Character warm ups and "your method"

I am definetely with Psychedilic Goddess on this one. I am a method actor as well. Following objectives, reacting to and listening closely to the other characters, and using things such as emotional recall when neccesary. I REFUSE to watch a movie version of a production I will be in. If I had already seen it, I will not let myself slip into immitating that actor.
I do lots of research. Research about my character, about the time period, about the culture. One thing I have found myself to do is research musically as well. It started with one production I was in; David Mamet's "Sexual Perversity in Chicago." The play was placed in 1976 (though written in '74) and I researched all songs of the late 60's into the early to mid 70's and found what my character would most liekly listen to. Then I would find out what would have been popular at the time. Even if my character wouldn't specifically listen to the really popular song, he would certainly know about it and what it sounds like. I have found myself doing that with characters when I can. Some I feel wouldnt really be into music and so the musical research doesn't play as big of a part.
I also love to listen to my ipod pre-performance and focus. My vocal warmups are broad. #1 I will sing to songs before entering the theatre (ie musical soundtracks like Rent or Moulin Rouge). Once on stage, I will walk aorund the set, getting a feel for everything while doing lip-trills, tougne twisters and calls. There is a specific poem or sonnet we have learned at this college that many of us will recite together. Then it will be time for group warm-ups. We do things such as Zip-Zap-Zop, passing the face, counting to 20 with eyes closed (getting a feel for each other and listening; if two people say a number at the same time, u start over.) We do many other ones too, then end it all in a shakedown. Then its time to finish makeup/putting on your costume, a few more minutes of focusing and then go.

 

take acid and go over my lines with a friend

 

lol, need to try that one^^^

I don't do "Exercises" it mostly comes naturally to me. I just read the script like a book, and while I read it the characters, the way the move, act and seem, comes out into my head, so I usually just let the script do the work for me, then I just mold it to my own. I don't over think it, otherwise it LOOKS like acting, it its not supposed to, its supposed to seem real.

 

Put something your character would have in your pocket, and every time you are bored or anytime at all really just reach in and touch it and grab a character vibe from it just feeding off of that thing thing in your pocket for inspiration. it works well :]

 

I first off figure out my overall objective, sub objectives, my obstacles to "raise the stakes", and all of my intentions. Then I divide my script into beats. Then I figure out an "action" for each line which would help me get to my objective. Then ofcourse I would write my charecter biography to find out my past and my relationship with everyone around me and my enviroment. After all that borring work (lol) I would physicalize the actions to get them internally in my body, and make them bigger and bigger, then for then end product make everything small but keep the big parts of the action internal. This process has always helped me fully understand my characters.