True Character

A practical guide to creating your

authentic self using acting techniques
for character development

WORK IN PROGRESS
MANUSCRIPT

A.G.
Author’s Note (how this book came to be)

The past year has been wrought with anxiety and uncertainty. Despite
the fact that at the core of my soul, I’ve always known and kept close
to my consciousness that my destiny is one of bright and spectacular
greatness, this overwhelming sense of displacement was clouding
my everything, everyday. I felt lost, insecure, confused, frustrated,
and anxious. Several days before New Year’s Eve, I found myself
sequestered in the apartment, not being able to leave for four days. I
was having trouble sleeping, which was never an issue for me, and I
was up all night feeling restless. On the third night, I tossed in bed for
hours as I came to an epiphany- I began to realize more deeply why I
was feeling unsettled and frustrated. I started to see more clearly that
all the aspects of my self were deeply uncertain- unresolved.

Since childhood, I had avoided identification of any kind. I was

uncomfortable saying my name, for example. I would even give people
varying answers when they asked for my age. From simple facts to
more complex subjects, such as style, sexuality, interests, even friends,
I thought that I was serving my higher self by avoiding as many specific
identifications as I could. Even identifying with terms that were “fluid”
would have been an identification, but I couldn’t even make those
choices- I was simply ambivalent and perpetually unresolved.

So on this third restless night, I had come to the conclusion that

I stood for nothing, as opposed to everything- as I had previously
thought. Nothing was set. No question asked of me could be answered
in a clear and simple way. I lacked character.
 The one thing that I could always say with certainty is that I am an
artist. Although, at times, even my artistic practice came across as
nebulous. But as an artist and an intellectual, I have always been
interested in the ways that entertainment, theater, show business,
and production reflect our intrinsic human nature and psychology
and the ways in which we create and navigate the reality around us.
“The world’s a stage and we are all merely players,” said the wise
Shakespeare. And I believe this to be true.

Last night, on my fourth restless night, I had to come to terms with the
realization that, although I have a spiritual practice that honors the
statement “we are spiritual beings having a physical experience,” I
didn’t have a practice that honored the “physical experience.” So I then
began to think about characters in theater and cinema. Regardless
of the specific character, every character shares a singular quality-
a commitment to their characteristics. Without these committed
character choices they would simply be aimless stumbling actors
on a stage or screen, with no purpose or role. But when the actor
puts the work into their character, and then performs with gravitas,
an admirable sense of confidence occurs, because their character is
identified, owned, and has an important part to play. I realized that I
too need to practice this mastery. I needed to develop my character in
order to feel whole and self-assured- in order to have a role on life’s
stage.

- A.G. December 31, 2019

Introduction

Some years ago I started reading a practical book on acting that I

had discovered at a successful television actor’s home, written by the
renowned acting coach Larry Moss, titled The Intent to Live - and I
came to a realization. I found it extremely interesting that the technical
teachings and philosophies behind the craft of acting resonated
so closely with my beliefs and readings on spiritual practices, self-
mastery, quantum physics and potentiality. Very quickly into the
book, I was reading it much like a guide to a higher self- a mastered
self. This practical book on acting didn’t just allude to a more aware
and conscious self, but a self who could be capable of approaching
life like a malleable material- as something that could be studied,
harnessed, and worked on- much like an actor would make committed
choices in rehearsal. Having read that book largely as an analogy of
life as the grand theater, I concluded that what we all want is to be a
memorable character. We all want a purpose and a role- validated and
acknowledged. We all want a part in the play- and we want it to be
great.

My readings on quantum physics, as written from a perspective of

our spiritual experience in a material reality, has taught me that the
physical universe is housed within our collective consciousness. What
this means is that everything that we perceive, is perceived by and
through us. Our amazingly complex bodies are vehicles which are
used and operated by our creative consciousness- the limitless source
which we all share at the core, despite how varied our “vehicles” are.
In its totality, as we know it, this universal intelligent field is composed
of two main elements from which everything we know catalytically
radiates; information and energy.
I have come to realize that this dichotomy can be rewritten through the
lens of the art of acting, in a way in which we can utilize its techniques
as we work on the craft of developing our own great characters. But
before we get into the theatrical training, it is important to understand
how and why this creative process actually works.

