In order to achieve transformative acting, the actor must tap into the emotional core. This is the essence of emotional depth, which can be understood in terms of the actor’s ability to access and express the full range of human emotions, from subtle nuances to extreme states. Accessing emotional depth requires the actor to overcome emotional blocks and develop an awareness of their inner emotional life, which involves recognizing and managing their emotions in the moment. The actor must also be able to connect with the emotions of the character, using techniques such as sense memory and emotional recall to create a genuine emotional experience. This process allows the actor to embody the character’s emotions truthfully, bringing depth and authenticity to the performance.
One of the most essential elements in acting is emotion. It is the driving force that turns words on a page into a living breathing being. An actor’s ability to connect with their emotions is what helps the audience connect with them. In order to understand the emotions of another, you first have to understand your own. I have learned to do this through memorization and imagination. If you understand your emotional history, it can be a very powerful instrument. Without it, you are forced to simply play the words on the page. This does not allow you to truly bring life to a character. Not only will your acting benefit from connecting with your emotions, but you will also become a better person because of it.
This is where technique comes in, and where technique and instinct are eventually refined through practice, to become instinct again. If you are using the system, Stanislavski would tell you to ask yourself “what if this happened to me?” to get yourself to a place where you can honestly react. This takes a lot of practice, which is where technique comes in, because you have to be able to get rid of your ego and your pride, and be okay with being vulnerable. This is where I believe that instinct becomes a practiced skill. For example, if I want to be crying in a dramatic scene, I don’t just sob in that moment. The truth is that I’m not crying just because my eyes are leaking tears, I’m also crying because my shoulders are slumped, my face is contorted, my voice shakes, etc. The beauty of this is that it makes everything you say or do important, and it’s what will make your acting memorable. I think this is what separates good actors from great ones.
Not only does this apply to scenes but to the overall structure of a piece as well. Ensemble performances require actors to be open to each other and to respond truthfully in the moment. A discordant emotion from one member of the ensemble can pull a performance out of the truth. Actors develop this responsiveness in the workshop and rehearsal process and are asked to amplify and mirror emotions in order to create a unified ensemble. If the actor is not emotionally available, due to whatever personal issue, this will also be worked through during the reflection. This process supports the ensemble as well as the actor as an artist.
The benefits of an emotionally based work process is felt out of the classroom as well. Actors who are continually developing their emotional facility become more compassionate and durable in their emotional lives. This process is not only about acting but about personal development. The work helps you discover potential in yourself that you might not have known existed. Classes of adult learners that practice this approach can become very bonded. They do not judge one another but instead support each other in their vulnerability. When their defenses drop their imaginations increase and with this comes a fresh insight to text. Acting is the one place in our lives where we are allowed to emote; it cleanses both the actor and the audience of their feelings.
Last but not least, you have to be able to maintain the emotional depth in the long run. To keep on performing in a healthy way, you need to pace yourself, take rest, and recharge. Use whatever tools you have at your disposal: diaries, coaches, other actors. Do whatever you need to do to keep yourself sharp, travel, learn new skills, sports or anything else that you can find! Think about acting as a long term career that spans many years, where you play many characters, each one on the back of the last one. If you can embrace this approach, then not only will you serve your own acting muscles well, you will be paving the way for the actors of tomorrow to follow in your footsteps. Emotional depth is an approach to acting, not just a technique.