Exercises you can do at home – Personal Fantasy - #3

I get asked frequently about acting exercises that an actor can do at home. Maybe you’re in between classes, you want to do some extra work, or you just want to explore and stretch yourself in the privacy of your home without being watched and judged.  Or maybe you’re curious and want to see and experience what actors do and try an exercise or two.  Doing these exercises is a good way to work on specifics, details, activity of doing, and imagination. Here is a third exercise that you can do on your own. Take your time and discover your way.

Exercises at Home #3 – PERSONAL FANTASY 

ONE PERSON

This is another exercise in imagination and imaginary circumstances.

In this exercise, you are in your dwelling, alone.  

There are two types of this exercise:

The Personal Fantasy Exercise and the Character Fantasy Exercise.  Today I’ll talk about the Personal Fantasy.

PERSONAL FANTASY

You are having a fantasy, alone in your apartment, you are yourself.  You are pretending to be someone else, living vicariously, or doing something.  The entire time you are yourself, knowing you are doing this.

Examples of having a personal fantasy:

Pretending to prepare your Oscar Speech

Being a rock star

A ballerina dancer

Having a passionate conversation with someone in your head

Rehearsing a scene or monologue

Preparing for a job interview

Pretending to be the opposite sex.

Use whatever props you need, and dress accordingly.   This is also called The Private Moment Exercise. In effect, you’re having a personal intimate moment with yourself, having a fantasy.

Remember, in this exercise you are playing yourself, pretending to be in this situation, you are always aware that you are yourself in this kind of fantasy.  Later I’ll talk about the Character Fantasy, where you play a character. There is a difference between the two.

Keep your imagination alive!  I’ll end with one of my favorite quotes.

“You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you  have.”  Maya Angelou.