In this reinterpreted way, the information is the creative thought

process in conceiving of your clear goals towards the character you
wish to embody. You can think of this space as where your thoughts
are had, and that is it- no actions are taken yet. These thoughts are the
brainstorm sessions where you can have fun, knowing and trusting that
the possibilities are limitless. As we move into the space of energy,
the space of action, it is good to remember this: you cannot think
something into being. To manifest something into your reality requires
action, or energy. So first you use your creativity and imagination to
gather information, then you use your energy to take those ideas into
action.

When you go through this process you are using your body’s creative
mechanism. This internal guidance system within you operates much
like a goal-striving machine, completely impersonal of your own
desires, with no will of its own. When you conceive of your ideas, you
are working at the conscious level of your brain and nervous system.
Once that gathered information is fed into your creative mechanism,
it goes to work assisting you in completing that goal, at the
subconscious level. This happens because your body is hardwired to
assist you in what you believe to be true- which begins in the mind, in
the form of beliefs, ideas, opinions, and interpretations. Depending on
what data you input into your mechanism, your body will always serve
you by aiding in accomplishing the goals which you have consciously
determined and progressing towards making that into a reality. Your
automatic mechanism will guide every little muscle movement with
your goal in mind- as long as you keep your goal in your mind.
The practice of self-image visualization is a very powerful “rehearsal”
tool because your brain and nervous system as a whole cannot tell
the difference between an actual experience and one that is vividly
imagined. This is important to keep in mind when you have created
a clear vision for yourself, in specific and thorough details, because
by visualizing yourself performing in a new manner you can convince
your brain, your automatic guidance mechanism, that it is nearly the
same as the actual performance. By “acting as if” you have certain
new traits and attitudes, you will unlock the abilities and capabilities
that you didn’t think you possessed. But you can’t simply “see”
your new self-image, you need to make it believable, to yourself, by
“feeling” the experience as if it is possible, putting aside all doubt. This
“believability” is a necessary condition for personality transformation.

The constant repetition of this practice, in both seeing and feeling the
experience, is the necessary method to building new neuron pathways.
When these guide-maps have been created in your brain you are able
to access personality traits and attitudes which you always had, but
didn’t possess the effortless confidence and ability to tap into. The
embedded memory of this self-image enables you to perform better.

To optimize the newly embedded circuits which allow you to build

a stronger self-image you must rehearse in a space of least stress.
Visualizing in a mental environment of pressure causes the neuron
pathways to create a tight and inflexible map, which will lead to a
lowered ability to act in spontaneity and improvisation. This happens
because stress has a negative impact on the frontal cortex of the
brain, the part of the brain you need in order to conceive, visualize,
and learn from your creative thoughts. When you practice and learn
from self-image visualizations in a constant state of ease and peace,
your neuron pathways are built in a much more broad and general
manner, utilizing more brain matter, allowing you to really lean into
your performance with confidence. And because life does not provide
you with a script, a pressure-free rehearsal practice instills confidence
by successfully preparing you for spontaneity and improvisation.
 As you continue to build appropriate healthy neuron pathways, the
way you choose to, you must remember that you are providing a
protocol for your creative guidance mechanism to do its work- moving
you toward your goals. So what this means is that once you have
prepared yourself, you must then throw out all care of the outcome
and trust in your creative machinery to tap into your abilities to perform
spontaneously. Judgement, anxiety, and regret will simply jam your
machinery. By the nature of spontaneity, you cannot provide conscious
effort to be spontaneous in your performance. It is much more effective
to first define your goals, visualized clearly and vividly, then allow your
subconscious mechanisms to run its course.

Being flexible is important in your performance, but it is also important

to be flexible with your expectations. The important thing to remember
is that every day is an opportunity to be the character who you wish
to play, and every night is an opportunity to take notes, with no harsh
judgements on yourself, and to continue the life-long rehearsal
process.

Negative feedback is a very important part of learning and goal-

striving, because it is simply useful data. You must input that data
into your creative mechanisms to modify the course of your forward
action, and never misinterpret negative feedback as a sign to stop-
stopping is never an option. And when you get stage-fright, as we all
may experience, just remember that it is simply excessive negative
feedback which is being unproductively misinterpreted, manifesting as
the suppression and inhibition of your expression of self.

