Acting Methods

Method comes from the Greek word μέθοδος (méthodos) and literally means: a path towards something. So it is the way you do something to achieve a goal.
In today's acting technique there are basically two different approaches, the naturalistic "identification" position (representation) and the illusionistic "distance" position (presentation).
Through "identification", the actor empathises with the role, merges with the attributes of the character and "forgets" his own identity temporarily. Through the "distance" position, he proceeds as planned and calculated as possible "with a clear head" in order to invoke the forms of expression necessary for the representation in each case.
Both approaches have their raison d' être and should not be played off against each other.
Konstantin Sergeievich Stanislavski (1863-1938), Russian actor, director and theatre reformer, is the best-known exponent who helped the art of acting to become naturalistic. He changed the theatre world at the beginning of the 20th century. Until then, theatre was played in expansive and theatrical gestures. He sent his actors, who he had hired for a production of Maxim Gorki's "The Lower Depths", to Moscow's public dormitories for several nights. Here the actors were not only to see (collect information) how the poorest lived, but also to smell, taste and feel (experience) it. Stanislavski wanted his actors to bring this reality to the stage.
His approach (Stanislavski's system) had a formative influence on Stella Adler, Sanford Meisner (Meisner technique) and Lee Strasberg (Method Acting). Under this approach famous graduates have been trained such as James Dean, Marlon Brando, Robert De Niro, Christoph Waltz, Johnny Depp, Diane Keaton, Jeff Goldblum, Jack Nicholson, Anthony Hopkins, Leonardo DiCaprio and many more.
«If you were here to study dance, this class would be about your legs. If you were here to study piano, it would be about the instrument. The actor uses his legs. He uses his voice, his eyes, his hands. He uses every part of his body. His body is his instrument. The actor has to develop his body. The actor has to work on his voice. But the most important thing the actor needs to work on is his mind.»[1]
[1] Stella Adler, "Die Schule der Schauspielkunst", Henschel Verlag
In today's acting technique there are basically two different approaches, the naturalistic "identification" position (representation) and the illusionistic "distance" position (presentation).
Through "identification", the actor empathises with the role, merges with the attributes of the character and "forgets" his own identity temporarily. Through the "distance" position, he proceeds as planned and calculated as possible "with a clear head" in order to invoke the forms of expression necessary for the representation in each case.
Both approaches have their raison d' être and should not be played off against each other.
Konstantin Sergeievich Stanislavski (1863-1938), Russian actor, director and theatre reformer, is the best-known exponent who helped the art of acting to become naturalistic. He changed the theatre world at the beginning of the 20th century. Until then, theatre was played in expansive and theatrical gestures. He sent his actors, who he had hired for a production of Maxim Gorki's "The Lower Depths", to Moscow's public dormitories for several nights. Here the actors were not only to see (collect information) how the poorest lived, but also to smell, taste and feel (experience) it. Stanislavski wanted his actors to bring this reality to the stage.
His approach (Stanislavski's system) had a formative influence on Stella Adler, Sanford Meisner (Meisner technique) and Lee Strasberg (Method Acting). Under this approach famous graduates have been trained such as James Dean, Marlon Brando, Robert De Niro, Christoph Waltz, Johnny Depp, Diane Keaton, Jeff Goldblum, Jack Nicholson, Anthony Hopkins, Leonardo DiCaprio and many more.
«If you were here to study dance, this class would be about your legs. If you were here to study piano, it would be about the instrument. The actor uses his legs. He uses his voice, his eyes, his hands. He uses every part of his body. His body is his instrument. The actor has to develop his body. The actor has to work on his voice. But the most important thing the actor needs to work on is his mind.»[1]
[1] Stella Adler, "Die Schule der Schauspielkunst", Henschel Verlag