Over time, I have learned a great deal about the art form of acting; however, one of the most important tips I’ve absorbed throughout my professional experience relates to the connecting your internal monologue, also known as subtext, with your physical action.
Linking your dialogue to the motivational force of a particular scene or line allows the actor to truly move and speak with purpose and significance.
When you’re approaching your script, I want you to realize that every word, movement and action derived from your dialogue has a purpose. There are no small or empty movements when it comes to acting for the stage or film. Each movement of your muscle is done to tell the story and provide the audience with a glimpse into the life of this “person.”
Value of Your Lines
The first step in linking your dialogue to the motivational force of a particular scene, you must understand how the words you speak assist the character in achieving his goal. By having this understanding, you will be able to portray a character that has a clear motivational force, and this force will be clearly seen by the audience.
What is the Motivational Force?
If you’ve ever been to an acting class, then you’ve probably come across the coach speaking about the motivational force that drives your character. The motivational force is the ultimate goal your character wishes to achieve. The motivational force provides your character with the appropriate amount of purpose and reason to pursue the primary goal with the variety of actions and dialogue.
Connecting the Lines to Action
Once you’ve discovered the motivational force of your character, as well as the motivational force for a particular scene, you must then begin the process of connecting the lines of dialogue into action. This may be done through variety of steps, but one sure-fire way of accomplishing this goal is to write down the purpose of each line your character speaks.
After doing so, you will have a clear blueprint of the immediate goal and objectives for the character. With this in mind, ponder how the character would speak in order to accomplish this goal. How does your character move? How does the dialogue support and drive your character forward within this specific moment in time?
By answering these questions, you will be able to connect your dialogue with the motivational force, thus allowing your character to move with true purpose and significance.