Step 9: External Adjustments prompts the actor to actively modify their physical and vocal attributes to better align with the character they are portraying. This means that, while the actor may have already engaged with the character on a psychological level and discovered personal connections, they now need to consciously alter their external presentation.
Specifically, the actor should:
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Adjust Physicality: This involves changing body language, posture, movements, and facial expressions to embody the character more accurately. The actor should explore how the character's physical traits differ from their own and adopt those traits.
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Modify Vocal Quality: The actor should experiment with vocal characteristics such as pitch, tone, pace, and rhythm. This might involve changing the way they speak or even adopting specific accents or speech patterns that reflect the character's background and personality.
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Experiment with Tempo-Rhythms: The actor should explore various ways to express the character's energy and emotional state through tempo and rhythm in their performance. This can involve changing how quickly or slowly the character moves or speaks to convey their inner state and align with their behavior in different scenarios.
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Characterization and Detail: The actor should focus on the nuances and details of the character, recognizing that these small adjustments can reveal deeper layers of the character's personality, motivations, and emotional landscape.
Ultimately, this step encourages the actor to blend their internal understanding of the character with external manifestations, creating a more authentic and compelling performance.