As a professional actor, I have been trained to perform many different duties required of an actor. One of the most important of these is understanding how to break down a dramatic script. Breaking down a script refers to the actually investigating a scene to help uncover the truth behind your character. Dramatic acting is very complex, as you must understand the human condition and the emotions that are driving your character to speak and do actions. Below are several tips you may follow to help you effectively break down a script.
Story Arch
One of the most important things to look at when you’re breaking down a dramatic script is to uncover the story arch. Every story features an arch. Imagine a rainbow, at the beginning of the rainbow the arch is low to the ground, yet as you travel up the rainbow it rises and eventually peaks at its highest point. It then follows back to the ground. Story arch’s follow this same formula. At the beginning of a story you are introduced to characters and their issues. Throughout the story you are working your way toward the emotional climax, and ultimately, the story falls back down. To help guide your acting and your character development, take note of a script’s arch, and write down key moments within a script for your character.
Emotion High’s and Low’s
In life, we all experience emotional highs and lows, which is what gives our lives depth and interesting moments. When you’re breaking down a dramatic script, you must work to uncover the emotional highs and lows of your character. In what scenes do these emotional peaks and valleys occur? How does your character react? What is the reasoning behind his reaction? All these questions will help form the emotional basis of your character.
Objective of My Character
I vividly remember auditing in an acting class several years ago. The acting coach, who is a highly acclaimed teacher of acting, repeated the phrase, “what is your objective?” I swear, he said this at least fifty times within the three hours of the class. At first, I found it comical, then it got me thinking – what is the objective of my character? We all have objectives within our lives, and it is these objectives that guide us throughout our daily activities. Whenever you talk to a friend, co-worker or family member you have an objective. When you’re breaking down a dramatic script, it is vital to uncover the objectives of your character – take note: your character’s objectives can likely change from one scene to the next; however, you will typically have a core objective highlighted by momentary objectives. Understanding these objectives will help you create a believable and interesting character and performance.