7 Important Acting Techniques Explained (With Examples)

If you’re just starting your acting career, you’ve probably heard of various acting techniques and methods, leaving you wondering, “What the heck do all these techniques mean and when do I use them!?”

I got you covered! We’re going to cover 7 acting techniques and for each one, we’ll go over the following items:

• What is the technique?
• How is the technique useful?
• What’s an example of it used in practice?

We’ll then go over how to choose the right technique for you and the steps you can take to master it.

Even if a technique isn’t explicitly mentioned in your acting class, understanding the main technique elements can help you identify the methods you are being taught.

Many acting coaches borrow from these techniques when instructing their students.

7 Acting Techniques Explained

Whichever acting technique you choose to use, remember that you can always pivot. You’re not married to the technique so don’t feel pigeon-holed into any specific one.

These techniques, combined with your physical acting tools will make you an acting ninja!

Technique 1: Classical Acting

What Is Classical Acting?

Classical acting refers to a performance style that emphasizes the dramatic text and the shared theatrical traditions that have been passed down from previous generations.

This approach often requires actors to have strong vocal projection, clear diction, physical poise, and the ability to embody a character’s emotions genuinely and thoughtfully.

How is it Useful?

The classical acting technique is particularly useful when performing works from classical literature, like Shakespeare’s plays or ancient Greek drama, where language, tradition, and historical context are essential.

What’s An Example?

An example of a classical acting technique is when actors perform Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet,” relying on their skills to bring the intricate Elizabethan language to life, connect with the audience, and convey the timeless emotions depicted in the play.

Technique 2: Stanislavski’s System

What is Stanislavski’s System?

Stanislavski’s System is an acting technique developed by Konstantin Stanislavski, emphasizing an actor’s authentic connection to a character.

This is one of those acting techniques that encourages actors to delve deeply into their characters’ motivations, backgrounds, and emotions to portray them realistically and believably, often by drawing on their own personal experiences and emotions.

How is it Useful?

It’s especially useful in modern, realistic dramas where complex, nuanced characters and situations are central to the narrative.

What’s An Example?

An example of Stanislavski’s System in action is when an actor prepares for a role in a play like Arthur Miller’s “Death of a Salesman,” using the technique to explore and present the intricate layers of their character’s psyche, creating a performance that feels deeply real and relatable to the audience.

Technique 3: Method Acting

What is Method Acting?

Method Acting is an acting technique that requires actors to immerse themselves in their characters, often staying in character even off stage or set to produce the most lifelike performances.

Developed by Lee Strasberg, it’s an extension of Stanislavski’s System but emphasizes personal experience. Actors are encouraged to recall their own memories and emotions, aligning them with their characters’ experiences to achieve an authentic emotional performance.

How is it Useful?

The Method acting technique is useful when actors are portraying complex or emotionally charged roles, as it allows for a deeper understanding and embodiment of the character’s psyche and experiences.

It can also be beneficial when depicting historical or real-life figures, enhancing the authenticity and believability of the performance for the audience.

What’s An Example?

An example is Daniel Day-Lewis’s preparation for “Lincoln,” where he famously remained in character throughout the filming, mirroring Lincoln’s voice and demeanor, to deliver a powerful, believable portrayal.

Technique 4: Meisner Technique

What is the Meisner Technique?

The Meisner Technique, (one of the most popular acting techniques) developed by Sanford Meisner, is an approach to acting that focuses on the actor’s impulse and reaction to the surrounding environment and other actors.

It emphasizes being present in the moment and reacting truthfully to one’s surroundings, often through a series of exercises known as repetition, where actors continuously exchange a simple phrase, altering intonation and behavior as they react authentically to their partner’s cues.

How is it Useful?

The Meisner Technique is useful in developing an actor’s ability to respond sincerely, making performances more spontaneous and instinctive.

What’s An Example?

An example of the Meisner Technique in use might be seen in a highly emotional scene where actors engage deeply with one another, responding and reacting in real-time to each other’s authentic emotional cues, rather than pre-planning or rehearsing specific reactions, thereby creating a vivid, dynamic on-stage relationship.

Technique 5: Chekhov Technique

What is the Chekhov Technique

The Chekhov Technique, created by Michael Chekhov, is an acting technique that emphasizes the use of imagination and body movements to explore characters, rather than relying solely on personal experience.

It involves understanding the character’s objectives, using physical gestures called “Psychological Gestures” to tap into specific emotions or qualities, and employing imagination to envision the character’s environment (“Atmosphere”) and how they fit into it (“Centers”).

How is it Useful?

This technique is beneficial for actors seeking to transcend their personal experiences and connect more deeply with diverse characters.

What’s an Example?

