25. The Actor's Craft and Writing: Great Characters Don't Hold Back

EPISODE DESCRIPTION:     Episode three of this four-part miniseries launches into the next three don’ts of 12 that actors (and writers) should not do, and what they SHOULD do instead. 7. DON'T BE A DUMP TRUCK. Writers have a tendency to dump information in the form of back story or exposition. Actors don’t have this luxury. They HAVE to rely on subtext and human behavior to communicate history with the audience. For both groups, the key is to focus more on human behavior than on words. One great tool to help scenes come alive is if the actors are given objects that can be used during the scene, which can bring out deeper levels of nuance and reveal character relationships and their struggles.  8. DON'T HOLD BACK. Neither actors nor writers can afford to play it safe. The most memorable characters are the ones who are willing to go to extreme lengths to get what they want. So go big or go home. Milk the scenes for everything they are worth. There’s no room for half measures here. Your characters need to take risks be bold.9. DON'T WORRY ABOUT THE MESSAGE - FOCUS ON TACTICS. Each character in a scene has his or her own objective. Instead of worrying so much about the specific words being used, writers and actors should focus on the tactics that each character uses to get what he or she wants. HOW does your character pursue their goal? WHAT LENGTHS are they willing to go to in each scene?UP NEXTJoin us again next week for our final episode in this series, where we will discuss the final three don’ts that actors and writers should not do:10. DON’T TELL; SHOW.11. DON’T LET YOUR CHARACTER THROW A PITY PARTY12. DON’T DESPISE YOUR CHARACTERS.Don’t miss out on these great tips that can help you become a master of your craft. QUESTIONS OR TOPIC REQUESTS? If you have a question or a specific writing related topic that you would like Zena to consider addressing in a future podcast, click on the link below to leave a voicemail recording with your problem, question, or issue.https://www.speakpipe.com/ZenaDellLowe SPECIAL THANKSThe Mission with Zena Dell Lowe would like to thank composer Carla Patullo for the original music she graciously permits us to use in the intro and outro of this podcast. To find out more about this amazing talent, go to  www.carlapatullo.com  Tags: Acting, Actors, Acting tips, Writing tips, Story, Storytelling, Storytellers, Writers, Zena Dell Lowe, Mission Ranch Films, The Storytellers MissionSend us Fan MailSupport the show