Assignment 1-3-2 Building Characters: The Work of Celebrity Impersonators

Assignment 1-3-2

Building Characters: The Work of Celebrity Impersonators Analysis

Julie Kemi

HUMN240 – F2WW

7/26/2012

Stephanie Bost - Chi

Building Characters: The Work of Celebrity Impersonators Analysis

Building characters as a celebrity impersonator incorporates a great deal of discipline. A celebrity impersonator rehearses performance identity, data and methods, character and role work when getting into character.

Appreciative behavior for the characteristics of a celebrity is a key to being a skilled impersonator.  The understanding of the methods used in learning the character is key. An impersonator perfects getting into the character, being out of the character, and the character confusion that comes with this type of work.

Celebrity impersonators possess a unique career niche. They perform in roles that other performers are performing.  (p1191)  Impersonators may take on the perception that they are clowns in their profession. A misunderstood role, the impersonator feels marginalized within their occupation. Producers and industry executives may not find an impersonators work as serious as that of an actor (Ferris, 2011).

Celebrity impersonations require the replication and interpretation of the persona of a genuine individual. Impersonators need to practice special vocals and replicate them in order to replicate the character and integrate these areas into their act. This skill depicts to the audience and contributes to a convincing role (Ferris, 2011).

There is a great deal of talent that goes into impersonations. Understanding the social and situational identities of your character is imperative to the success of the act. The characters ideas, actions, vocals, and lifestyle have an essential influence on the impersonator (Ferris, 2011).

Building a character is critical to an impersonators act. Impersonators use their bodies as tools. They create a convincing presence to represent the characters identity. This presence includes the gender they represent, skin color, height, and weight. Creating this presence can be demanding and life changing for an impersonator.

Impersonators must create presence in their act. Using assumptions and information about the character, an impersonator can create the perception, that they are something that they are not.

Impersonators research their characters actions, vocals, walk, habits, nervous expressions, and various other physical attributes to make their character believable. Their interaction with the audience is also a key to building the character. The characters public image must be addressed and used as a part of the act.

The transformation into the character role can be demanding. After applying the knowledge about the character they have gained in their research, the impersonator then applies it to their own behavior.To become the character, an impersonator must practice behaviors, incorporate props, and utilize all of the learned acting skills. Sometimes, it can be a prop that triggers the attitude of the character in an impersonator.

Being out of character for some celebrity impersonators can be as easy as taking off your costume. Sometimes it is a little more stressful than that. Impersonators that spend a great deal of time in character relish the “physicalization” of being themselves again. Some impersonators enjoy the fact that they are unrecognizable by fans after they remove their costume. They can go about their daily business without be recognized (Ferris, 2011).

Character confusion is not an issue with impersonators; however some fans have trouble identifying with the impersonator as a normal person playing a part. Confusion about the character tends to occur more in the eyes of the children and sometimes fans.  (Ferris, 2011)

I fully support the article Kerry Ferris has written. The article articulates the intricate techniques involved in celebrity impersonations. The author describes the challenges a celebrity impersonator faces, along with the marginal rewards they receive from others in their profession. The article clearly articulates the path a celebrity impersonator must take to have a successful career and a captivated audience.

I believe this article is helpful for individuals that would like to research what being a celebrity impersonator entails.  It covers issues impersonators experience while preparing for a role. The article provides information to individuals and details about how others have accomplished impersonations. It describes the areas an impersonator must study and prepare for in order to be a successful celebrity impersonator.

Finally, the article covers the confusion that the audience and children can experience. The understanding is that the character is only a character. The individual is playing a part, and that part does not represent the actual individual’s personality or habits.

 

References

Ferris, K. O. (2011). Building Characters: The Work of Celebrity Impersonators. The Journal of Popular Culture, 44(6), 1191-1208.