Sam Sloan – SPCM 201 – Stanislavsky and Emotion – Goes along with Ch.

7 in the Pelias/Schaffer – Page 1

Stanislavski Method
Developed in the early 20th century at the Moscow Art Theater by Constantin Stanislavski, the Stanislavski method
of acting is a set of techniques meant to create realistic portrayals of characters. The major goal of the Stanislavski
method is to have a perfect understanding of the motivations, obstacles, and objectives of a character in each moment.
Actors often use this technique for realistic plays, where they try to present an accurate portrayal of normal life.

Three Core Elements

To begin employing the Stanislavski method, actors generally go over the script very carefully, looking for key
identifying factors. A performer discovers what a character wants (OBJECTIVE), what prevents the character from
getting it (OBSTACLE), and what means the character will use to achieve this goal (METHOD). Actors must also
determine the given circumstances of every scene, such as where the scene takes place, what is in the room, and what is
going on in the outside world. (For every performance, identify the objective of the scene, the obstacle in your way
and the method of getting around the obstacle. For some literature, like poetry, you may need to invent or discover the
obstacle or method through analysis or by playing around in performance).

Beginning with Objectives

To identify the objective clearly, an actor breaks down a scene into “beats” or “bits,” which are short sections that end
with each change of objective. In a basic example, if a character pours a cup of coffee, answers the phone, and then
runs screaming out of the house, the scene has at least three separate beats. At the bare minimum, the objective changes
from pouring coffee, to answering the phone, to getting out of the building. Beats are not determined on action alone,
however, and may be based on a change of argument or emotion. Actors can define objectives even within individual
lines of dialogue, based on a concept called “objective words.” It is the actor’s job to understand and play the
character’s objective not only in the entire play or film, each scene, and each beat, but also in each line. (In any
performance, determining what the key motivation is behind each line is a basic practice in the Stanislavski method.)

Obstacles and Methods Within a Scene

Obstacles are things preventing a character from achieving his or her objective. In the previous scene, if the character
trips while trying to run, it would present an obstacle to the objective of getting out of the house. Obstacles are dealt
with through one of three methods: the character gives up the objective because of it, finds a way to go around
it, or plunges along regardless. The method a character chooses in dealing with obstacles gives great insight into that
character; the basis for much of the Stanislavski method lies in defining how and why a character chooses a response.

The "Magic If"

In order to help actors portray the honest objective of the character, Stanislavski pioneered a concept called the “magic
if.” To help connect the character to the actor, performers must ask themselves “What if this situation happened to
me?” Through this activity, actors identify with characters as possible aspects of themselves, allowing them to think
like the characters, rather than just impersonate them. (Use yourself and your own emotional world as a model. Maybe
you’ve never had a parent die, for instance, but maybe you’ve lost a pet or other relative. Let that insight, those feelings
inform how you might play an emotion like “loss” in a character. Let your personal connections inform your
character’s world. — Also ask yourself questions like: What if this scene is the last time I ever get to see who I’m
talking to? What if I am secretly lying? What if I am in love? Let your answers inform your performance choices.)

The Internal Monologue

Understanding the objectives and methods of a character allows a performer to create an internal monologue for that
character (this can be very simple, like a mantra). Real people typically have a semi-constant flow of thoughts going on
in their minds, and the Stanislavski method attempts to create a internal monologue for a character. This technique
helps each action feel as if it comes spontaneously, rather than simply because the script says it should happen.
 Sam Sloan – SPCM 201 – Stanislavsky and Emotion – Goes along with Ch. 7 in the Pelias/Schaffer – Page 2
Differences from "Method Acting"
Due of its emphasis on realism, the Stanislavski method is often used in modern plays, film, and television. It should
not be confused with Lee Strasberg’s “Method Acting,” however, which involves an actor attempting to completely
become a character. The Stanislavski method maintains that a performer must remain somewhat separate from the
character, in order to properly understand his or her motivations and goals.
(Compiled from http://www.wisegeek.org/what-is-the-stanislavski-method-of-acting.htm)

What If
During Stanislavsky's drama classes, students were asked to act out different scenarios. Stanislavsky would watch them
acting out mundane tasks such as losing a set of keys or looking for a handbag. He would watch them run aimlessly
around the stage, pretending to tear out their hair or feigning worry. He asked one of his students to imagine that the
keys were somewhere in the room. The actress then began to actually search for the keys rather than to act searching
for the keys. It is only when the imagination believes that the situation is real that the true feelings of the actress
are conveyed to the audience.
Example: A volunteer is to act as though they are walking down the street. The other students then ask... 'What if...' and
make a suggestion to the volunteer to act out a situation. This may be, 'What if you were attacked by an old lady'. It
may be appropriate that the other student becomes the old lady. The reactions to WHAT IF need to be spontaneous and
need to be as realistic and natural as possible. Examples include; 'What if you were hit by a bus?', then 'What if you
found out you broke your leg?' These are extreme examples – make your questions relevant to the text you are using.

Below are four of Stanislavski's acting principles, each illustrated by a simple acting exercise:

1) Using your imagination to create real emotions on stage

Stanislavski encouraged his students to use the magic if to believe in the circumstances of the play. Actors use their
imagination to answer questions like: "What if what happens in the scene was really happening to me?" "Where do I
come from?" "What do I want?" "Where am I going?" "What will I do when I get there?" (A simple exercise you can
do anywhere to develop your imagination is to simply observe people surrounding you as you go about your daily life
(for example, in the subway or at the coffee shop). Then, invent details about their lives and use observations to make
up a biography for each person. Try to write a similar biography of a character you're playing.)
2) Action versus Emotion
Stanislavsky encouraged his students to concentrate on actions rather than emotions. In every scene, the actor has an
objective (a goal of what he wants to accomplish) and faces a series of obstacles. To reach his goal, the actor breaks the
scene down into beats, with each beat being an active verb, something the character does to try to reach his objective.
Here are a few examples of active verbs that can be actions in scenes: To help To hurt To praise To demean To leave
To keep To convince... (A simple exercise to get used to this way of working is to get a piece of paper and continue this
list, adding as many active verbs as you can think of, that are appropriate for your character.)
3) Relaxation and Concentration
Actors who study Stanislavski's acting method learn to relax their muscles. The goal is to not use any extra muscles
than the ones needed to perform a particular action on stage. They also work on concentration so they can reach a state
of solitude in public and not feel tense when performing on stage. In this acting technique, relaxation and concentration
go hand in hand. (Here's a simple Stanislavski concentration exercise to get started… Close your eyes and concentrate
on every sound you hear, from the loudest to the most quiet: a door slamming in the distance, a ruffle of the leaves in
the trees outside, the hum of the air conditioner, etc. Try to focus solely on sounds, excluding everything else from your
mind. Next, open your eyes and try to retain the same amount of focus.)
4) Using the senses
Stanislavsky students practiced using their senses to create a sense of reality on stage. For example, if their character
just walked indoors and it was snowing outside, they may work on an exercise to remember what being outdoors in the
snow feels like so they can have a strong sense of where they're coming from. (Example: Close your eyes and imagine
you are outdoors in the snow, then ask yourself the following five questions:
What do you see? Is the snow pristine? Muddy? What do you smell? How cold is the air as it enters your nostrils? What
do you hear? Is it more quiet than usual? What do you feel? How does the snow feel? Is it sticky? Wet? Are your toes
cold? What do you taste? Imagine that a flake falls on your lips. How does it taste? Is your throat dry from the cold?