It is not uncommon that others will see your ability to alter your
character in a powerful manner as conceit or egotism. And if that
is the case, then let it be. This is also an opportunity to gauge your
surroundings and your social network- for a true friend will always
be proud, supportive and very often inspired by your unwavering
faith and trust in the human expression of the “self” within us all.
Discouragement can be brushed aside by your strong character, your
impressive level of showmanship and your reverence for creative living.
In this book, you will creatively conceive of your ideas and goals, the
information, utilizing the same craft that an actor would in the process
known as character development. Once that information is created you
will need to rehearse it, through varying practices of visualization and
“notes,” feedback given to actors and their performance. Before you
can change, you have to “see” yourself in your new role. When you feel
ready, you’ll work on your showmanship, using your body to energize
your creative goals, acting with commitment to your character choices
and with charisma- breathing vital life into your character on the
(world’s) stage.

The format of this book is structured into four parts:

Part 1: Character Development

Part 2: Your Character: a Character Development Questionnaire

Part 3: Rehearsal

Part 4: Showmanship

The most important part of the book is the Character Development

Questionnaire. Once completed, this will serve as a thorough
document of your character. It will become a physical manuscript of
your self, available always as a resource and as a reminder, in clear
and simple language.
 Having the ability to write your book puts into practice the creative
control we have over our own personhood. Your personality is a
powerful tool that you use to navigate through the world, and it is
always stronger, wiser, and more capable than you initially think.
Conditioning took over at a very early age as the agent which created
your personality, as a sum total of your environments, habits, interests,
perspectives, attitudes, and learned skills. This is a truly powerful
notion and not one to be taken lightly, if what it is that you desire is to
take back the agency that we are each entitled to- the agency to be
the creative director of your character and of your destiny.

It is true that we are ever progressive, dynamic, and fluid, but we

still need to identify with specific things- how we are in the present
moment. We need to put language to these things. In the same way we
need a physical form in the darkness to see a flashlight shining on it, or
a sheet over a ghost to know it’s there, we need to apply language to
a thing in order to speak it and to hear it- to know it. Your choices can
always change- but we need to choose those choices now.

It doesn’t put your character in a box or generalize anything at all. On

the contrary, it gives you a document that serves to show you how
incredibly complex and varied you truly are. And more importantly, that
you possess a great certainty of that complexity. You will know your
self, with certainty. You can only be truly confident in your self if you
have absolute certainty.

It’s helpful to think about it in this way; that at the core of

consciousness, in the field of pure potentiality, identifiers don’t
exist- no gender, no race, no ethnicity, no sex. By separating your
“self” from yourself, it makes it easier to realize that everything put
upon your body and your circumstance is extra. Of course there are
certain things we can’t change, but they are nothing in comparison to
everything that we can change.
In psychological terms, there are three layers to our selves; our outside
perception of our selves (how others see us), our persona (how we
try to be seen by others), and our ego (what we really think of our
ourselves). When these layers are not in sync with each other we tend
to struggle more when we try to make sense of our truest character. By
making clear and specific choices, and committing to those choices as
the set of truths we’ve chosen for our character, we can conflate the
layers of our self and live in certainty. The resulting information is one
of utmost authenticity, because the decision making process that you
are about to embark on is solely up to you. You, and no one else, are
responsible for claiming your own truths.

The theatrical vernacular used in this book comes from classical

acting training. It is important to understand and embrace this
language, knowing that “your character” is meant quite literal- as in the
theatrical character that you play in life. Undoubtedly, we all portray
a character, and if you think about this visible character distanced
from your nonmaterial “being,” you will be capable of analyzing and
understanding it. The identity of your character governs your reality,
so you must be aware that once you understand this concept and take
control of this methodology, that you will possess the ability change
your life.
Part 1: Character Development

Every director, writer, and actor will agree that the characters are
what determine the success of a story, and to go even further, that
the characters are the reason for the story’s existence. But it’s not
just any character that is memorable, it’s those characters that are
unique, dynamic, bold, and great that are interesting, exciting, and
impressionable. The process of characterization is quite complex
and alchemic, as the character is the spine of the story. A story’s
characters are the ones who tell the story- they are solely responsible
for the most satisfying experience possible.

