What Stops An Actor From Getting Into Character? by Mark W. Travis

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In this Film Courage video interview, director/author/instructor Mark W. Travis shares what stops an actors from getting into character.
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[@kevinjohnsamuel3565]

"The intent to become the character gets in the way of becoming the character." Mind = Blown

[@Igor_ogi]

Yours and mine.

[@thecinemichael]

"Stop directing the actor, direct the character." I honestly love that so much. It's something I'm going to hold closely for the future. Thank you for this!

[@apsalmsbeat]

Wow ..such a powerful statement

[@takingitonedayatatime7851]

Same here.😎💯💯

[@thumper8684]

Let the actor act and give them the space to do the job. The director has a vision, that is it's role. Communicate that to your crew. Yell at people if you must but don't assume you know the other persons job better than they do.

[@JohnMoseley]

Me too. It's gold.

[@pbg9208]

All the micromanaging directors who cannot act should stfu and let the actor interpret the character as they see it and feel it and become it

[@PromisingGalahad]

My best acting always comes when I forget myself as an actor and live in the moment as the character. (Acting is a misnomer.) I've always asked myself what is going through the character's mind at this or that moment, writing notes on how to say a line or move to expand those moments into an entire performance, but always from the actor's/my inquisitive perspective, not from the character's raw emotion. This sounds like an easier and faster way of bringing a character to life. Thanks!

[@abishek5601]

Yeah bro I can relate. When ever I practice acting I just forget myself being an actor but live as a character. I don't know why it always happens to me 😃

[@abishek5601]

Yeah bro I can relate. When ever I practice acting I just forget myself being an actor but live as a character. I don't know why it always happens to me 😃

[@seliavlak]

This is why I absolutely love the Meisner technique. I cannot wait to study it full time!

[@elizaw.4768]

Literally every single time I’m in a show I have an at least five minute long conversation with my dressing room mirror telling myself that I AM my character. I’ve found that it’s the only way that I can truly get into character.

[@shekelberggoldstein522]

What kind of things do you say? Can you explain further please? Im having lots of trouble believing i am my character

[@shadowhunting1016]

If you don’t mind me asking, which show were you in? Or was it multiple shows?

[@ceeeceee8753]

Shekelberg Goldstein Sam here please explain

[@goodtimes8229]

@@ceeeceee8753 Yee

[@mrjefferson1812]

Excellent advice! Thank you!

[@avalongarzo9382]

This is so well put. When acting, my biggest problem is the fact I overthink as myself trying to be the character and I try too hard to put myself in it when all I need to do is forget I’m acting and just be in the moment as that character and let the character conduct how I act and how I say what I need to say.

[@sovietninja6865]

The character doesn’t exist it’s just words on a page. You also shouldn’t be thinking how you need to say. You need to listen and pay attention to the other persons behavior and respond truthfully under imaginary circumstances.

[@Princeunique4life]

Wow! “…all I need to do is forget I’m acting…” that’s goodn

[@alicial4857]

Same here!

[@convolution223]

This is how people form themselves. Based on how we are treated, our character responds and develops in accordance to that.

[@JesseLewisACTOR]

TRUTH!

[@mkazmi]

Also people willl treat you how you treat yourself, which is largely based on how people treated you during your youth

[@Divinitykim]

I think this technique works because you're getting into the person's psych by asking /talking / thinking as the character. It takes their focus off of self and puts back into perspective their characters ...

[@simtekgroup3080]

exactly, I see many similarities with the psychoanalytical process. It's like you (the director) turn into the analyst, and you start speaking directly to the unconscious level of the mind of the "patient". By asking questions, he/she is forced to be confronted with the unconscious thoughts of the character, leaving out the actor's ego. By emerging on a conscious level, these thoughts shape the character.

[@Glynnermang]

Yes 100%. Simple questions like where they are from, how they got into their profession, their first love continues to shape shape shape. It's a very interesting concept although I do believe that the first action when delving into any character is writing their backstory while simultaneously relating it to your own personal experiences. This should answer alot of the committees questions but like he said the interrogation takes it so much deeper. Very interesting.

