More on Character.

A human being takes a lifetime to create.  How do you expect to understand everything about them and their choices in a week?  Furthermore, during that week, you worked on the script, etc. for 3 days out of the 7, and 2 1/2 of those days were spent learning the lines. Those lines may not mean anything to you;  but you were able to memorize all of them perfectly.  Then you get to the audition or get up in class to show a "worked on" project, and all you know is the lines...

Does most of that sound perfect?  Does knowing the right lines mean that you did enough work?  If so, then let me ask you what you would do if the director said, "Now lets throw away the lines and just improv the scene freely" or  "Tell me a little bit about your character".  Would you know what the human being living in these circumstances would actually do?  If you do know what that human being would do, then you are half way there.  Would you be able to live in the moment not thinking of lines, the camera, or the actor/actress across from you that may royally suck as an actor?  We have to create "real life" in imaginary circumstances.

Actors tend to take this the wrong way when you first hear it - "It's not all about the lines".  No, I do not mean you don't need to know your lines.  I am just saying those lines mean something; and a human being usually says something for a purpose.  Real human beings live the way they do because of the way they grew up, and the way their previous choices have made their lives.  Figure out who the human being is whom you are playing, and "HOW" they became who they are.  Then, put yourself (character) in those circumstances.

When you finish with a great scene, you will not know what happened; nor will you probably think you did it right?  The words that come out of your mouth will be - "I feel like I did nothing".  That is when you know you are starting to truly live in the moment.  CONTINUE STUDYING BECAUSE THAT'S JUST THE TIP OF THE PENIS.  I mean iceberg.