Objectives and Tactics
An objective is what a character wants in a scene. A tactic is what they do to get it. Acting becomes specific when the performer can name both, and when the tactic changes as the partner responds. This page turns character analysis into playable action.
Objective, obstacle, tactic
| Element | Question | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Objective | What do I want from the other person? | I want Den to tell me the truth. |
| Obstacle | What prevents me from getting it? | He keeps answering with procedure. |
| Tactic | What am I doing to overcome the obstacle? | I press him; then I reassure him; then I withdraw. |
| Stakes | What happens if I fail? | I leave without knowing what has happened. |
| Beat | When does the action change? | When he opens the folder instead of answering. |
An objective should be active, specific and directed at another person. “I want to be sad” is a mood. “I want him to admit he knew” is an objective.
Actioning with verbs
Actioning is the practice of giving each line or beat a transitive verb: a verb that takes an object. The verb describes what the character is doing to the other person. It should be playable, not literary.
| Weak intention | Playable action | Why it is stronger |
|---|---|---|
| Be sad | To appeal to him | It directs the feeling towards another person. |
| Be angry | To accuse him | It gives the anger a target and a purpose. |
| Be nervous | To test him | It turns anxiety into an action. |
| Be kind | To reassure her | It makes kindness a choice with a cost. |
| Be cold | To shut him out | It gives distance an active purpose. |
| Be confused | To get him to explain | It makes confusion a request. |
Not every line needs a new action. A tactic can run across several lines. The important thing is that the performer knows when it changes and why.
Beats
A beat is a unit of action. It begins when a character starts pursuing something and ends when the action changes, often because the partner responds in an unexpected way. Beats are not the same as lines or paragraphs.
| Beat | What happens | Objective | Tactic |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mira asks about the time. | To get a straight answer. | To probe. |
| 2 | Den refers to what “they” said. | To make him speak plainly. | To challenge. |
| 3 | Den suggests she wait outside. | To stay and be told. | To refuse. |
| 4 | Mira says she could wait outside. | To make him admit he wants her gone. | To unsettle. |
An original duologue for actioning
MIRA: You knew before I came in.
DEN: I knew there was a meeting.
MIRA: That is not what I asked.
DEN: It is what I can tell you.
MIRA: Then tell me what you cannot.
DEN closes the folder.
DEN: Sit down, Mira.
MIRA: No.
This is an original teaching duologue written for this packet. It continues the scene from Drama as Text but can be used independently.
Actioning the duologue
| Line | Possible action | Effect if played |
|---|---|---|
| “You knew before I came in.” | To corner him. | Mira takes the initiative. |
| “I knew there was a meeting.” | To deflect her. | Den hides behind procedure. |
| “That is not what I asked.” | To pin him down. | The gap between them sharpens. |
| “It is what I can tell you.” | To warn her. | Den claims a limit on what is sayable. |
| “Then tell me what you cannot.” | To dare him. | Mira risks the answer. |
| “Sit down, Mira.” | To steady her. | Den changes tactic from defence to care. |
| “No.” | To refuse comfort. | Mira keeps the pressure on. |
These are options, not the only correct reading. A different production could make Den's final line a threat or a plea. The performer's task is to choose, commit and justify.
Playing the tactic, not the line
A common mistake is to play the emotion in the line rather than the action behind it. If the line says “I am not angry”, playing anger is obvious. Playing the action “to reassure him while checking whether he believes me” gives the line somewhere to go.
| Line | Literal emotion | Playable action |
|---|---|---|
| “It is fine.” | Calm. | To cover a mistake. |
| “I don't mind.” | Indifference. | To make him admit he does. |
| “You should go.” | Rejection. | To give him a chance to stay. |
| “I forgot.” | Carelessness. | To avoid an explanation. |
| “It doesn't matter.” | Acceptance. | To end an argument before it starts. |
Activity: action the scene
- Divide the scene into beats.
- Give each beat an objective phrased as “I want...”.
- Give each beat three possible tactics, each beginning with “to...”.
- Rehearse the beat with one tactic until the partner responds.
- Change tactic when the partner blocks you.
- Notice which tactic makes the scene most alive.
- Write a sentence explaining why that tactic fits the script.
Do not plan the feeling. Plan the action; let the feeling arrive from the obstacle.
Common errors
- An objective that is a mood. There is nothing to pursue.
- An objective that is too vague. “I want respect” is harder to play than “I want him to apologise”.
- The same tactic for the whole scene. The performance becomes monotone.
- Changing tactic without a reason. The scene becomes random.
- Playing the emotion rather than the action. The performance becomes generalised.
- Ignoring the partner's response. The action is not really interactive.
- Over-actioning every line. The scene becomes busy and unreadable.
Next, study character and status to see how power shapes the action. The voice and verse page makes the action audible.