[@Glynnermang]

@KimberlyNitti I agree. I'm actually in the middle of a film myself and my experience now is that the more techniques that an actor studies for whatever length of time is all relevant. I sort of use any of my past acting classes as a buffet where there are parts that suit and parts that don't. At the end of the day for me anyway I need to find experiences from my past that mirror where the character is at different points of his journey. It the only way for me to bring the organic into play and be as truthful as possible. Yes that's a great book. I always liked her method. I studied strasberg for a number of years and his teachings from Stanislavski but I'm not so sure I want to dig like this anymore. I really don't think its necessary. Best of luck with your projects. Break a 🦵!!

[@Divinitykim]

@@Glynnermang yeah you’re right. Not necessary since you’ve studied. Now you can let your subconscious take over. Thank you so much! Wishing you much success & fulfillment through your projects as well. :)

[@luislorenzomartinez1174]

I finished reading An Actor Prepares by Stanislavski and like Mark says here, I think there´s no reason for the methods to compete, but rather to complement each other. This is an amazingly good video and advice. Really thank you!

[@The0neWomanShow]

This is beyond some of the most useful advice I've heard in ages

[@jaybee2344]

From a Actors perspective. This Director has some good ideas. I once heard that Jim Carry lived as his Character for a month so as to see life from that Character's perspective. It drove people near him crazy!

[@neilruedlinger4851]

I once heard from a film critic on TV, that the actor Jack Lemon used to have a similar approach. When he landed a role, before the first day he'd turn up on the set, he would get into character and stayed in character even when he got home each night, and wouldn't get out of character until the film shoots were completed.

[@SecretEyeSpot]

Damn.. three levels deep.. "speaking to the committee of the character within the character.."

[@skifamily2482]

I feel like when we improv our actions in a play we are better “actors”

[@sassylittleprophet]

I knew since I was little that I wanted to act, but I didn't know what acting was until recently. Several months ago I made some new friends who unfortunately ended up being toxic, and we don't hang out anymore. But before that fell apart, we began a DND style campaign; it was super fun to act in, stressful for my characters though. At any rate, we started roleplaying pretty much whenever we could, and I got to know my characters so well, it was like they would take over my body and possess me in a way. That sounds creepy, but it's not, it's amazing. Basically the key is, get to know your character, then channel their energy. See how they respond in situations: dress as them, take them shopping, spend a day in town, let them respond to people, maybe keep a journal for their thoughts. Once you know your character, you can take a backseat in your mind and let them take over.

[@amarlounas1712]

I’m new to the acting career. From all my studies and mind thought's I learned that you have to love the character ,and know all relationships between characters. To make it feel real you have to think the story happening to you and it’s not just an imagination.

[@Bfolks84]

I’ve never used his technique officially but I’ve done pretty much the same thing... when I’m working on a character especially if it’s a character that is far different than me..I’ll have a friend or family start asking me questions or have a conversation with me in character so I can explore the characters life, thoughts, psychological, past etc... it really helps synthesize all the script analysis and emotional prep I do... and it helps the character to emerge... it’s then easy to go in and out of it because the character exists independently now in my mind.

[@JohnPallottaStudio]

Almost every acting class in the world trains actors to "play an objective", in other words, to choose an action based on the information you get from reading the script, or, why the character is doing what he is doing. Believe me, that's the easy part of dealing with actions. The piece of the puzzle that few actors learn to deal with is the deeper, personal layer of "why" they are playing those actions. Without a personal need to accomplish the "action", you have not yet earned your right to stand on that stage and speak the words of the script. I am talking about having the true need to do the things you are doing in the play. The "true need". Not the pretended need or the indicated need, but the authentic need. Having the true need to do what you are doing, is the seed of all life on stage. In life, your actions are purposeful, you have the true need to do the things you do in each moment or you would not bother doing them. It is the same on the stage - we call this "purpose", your "Acting must be truly purposeful. Remember, theatre is not an imitation of our lives, it demands a greater truth. "True purpose" is an essential part of that greater truth."