The first step to fulfilling your role is to claim your character. And the
only way to do so is to clearly identify every aspect of your character.
The first thing an actor does, before rehearsing, and certainly before
performing, is thoroughly determine and develop their characterization.
Characterization can take months, even years, to get right. An
imperative tool that will help you along your way is your awareness.
Become an expert at observing- observing what is happening in your
own life and what is happening in the lives of those around you.

But what is arguably the most important task in developing your

character is determining your motivation, or as most actors and
directors call it, your “super objective.” Your super objective dictates
the direction of all characteristics- making the work of characterization
a more logical process because you will decide on character choices
which best serve your strongest motivation- your deepest desire.
Your Motivation

At the core of your character lies your motivation- the driving force
for which everything else is modeled around in order to serve that
goal. Your motivation is why your character gets up every morning- it’s
the passion which leads each foot to step in front of the other, in the
direction of your motivation. This can always change, especially if you
attain your goals, but again, we must identify it at its current state. It is
important to have a good idea of this motivation, which can range from
humble and specific to far-reaching and grandiose, because it is the
basis for which your character exists. Your motivation will determine
how you workshop, prepare for, rehearse, and ultimately perform your
character.

Your identifications are what drive your behavior. If you want to change
your behavior, then you need to think of your self in a different way-
you need to develop a new methodology for your behavior and you do
this by establishing your character’s reason for being. You can make
the shift in your reality that you want by getting to the essence of
character, by getting clear about your character’s motivation.

Before you venture into the process of your characterization in the next
section, really take your time to think about your character’s motivation.
In what direction do you want to shift the course of your reality? And as
you think about your “super objective,” contemplate with an open mind,
keeping this notion as a fact; your capability for thought is infinite, and
therefore what you can think into existence is infinite.
Now take the time you need to meditate on a motivation which will
serve the highest purpose of your character. Once you have created
clear and simple language that describes your character’s reason for
being, write it down in this space.
Part 2: Your Character: a Character Development Questionnaire

An important thing to remember, as you answer the questions, is

the importance of the present moment. As Larry Moss put it, “for
the actor, every play or film takes place now.” With this in mind, you
should answer the questions from a space grounded in the now. Do
not answer any question in a theoretical format, as in “one day I’d like
to” or “maybe I could if I tried.” If you cannot answer with absolute
certainty, instead, answer a question in a way which positions your
answer in its current state. You can either state that you are “currently
work on…” or “I’m currently taking a class to…” or “I’m practicing to
improve my…” Then get to the work which makes that a truth. Use
a pencil as you answer the questionnaire, so that you can always
edit your truths as you work on their progress, or decide to change it
completely later on- spontaneity is an important part of your creative
process and your character’s evolution.

You’ll find that the most difficult challenge is not in identifying your
character choices, but the commitment to those choices. The real work
happens once you’ve made your choices. I’ll discuss more about this
after you’re done with the questionnaire. But it is important to keep
this in mind as you answer your questions because it will be helpful
to know that you can and are even encouraged to answer questions in
a creative way. This is your opportunity to build the person you want
to be. This is your opportunity to take every positive thought about
your self that you’ve always felt was true, whether you showed it or
now, and really bring it into your authentic reality. This is the time to
take back control over your character and every single facet of it that
gleams with certainty.
 If you make a character choice that is different from your current
circumstance, or you know that it will be a very difficult choice to bring
into your reality, remember that it is possible, but that it will take some
work (and in some cases, a lot of work)- it will take time for you to
become skilled at that choice. As a simple example, if someone were
to ask me “do you run?” when I currently do not run at all, but I decide
to make it a characteristic for my character, I would answer “yes, I do
run.” Then, in order to make this choice into a truth, I would head to the
nearest sporting goods store, put on a pair of new running shoes, get
outside and get to work- making it truthful, believable, and vibrant.

What you need to understand about the questionnaire is that it

provides the ability for you to have a thorough manuscript which lays
out your present moment self- which is extremely powerful knowledge
to have. But it also gives you the opportunity to write that manuscript
yourself, letting you put pencil to paper, answering the questions the
way you want the questions to be answered. There is proven power in
the practice of transferring thoughts into written word. It is important to
note an old saying in show business; “if it isn’t on the page, it isn’t on
the stage.”