A classic example might be an actor preparing for a fantastical role, perhaps in a science fiction or fantasy setting, who uses the Chekhov Technique to embody qualities they’ve never personally experienced, using physical gestures and imaginative imagery to create a believable character that is both compelling and otherworldly.

Technique 6: Stella Adler’s Approach

What is Stella Adler’s Approach?

Stella Adler’s Approach to acting is one of the acting techniques that emphasizes the use of imagination, as opposed to personal memory, as the foundation for creating characters and their emotions.

Adler, a member of the Group Theatre along with Lee Strasberg and Sanford Meisner, disagreed with Strasberg’s method of drawing from personal experience.

Instead, she championed the idea of an actor understanding the character through the context of the script, particularly through the given circumstances laid out by the playwright.

Actors are encouraged to imagine themselves in the same situations as their characters, eliciting genuine emotions and reactions.

How is it Useful?

This approach is useful for allowing actors to maintain emotional health, as they’re not required to relive personal traumas, and it also supports the creation of diverse characters beyond their experiences.

What’s an Example?

An actor using Stella Adler’s Approach might prepare for a role in a historical drama by researching the period’s social circumstances, imagining themselves living within that era, and interpreting their character’s actions and emotions through that lens, rather than finding analogous situations in their personal life.

This enables a performance that is truthful to the script’s context while being emotionally rich and believable.

Technique 7: Uta Hagen’s Method

What is Uta Hagen’s Method?

Uta Hagen’s Method is an acting technique that emphasizes the importance of “substitution” and “transference” in developing a character.

Hagen believed actors should use their personal experiences to understand the feelings and motivations of their characters, substituting their real-life emotions with those of their characters in similar situations.

One of her significant contributions is the concept of “Object Exercises,” where actors use objects as real as those in their characters’ lives to create a sense of truth on stage.

She also introduced the “Six Steps,” which include:

• Who am I?
• What are the circumstances?
• What are my relationships?
• What do I want?
• What is my obstacle?
• What do I do to get what I want?

These questions guide actors in deeply understanding and portraying their characters.

How is it Useful?

Hagen’s method is especially useful for actors seeking to connect with their characters on a profound, personal level, using their life experiences to lend authenticity and emotional depth to their performances.

What’s an Example?

An actor using Uta Hagen’s Method might prepare for the role of a grieving individual by recalling their own experiences of loss, using specific personal memories and objects that recall those emotions, and transferring those feelings to their character’s situation.

This process allows for a performance that’s deeply grounded in human experience, making the portrayal compelling and relatable.

4 Ways to Choose the Right Technique for You

1. Personal Comfort and Emotional Accessibility

Evaluate your ease with accessing deep personal emotions, as some methods like Method Acting require intense emotional recall.

Consider how Heath Ledger immersed himself into the role of the Joker, and understand your own boundaries. Acting techniques are supposed to help you do your job better!

2. Physical Expressiveness and Movement

Assess your ability to use body language and movement. If you’re expressive physically, techniques like the Chekhov Technique might suit you, much like how Andy Serkis portrayed Gollum in ‘Lord of the Rings.’

3. Imagination and Creativity

Reflect on your capacity to imagine and create characters’ realities from scratch, essential for techniques like Stella Adler’s Approach. Meryl Streep’s diverse roles showcase this skill.

4. Analytical and Research Skills

Consider your strength in research and analysis, crucial for methods like Uta Hagen’s that require understanding characters deeply. Daniel Day-Lewis’s methodical approach to “Lincoln” exemplifies this.

5 Ways to Master Your Preferred Technique

1. Train Formally

Enroll in reputable acting classes or workshops specific to the technique of interest. Guidance from experienced mentors is invaluable.

2. Practice Regularly

Like any skill, regular practice is key. Engage in consistent rehearsals, and apply the technique in varied scenarios to enhance adaptability.

3. Study the Masters

Analyze performances by actors renowned for using the technique. Understand their interpretations and nuances.

4. Personal Experimentation

Apply the techniques in different roles or performances, experimenting with various emotional and physical expressions to discover what resonates most with your personal style.

5. Feedback and Reflection

Seek constructive criticism from peers, mentors, or directors, and reflect on your performances to identify areas for improvement.

Conclusion

There’s no right acting technique, there’s the acting technique that’s right for you. Remember, the stage isn’t a one-size-fits-all, and neither should your approach be. These 7 techniques are just the starting point, the launchpad for your journey to versatile mastery.

Explore them, play with them, and even wrestle with them until they’re an authentic part of your repertoire. But always, always make them your own.

Because at the end of the day, whether you’re basking in the spotlight or grappling in the rehearsal room, it’s your unique spark that sets the stage ablaze.

So, keep digging deep, keep pushing boundaries, and for heaven’s sake, keep the drama on the stage, will ya? Now, go Break a leg!