[@AndresGarcia-kj3jq]

Really powerful comment. And as a fellow student of the craft, is there any methods you found to find this true "purpose" ?

[@Salamander676]

This is hard to do because in reality, I have little purpose besides comfort, pleasure and survival My own “character” is the most difficult to understand and embody and I believe I’m a better actor when I don’t have to play the role of Myself.

[@AT-fr9id]

my brother that was powerful and heavy at the same time

[@A777K]

Love this

[@negranomada5635]

Wow... i need to read/study whatever he’s teaching!!

[@greenspringvalley]

It's based on Meisner and his own observations.

[@DenNationishere]

This was a large help in understanding techniques of developing character. I would love to know that book tho

[@yenikkidays6949]

I tried this on myself, and I was so shocked by how effective it was! Definitely keeping this in mind, might just help some fellow actors or directors

[@fittvstar]

living my best life is in the moment having EARNED my own confidence feeling like what I'm doing (acting) is not a job its my life-simply living, forgetting time, feeling the best ever not caring that it just took 20 hours in a work day. In the end you;re living your TRUTH finding it in the characters you are giving life to and respecting them and yourself to come out a better person through your experience of learning from that character's truth simultaneously finding your truth within your soul's connection. Myself + connection/creativity with character = collaborated true character

[@nicolevannierop3839]

How cool. I think I was that girl. Still really young but I remember you giving me an inner voice. a perfect mind!

[@sdiggs2]

This has been the best eye opening experience that I have ever had for someone like myself as a Director. Directing the character is the way to go. You are looking for a performance that resembles what is on the page or what you think is that "character". Thank you very much Mark W Travis as this has changed my mindset on directing and how I can improve my work as a director to help those I seek as an actor of a production I direct. Thank You!

[@marcdelaunay1]

I was coached by Mark many years ago when I was starting out directing and he was just great, supportive and authentic with an excellent communication of techniques that allowed part of an amazing directing Skillset base. His books are still among my most referenced!❤️✌️👍🙏

[@apsalmsbeat]

I would love a teacher like him. 💛

[@pongkham143]

I love the Combo of both method. Step out of self and be the character.

[@WilliamChangx]

This was golden thank you

[@vasantnilkund2095]

This is the most important lesson I have ever learnt as an aspiring actor. I cant really have someone interview as I am not in an acting school, however, I will start interviewing myself for a start to begin this exercise. Brilliant stuff this!!!

[@muzikmanner]

While listening, I thought of the way G.W. Pabst directed Louise Brooks in Pandora's Box. He gave her one emotion for the scene and let her be herself, and it was brilliant.

[@christopherangelbrannan5479]

Amazing info! Thanks Mark! Looking forward to hearing more from you. Subscribed!

[@YouCanCallMeCaius]

This video will never age. The message here is constant and every young actor (or rather those at the start of their journey) should heed these words. I shall direct my students to this video. Thanks for sharing!

[@elijah7204]

This is just amazing. Took so many notes. Thank you.

[@RachayitaAgrawal]

This was the best video I came across as it was simple and concise. Thank You.😇🙏🏼

[@albertmarble]

As a writer, I have to get into character too. But if I use his method, I can be the director asking the character and then feel the character and write it that way. Really like it when he says the character doesn’t know they’re in a movie. Same for a book! They have no clue they’re in a book. So, this has been really helpful!

[@ringoffire1282]

In improv acting the best feedback I get is when I truly lose my own charcter and let the character I'm portaying take over. If you'd ask me later what it felt like portraying that character my answer would be "being a passenger in someone elses body". It's like seating on the second seat next to the pilot of the airplane, watching what he does, knowing where he's going and making sure he doesn't lose control over the airplane, because it's our job to make sure that the people flying with us would reach the destination safely. Though how can I avoid being stuck as that character? I don't want that pilot to get of the plane with the rest of the passangers once we arrive at the destination! I'd like to know that I'm not walking off stage as that character and not being capable of being myself again.

[@sillycookyomamaimprovposit4367]

Ooh. Yeah. I get it. 🙃😁😉

[@LyneTremblayChanteuse-Actrice]

I love this! It makes so much sense! The inner dialogue of the voices in our heads... a great way to stop listening to ourselves.

