Throughout your time working and developing your character, you may find that this process is quite isolated. You will spend hours in private researching, imagining and writing, which must be done in order to cultivate and shape a character that is unique and believable. However, in order to truly fit this unique character into the script, all actors must agree on the overall purpose of the script and how each actor is able to support this purpose.
In order to portray your character according to the story, you must have a solid understanding of the story fountainhead and how your character fits into the entire plot.
Understanding the Story
You would be surprised how many productions I’ve been involved in where my fellow actors didn’t fully understand the story. This may seem strange to most; however, it is not uncommon for an actor to primarily focus on his character, his dialogue and movements while simultaneously forgetting the true purpose of his character within the storyline.
In order for you to deliver a convincing portrayal of your character that supports the story arc and plot flow you must understand the purpose of the story, the motives behind dialogue and the exact purpose as to why your character is involved within the story.
Acting According to the Fountainhead
The ‘fountainhead’ of a story is the primary objective and storyline within a production. This is true for stage and film acting, and as an actor you are responsible for portraying your character and acting according to the story fountainhead.
This is accomplished by:
· Fully understanding the story line, the purpose of all dialogue and why your character is involved within the story. · Steering your character’s emotions and actions to accomplish the primary story objective.
While these may sound like easy accomplishments, the only way to do so is by performing advanced-level scene analysis and character development. While the process involved in acting according to the fountainhead can be extremely personalized, the only sure-fire way of accomplishing this goal is by reading the script as many times as possible and keeping your mind open to suggestions not only from the words within a script to what your director says.