Developing character like an actor

I've been struggling to connect with the main character in my WIP--I can feel myself leaning on sterotypes and easy caricacture rather than developing her as an interesting and unique individual.

Since I love performance and once had ambitions of being the next Julie Andrews (brief, brief ambitions but nonetheless burning), I decided to try finding some videos about how actors develop characters. This helped. A lot. Somehow it's easier to take advice, sometimes, from artists who are NOT in your own field. It forces your brain to churn, to make connections, to make things relevant.

If you find this approach as useful as I do, you may also want to check out the book GETTING INTO CHARACTER, by Brandilyn Collins, which applies acting techniques to developing characters for novels. 

Below are three of the videos that helped me tonight, with a few of my notes about each.

First, actor Estelle Parsons talks about developing character. While I watched, I jotted down a few questions I want to answer about my MC:

• Why am I writing this character? What makes her intriguing enough to me to spend a year, or more, with her?
• Where can I find myself in this character?
• What true and dark parts of myself will I use to write this character?

Next, actor Charlotte D'Amboise talks about developing character through motion. 

After watching this, I want to try WALKING like my character. Sitting like her. Seeing what it feels like to feel like when she lays to sleep at night. How does she hold her body? 

And do I believe what I'm saying, as her voice? 

Finally, acting teacher Howard Fine talks about creating character. Here is some of what I took note of, from this one:

• Get past self-consciousness in portrayal by finding a strong objective
• Never judge your character. Nobody thinks they are a villain.
• Specfics make things resonate for an audience.