[@alycewangari4138]

This is fantastic. Im putting this to work from now on.

[@carynefuture5778]

I am blown away! Thank you so much, Mark. I am going to use it specifically for my interpretations...

[@jovanhayes7597]

This is literally one of the best KZbin channels on acting/the arts. Jesus. Thank you so much for all the valuable content, Film Courage.

[@BestAudiovisualTricks]

Absolutely fantastic advice for actors and directors. Likely, the very best directorial advice I have ever received. I’m an actor and director and this ‘committee’ technique resonated with me very profoundly. Thank you SO very much!!!!! 😍👍🏻👍🏻

[@djdollase]

I love this! Just discovered it. Would like to respectfully add, however, that it’s NOT the actors creativity that gets pushed out of Marks process but rather the actors ego, the “small mind”, allowing the actor access to the subconscious or “Big Mind”, a zen term. And the creative aspect of this, for the actor, is in the allowance of it to flow thru him/her and to express, not get in the way of that. This spontaneous allowance, being totally in the Now, is the very essence of creativity. So when Mark says the process is not creative I believe he means rather that it’s not intellectual.

[@goodtimes8229]

Thank you, this is very helpful

[@djdollase]

Just saw this again after a year and want to add that part of the reason this approach to directing an actor might work with a lot of actors is that this guy’s buying into the child-like pretend that all good actors have and allowing the actor to keep on playing, to not have to drop the fun of being someone else and get all intellectual about it… which usually destroys the creative moment….

[@douglassantos862]

This is one of the best videos i've ever seen! Thank you so much, i'm really greatfull!

[@MelindaAugustina]

Hey Mark. Great perspective. !! So good to see your unique technique emerge. ❤

[@alexandervue9464]

Great advice... great to hear this from someone who has studied a lot of the other variations of the method. What Mark says is pretty much a remixed version of method acting, it is his version. And all versions of the method compliment each other to conquer the same ultimate goal, which is to become the character.

[@itsjustaride12]

This is a goldmine of an interview

[@josephsvennson5694]

This was really profound. Thank you Mr Travis!

[@showmuchlove]

In my bugging state of where I am no longer me. Now I am the charter and dealing with this life this moment! 🙏🏽. Thank you got it 💕

[@kathleenbendelack2696]

Thankyou for your priceless insight.

[@maureenfrank]

brilliant. eager to implement this method. 🙏🏻❤️

[@anangelskissinspring330]

Incredible! Thank you so much for sharing this!

[@monadnoise]

brilliant. yes.

[@randyjenkins890]

Awesome. I think you are creating something that will be used by many actors and directors in the future if not already. Acting has gone from the Mimic technique onto the Method technique and next Interrogate.

[@shinchan___4]

Who made method acting? Lee strasberg or Adler or Stanislavski's?

[@raunakbhattacharya8305]

very deep knowledge to receive as an actor , thank you so much for this realization !

[@suzq9444]

WOW..this is absolutely the truth! Talk to the character!...I discovered this as well.

[@alicial4857]

Thank you! I commited to voice act a character who's really elusive right now, and your technique will help a lot.

[@marianavasquez2629]

HOLY MOTHER MAN THIS CHANGED MY LIFE THANKS

[@lynnasia5801]

I love this approach!

[@-_--_-8614]

This is brilliant. I’m only starting now, but this is a huge help. I’m extremely nervous to try and be an actor but...wish me luck. Again, brilliant.

[@nikolatasevski9556]

1:55 I believe the book he is referencing is ‘To the Actor on the Technique of Acting’ by Michael Chekhov, specifically Chapter 5 - ‘The Psychological Gesture’. It is a brilliant source and insight of how to embody a character, their passions, struggles, likes, dislikes, etc, and later portray that in your scenarios. It sets you up with a subconscious awareness of how this person functions, and why that is the case. Again, it’s a great source for any naturalistic approach to your acting and directing!

[@jed3443]

I love this I've watched this almost 10 times already

[@mastikipathshala5015]

Thanks sir for sharing this information. It is very useful and I am going to apply it.

