We've all heard the saying, if it's not on the page; it's not on the stage. Well, nothing can be truer. A script is quite possibly the most important creative step in a film or theatre production. It's the base on which the entire foundation is constructed. Therefore, as actors, you have to make sure you analyze and internalize the script as perfectly as possible, cause that's the only way you can make thoughtful acting choices that truthfully and impulsively bring the story and your character in it to life.
So, on that note, here are a few steps that can help you approach script analysis for your projects -
1. The First Few Reads - The first thing actors must do is read the script over and over and over. During this time, make notes about your character. Jot down anything which gives you a sense of the character's background, the character's relationships, ideas, motivations, etc. You can also use this time to get a general idea of all the literal situations and events that affect your character throughout the script.
2. Breakdown into Scenes - Go through each and every scene with a fine-tooth comb. Focus on every word and every bit of punctuation. For example - 'feeling low' is different from ‘feeling disconsolate' which is in turn different from ‘feeling broken down'. Similarly, an exclamation mark at the end of a sentence tells us something different from a period. Take note of all these minute differences and mark them in your script.
3. Turning the action into a playable objective - This is the step where you identify all your character's actions and your character's role in the larger scope of the narrative. Go through every scene and list down - ‘What does my character want?’ ‘How do I go about getting what I want?’ and ‘What stands in my way?’ Basically find out what your character's objective is in every scene and how you are going to get your character to accomplish that objective. That will give you an action to play in each scene.
4. Ask questions and stay open to changes - If there's something about your character you don't understand or something doesn't ring true to you, then feel free to ask your questions to the writer and director.
You can also find yourself in a situation where you have a slightly different interpretation of the character as to what the writer or director has envisioned. My advice in those times would be to hear out what the director and writer have to say and then incorporate that into your character in an honest way, based on your own analysis from before. Remember, acting, like all aspects of film and theatre production is a collaborative endeavor and sometimes your initial analysis might actually be wrong so input from the director is really essential.
In the end, make sure you don't treat script analysis as an academic exercise. That would be of no use to you. Treat it more like an organizational and collaborative tool that helps you make clear choices and helps you engage in the text both intellectually and emotionally.
As a fun tidbit, here are Ryan Reynolds’ notes (or should I say Deadpool’s notes) on the ‘Deadpool’ script. Enjoy!
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