Method acting is a technique or type of acting that seeks to encourage sincere and emotionally expressive performances by fully inhabiting the role of the character. It is a systematic approach to training the living material that is the actors "instrument," as well as a means for preparing a role. The technique was invented in the early 1900s by Konstantin Stanislavski, a Russian actor and theatre director, and was further developed and brought to American acting studios in the 1930s by Lee Strasberg and Elia Kazan. Some key features of method acting include:
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Inhabiting the character: Method actors aspire to fully immerse themselves into the life, mind, and circumstances of the character theyre playing.
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Personal experience: Method acting urges actors to use personal experiences and memories to elicit genuine emotions and connect with the characters.
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Emotion-oriented technique: Method acting is an emotion-oriented technique instead of classical acting that is primarily action-based.
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Training the actors instrument: The use of exercises in method acting both develops the content of the actors talent and provides a roadmap to the individuals creation of a character.
Method acting is applicable to all roles, but it is mostly associated with realistic, dramatic performances. Method actors can use the technique as part of their preparation for character acting, which refers to the type of acting that includes eccentric, stylized roles. However, method acting and acting as a whole can also pose a lot of benefits to the actor. Research has found that actors have a strong theory of mind, meaning that they are able to understand and interpret the mental states of others, which can be useful in their personal and professional lives.
