What is Method Acting — It's Not What You Think It Is

Summary by Krater

This video breaks down Method acting, comparing its history, philosophy, and schools of thought—Lee Strasberg, Stella Adler, and Sanford Meisner—through film examples and the techniques they popularized.

From the video

Answers: What is method acting and what are its different schools and techniques?

• Method acting history and philosophy
• Lee Strasberg psychological method
• Stella Adler sociological method
• Sanford Meisner behavioral method
• Affective memory
• Sense memory
• Substitution
• Physicalization
• Character objectives
• Character research
• Script analysis
• Repetition exercise

What it concludes

• Method acting refers to when an actor focuses on the interiority of a role, submerging themselves into the characters' headspace, thoughts, and worldview.
• Method acting does not mean a performer can never leave a character between takes or has to live the life the character leads.
• Lee Strasberg focused primarily on psychological aspects of the method, such as affective memory, sense memory, substitution, and physicalization.
• Stella Adler emphasized the sociological aspects of the method, focusing on character objectives, character research, and script analysis while rejecting emotional memory.
• Sanford Meisner's school focused on behavioral aspects, emphasizing actor relationships and reaction elements through techniques like repetition, impulse, and subtext.