ABSTRACT
This chapter examines how to carefully scrutinize a screenplay and extract clues from the dialogue and stage directions to help the actor prepare the given circumstances before arriving on set. It teaches the actor what to look for in the script that will inform them of props they may have and how to make a strong choice, bringing life into the scene. It reinforces the idea that, as in life, characters do not come from nowhere. They come from a specific place, with ideas, thoughts, and feelings that fuel the scene. It encourages the actor to create their original interpretation of the scene by combining the given circumstances of the character with their imagination. It provides examples from the movie The Shining, starring Jack Nicholson, The Queen’s Gambit, and Thelma and Louise, starring Geena Davis, Susan Sarandon, and Brad Pitt. There is an original sample scene and exercise at the end of the chapter.
