1. Personation
Overview

2. Personation
Personation is the interpretation of character
Interpretation in this case means
‘your understanding’ or ‘vision of’ the character you are reading.

3. Ways to personate
There are various ways to personate a character. These usually go unmentioned in the text. By definition it is your ‘interpretation’ of the character and not a literal explanation of something that someone does in the text. e.g. the unmentioned cough of a smoker.

4. Voice
Voices can vary greatly and show a great deal about your interpretation of a character. Think of the difference between a confident gangster character and a nervous edgy smoker. Go on. Give it a try… “Hello my name is Billy Smith”

5. How to express different voices
Different voices come from mastering all of the different forms of emphasis learnt in previous classes. You then use a variety of them to create the different character’s voices.

6. Types of character voices
Any volunteers? “My name is Billy Smith. I come from…” Nervous/Edgy smoker character Confident gangster character Boogeyman out of a closet Alpha male wrestler character Romantic ladies’ man Sexually provocative adulteress

7. Manner of speech
This refers to the individual style of someone’s speech;
Stutters
Stammers
Lisps

8. Gestures
These are physical factors that may affect someone’s speech.
A twitch, a fluctuating heart rate, a cough, a gulp, stretching etc

9. Vocabulary
The type of vocabulary a character has may determine the style of speech they have
If they use long complicated vocabulary, maybe that will suggest confidence or intelligence. Short contracted words might suggest a lack of intelligence.
This will link directly to the voice.

10. Thought habits
Thought habits refer to the deep rooted thoughts a character may have.
Does he have murderous intent? Is she an adulteress?