Method Acting Technique utilize is called Sense or Emotional Recall, which basically means taking themselves back to a real moment in their own lives where they felt something very similar to what their character does.

Let's say the actor is portraying a character who is dealing with the death of their father -- through Emotional Recall the actor might remember the day that their own close relative or friend died and try to recapture or re-live those feelings to guide their portrayal of the character, as they are performing the part.

Method Acting requires a great deal of preparation -- perhaps this is why Stanislavski titled his landmark acting book "An Actor Prepares.."

We will be adding much more info on Acting Techniques over the coming weeks, so be sure to check back often.

Here are just a few of the other Professional Acting Topics we intend to cover:

The Topics below are Coming Soon!

■  ■  ■  ■  ■  ■  ■  

ProActingWorkshop.com

DISCLAIMERS: This website is for entertainment purposes only, the content is opinion only, and should not be regarded as expert advice.

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

MENU