While acting in a horror movie, you are going to be presented numerous scenarios that are, well, strange. Throughout my experience working on horror films and stage plays, I’ve had to learn how to perform unique actions that me, as a typical person, would never have to engage in. For example, in a horror movie you may be required to save yourself and your friends from a blood-thirsty vampire, or escape through a maze while a crazed maniac chases after you with a blood-drenched knife.
It is your job as an actor in a horror movie to deliver a realistic performance, and one of the many steps you must take to ensure this goal is accomplished is to understand why your character performs certain actions. For example, why does your character choose to enter a home that is obviously dangerous? Why does he go into a dangerous situation where the likelihood of survival is minimal?
One of my personal favorite horror movies, “The Decent,” watches a group of women while they explore an unmarked cave. Within this cave they are introduced to a highly evolved version of “humans” who are ruthless and blood hungry. Throughout the film, the lead character transforms from a meek woman into a woman who takes charge and connects with her animalistic side. Her performance was extremely believable because she truly understood why her character performed certain actions.
Determine Your Character’s Motivation
Before truly understanding why your character performs certain actions, you must first delve into the reality of the character. You must understand the motivation behind his actions. Does your character perform an action to ensure his survival? If so, what emotions are going through his mind? Does your character engage in an action to save someone or to kill someone? Uncovering the motivation behind your character will shed light onto why he is performing his actions. Use the script to guide you to his motivation, delve into the interactions between him and other characters. Create a detailed biography of your character to determine how is upbringing and relationships within his family has shaped his personality.
Use Your Imagination
When you’re acting in a horror movie, you must really be in-tuned with your imagination. While acting in any fashion requires a great deal of imagination, working within the world of a horror movie you must be able to use your imagination and take it to dark places. Using the film mentioned above, the actresses within this film had to engage their imagination to create realistic reactions to these prehistoric, and almost animalistic, “humans.” Close your eyes while reading the script and imagine yourself in the situation. What does it smell like? What does the air feel like? How are your clothes clinging to your body? What noises can you hear, or is it completely silent? What are your thoughts? By fully engaging your imagination, you can then perform actions with true purpose and understanding.
What is Your Character’s Objective?
Every character, both large and small, has an objective. This is why they rose out of bed. This is why they are in the current situation. Objectives drive not only your character, but also yourself throughout everyday life. Even reading this article, you have an objective, which is to become a more well-rounded actor when it comes to horror movie acting. Before performing any action, uncover the objective of your character. Use your script as a guide.
For example, your character is slated to slowly creep throughout a dilapidated home, which is obviously home to some type of danger. Why does he enter this home? Why is he creeping slowly? What is his overall objective for doing so? What is the objective within his primary objective? For example, his primary objective entering the home is to find is best friend who was taken into this home by a monstrous person. His objective for creeping slowly is to avoid being caught. His objective for not being caught is to not have a horrific encounter with the psycho. As you can see, there is an objective within an objective, within an objective. It is your job to uncover these objectives to give a truly believable and interesting performance.