Schirmer Encyclopedia of Film

films and high-concept blockbusters appears to have
prompted critics to see all cinematic characters as
intrinsically different from dramatic or novelistic characters,
which seem to be considerably more complex.
Hollywood’s emphasis on spectacular action and other
scenes that display performers’ physical expertise has
caused some observers to see film acting as primarily
‘‘performing,’’ as instances in which individuals behave
as themselves in performances that do not involve the
representation of characters. Imagining that Hollywood
movies are representative of filmmaking in general, other
observers have categorized acting in film as ‘‘received
acting,’’ as cases in which the representation of character
is attributed to individuals due to costuming or context.
For still others, the high visibility of formulaic
Hollywood productions has made film acting seem like
‘‘simple acting,’’ instances when someone simulates or
amplifies actions, ideas, or emotions for the sake of an
Acting
Method acting by Marlon Brando in Elia Kazan’s A Streetcar Named Desire (1951). EVERETT COLLECTION. REPRODUCED BY
PERMISSION.
audience but represents only one dimension of a character
or situation.
Even for those who recognize that cinema is more
than a recording medium and that there are numerous
conceptions of character in film, acting in the cinema has
proved to be a challenging field of study because actors’
performances belong to a film’s narrative and audiovisual
design. Screen performances reflect the aesthetic and
cultural traditions that underlie a film’s narrative design,
conception of character, and orchestration of performance
and nonperformance elements.
In film, actors’ performances are integral to the flow
of narrative information. Audiences construct interpretations
about characters’ desires, choices, and confrontations
largely by watching actors’ performances. To create
performances that give audiences clear and nuanced
information about what is happening, why, and what is
at stake, competent actors and directors working in film
SCHIRMER ENCYCLOPEDIA OF FILM 13