The questions are formatted in a way as to not elicit judgement.

Nothing in this book is about judgment or creating a situation in which
you feel the need to negatively judge yourself. The questions are
formatted in a way as to elicit clear and simple answers, however you
want to answer them. Judgement need not be a part of the process,
as you are making character choices which you, and only you, want
entered into the realm of your reality.
If you require a bit of thinking on certain questions, or even want to get
back to it later, remember to highlight it. You should highlight the ones
you need to go back to for two reasons.
1. It’ll be easy to find it later.
2. If you didn’t create an answer immediately, it means this
question had and always will be more difficult for you to know and
to commit to. So highlighting it means you can continue to remind
yourself of the question, why the answer isn’t or wasn’t immediate, and
once you do create an answer, you can remind yourself of the choice
you chose in regards to this specific issue. This can also be one of
those opportunities for you to have some creative freedom with the
answer, since it required a little more thought.
The Questionnaire

Physical

1. Describe your character’s sex, and how it relates to your

character’s physical appearance.

2. Describe your character’s gender, and how it relates to your

character’s physical appearance.

3. Describe your character’s race, and how it relates to your

character’s physical appearance.

4. Describe your character’s ethnicity, and how it relates to

your character’s physical appearance.

5. Describe your character’s age, and how it relates to your
character’s physical appearance.

6. Describe all of your character’s physical features.

7. Describe the state of your character’s health.

8. Describe your character’s sense of style.

9. Describe your character’s attitude towards style.


10. Describe your character’s ideal outfit.

11. Describe for whom your character dresses for.

12. Describe your character’s comfortability with your

character’s appearance.

13. Describe how your character’s physical appearance reflects

your character’s inner-life.

14. Describe how your character’s physical appearance affects

your character’s behavior toward others.

15. Describe your character’s sexual orientation.

16. Describe your character’s sexual allure.

17. Describe your character’s feelings towards sex.

Psychological

18. Describe your character’s current emotional state.

19. Describe your character’s general emotional state.

20. Describe your character’s current feelings towards your

character’s life circumstances.

21. Describe your character’s general feelings towards your

character’s life circumstances.

22. Describe your character’s desires.

23. Describe your character’s interests.

24. Describe your character’s passions.

25. Describe your character’s sense of fulfillment.

26. Describe your character’s success at fulfilling your

character’s desires.
 27. Describe your character’s denials of your character’s
desires.

28. Describe your character’s sense of success.

29. Describe your character’s sense of pride.

30. Describe your character’s dislikes.

31. Describe your character’s fears.


32. Describe your character’s reaction to fear.

33. Describe your character’s courage.

34. Describe your character’s confidence.

35. Describe your character’s willingness to love.

36. Describe your character’s loves.


37. Describe your character’s perspective on love.

38. Describe your character’s sense of independence.

39. Describe your character’s sense of shame.

40. Describe your character’s hopes.

41. Describe your character’s guilts.


42. Describe your character’s perspective on forgiveness.

43. Describe your character’s failures.

44. Describe your character’s religion & spirituality.

45. Describe your character’s relationship to food and beverage.

46. Describe your character’s perspective on death.

Sociological

47. State your character’s name.

48. Describe your character’s relationship to your character’s

name.

49. Describe your character’s relationship to your characters:

1. Father.

2. Mother.

3. Grandparents.

 4. Siblings.

5. Children.

6. Partner.

50. Describe your character’s friends.

51. Describe your character’s economical status.

 52. Describe your character’s education.

53. Describe your character’s geography.

54. Describe your character’s home.

55. Describe your character’s “tribe.”


Use this space to elaborate on specific characterization details
such as traits, quirks, habits, use of language, roles, ambitions,
morals, political views, and anything else that will provide a deeper
understanding of your character’s uniqueness.
Conclusion of Questionnaire

Part 3: Rehearsal

Part 4: Showmanship

Conclusion

Showtime!
 True Character

A practical guide to creating your

authentic self using acting techniques
for character development

WORK IN PROGRESS
MANUSCRIPT

A.G.