CHARACTER HISTORY

Welcome to Day 12 of our exciting 12-Days of “Fundamental Tips” Series

(IT’S THE HOLIDAYS…We’re counting down!).

12 Quick Questions to ask yourself about your characters (grab a pen and your actor notepad…this is gonna be good!):

Today we’re kicking things off with an important question: What happened before this moment? No, not just the “moment before” (the instant right before the scene) — but let’s think bigger. What experiences, past decisions, and emotions have shaped where your character is right now?

Much like you in real life, the past shapes your present. Your successes, challenges, and the people you’ve met along the way have all created the person you are today.  So it is with the characters you know and love, and the ones you’ve yet to create.

✨ Juicy Thought: Imagine a character’s backstory, their history—did they have a rough childhood? Did they struggle with self-doubt? Did they overcome huge obstacles? Or has everything come easy to them? These experiences influence everything, from how they handle conflict to how they interact with others. 

📝 Action Step: Reflect on your own “before history”. What’s one significant experience from your past that’s influencing how you feel today? And if you’re currently working on developing a character for an audition or role you’ve already booked, ask yourself the same question from your character’s perspective. There’s gold in there!

Stay tuned in a couple days for Day 11 of our 12-Days of “Fundamentals Tips” Series. Or better yet, sign up for our Newsletter so you won’t miss a tip! SIGNUP HERE (you’ll also be the first to know about new class offerings and get actor related career inspo!)