Terminology Tuesday: Given Circumstances

If you’re wondering what we mean by “do the work” — one of the most important aspects is understanding and breaking down your given circumstances. ⁠

The term “given circumstances” refers to the “who, where, what, when, why, and how” of your character:⁠

🎭 𝗪𝗵𝗼 are you? (Name, age, physical health, mental health?)⁠

🎭 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 are you? (In a room, outdoors, on an airplane, in a jail cell?)⁠

🎭 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 does the action occur? (In the present, in the past, in the imagination, in the future, in a dream?)⁠

🎭 𝗪𝗵𝘆 are you present in this situation? (Hiding, celebrating, escaping, seeking?)⁠

🎭 𝗛𝗼𝘄 are you behaving/reacting because of these circumstances?⁠

Given circumstances are either directly stated and/or indirectly laced within the scene description or character dialogue. ⁠

The most important thing to remember: ⁠

The text is full of clues to help you make smart choices. The given circumstances of your character is an important tool that will help you root for these clues. ⁠

Once you figure our your given circumstances, 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘶𝘱 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘥𝘪𝘨 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘦𝘳, 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘦 & 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘵𝘴 𝘴𝘰𝘢𝘳. ⁠

#themoreyouknow #thecastingdirectorscut #terminologytuesday #actorslife

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