[@VeronicaPapay]

WOAH THIS WAS FANTASTIC!!!

[@j.p.nicholas465]

This makes so much sense. To become someone and live their life authentically.

[@shristisharma3214]

So informative. felt like I read a good acting book in just thirteen minutes, and got the most of it.

[@elizabethbrown8833]

I just joined a little cal acting group to learn how a one act play was presented/performed. Before long I was handed a script the group were working in to fill in for an absent group member. I'm stunned at how much learning there is involved in acting. In just a few attendances actually partaking in the play the group are currently working on,, changed myself, and also my writing. I learned the importance and value, of really listening to the words, the story and each character in the story.

[@skiddy2974]

This is the most helpful video on acting you will ever see!

[@jeantuite-actress--imdb]

Great technique. one of my coaches used it and it helped tremendously.

[@evanmotions]

powerful stuff!

[@harryom3497]

Mind-blowing advice 🤯

[@krewe18]

Beautiful, just beautiful

[@vicpano7063]

Just brilliant

[@camiasmr977]

Wow this was amazing!

[@raetvnetwork]

This was SO GOOD

[@Lazarusrizing]

That was so great!

[@dapperblue1764]

Fantastic video!

[@fwstrongiv]

What a dream come true it would if every director took even 1% of this and seriously put it into practice.

[@malinhessedahl]

So Good video❤ Thank you for upoding this video❤

[@filmcourage]

Cheers Malin! Thanks for watching.

[@JohnMoseley]

Again, I'm strongly reminded of gestalt therapy. The gestalt approach to dreams is to say that every element of a dream is an alienated part of you, so you don't interpret the dream, you, in Mark's term, interrogate the different parts. Or you set up discussions (which always start off as arguments) between different parts of the dream. It feels a lot like what he says about getting to know your committee.

[@skylarpetrah]

oh this makes really sense.... I am glad I found you.... now it's time to be the best

[@pocketchange6010]

Michael Chekov's "To The Actor" explains about the "I" which is where the actor becomes the character by putting aside his center as a person to superimpose another center which is the character

[@Brillemeister]

Pure effervescing brilliance. God bless

[@OdiosCreations]

The actor and the character......that is wisdom. Thank you Mark.

[@Igor_ogi]

Incredible!

[@squali1930]

Genius. Just pure genius,

[@greenspringvalley]

"I've been a director for 30 or 40 years". A lot of artists have a bad sense of time, probably from absorbing themselves into projects. Recently I had a conversation with a local artist who said he had a bad sense of time. I had never heard someone confess that in plain English, but I relate. A year to me is a series of creative projects.

[@BeeBri]

This is perfect.

[@OmobenueTV]

Thank you for sharing ,

[@gwensmith3417]

I've never seen this method before but I'm going to try it.

[@goodtimes8229]

Wow... this is eyeopening.

[@Lafemme17]

7:11 part right here man.

[@DarrellDavy]

this guy nailed it.

[@samueludokanma1301]

Great Advice

[@konradhoroszko255]

Love it!

[@SocoJ]

This is BRILLIANT! TYSM @MarkTravis! Brilliant!

[@MiguelExhale]

Soco J I agree.

[@StockPartyOfficial]

Love you!

[@Pakiso.Y.M.Mbanga]

Wow,powerful ❤️

[@cashholiday8911]

Great advice

[@sarahsolangechannel1631]

it is interresting that Method actors say: Meisner split from the group because he thought he had a better way and Meisner Actors say the same thing about Sreassberg :D Min 7:28 is exactly what Meisner tried to prevent by concentrating on the partner instead of the actor themselves. In this way the actor does not get in their way by trying to become the carracter, because the focus is off themselves.

[@bahirnanatina5082]

I'm so impressed how can found his book Thank you

[@haSHAH1]

"What the character wants." "The character does not know that they are in a movie."

[@izzyweeb9186]

Im An Aspiring Actor. & holy Shit this Is Some Of the Most Insightful Advice On Any topic I’ve heard In Awhile. Thankyou