It’s usually best to only break the fourth wall when the script explicitly calls for it. Practice doing this during rehearsal so that you will feel comfortable.
For example, maybe your character is fighting with another character. You might break the scene by turning to the audience and saying, “Jill doesn’t know that this fight isn’t really about the money she borrowed. It’s about her lies. ” The movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off effectively used this technique when the title character spoke directly to the camera.
If you are playing a character named Scott, you might look at the camera or audience and say, “Scott wasn’t used to being ignored, and it was making him feel an anger he’d never felt before. ” This is most effective if the plot doesn’t clearly explain emotions to the audience.
A great example of this technique is the character of Jim in the show The Office, who does this frequently. You can make this really subtle, too, with just a small smile or wink aimed at the audience.
You could hold a placard reading “Julie is pregnant, but doesn’t yet know it,” while facing the audience. Work with the director to figure out where to put the placard when you’re not using it. Maybe someone hands it to you from offstage, or you keep it hidden behind a piece of scenery.
You also want the audience to engage with the material. If you break the fourth wall too frequently, they might just rely on how you tell them to feel, rather than experiencing their own emotions.
Look directly to the audience and explain what you need to. For example, “What Scott doesn’t know is that Tara is actually his twin, and they were separated at birth. ”
For example, “Don’t get too mad at Tara. She didn’t actually forget Scott’s birthday. She’s planning a major surprise!”
You could also try something like, “Can you believe he is acting that way? I don’t know about you, but I’d be nicer to my boss. ” You want to engage them and get them at the edge of their seats, waiting to see what’s going to happen. If the audience is already engaged, you probably don’t need to break the fourth wall. For example, it’s probably unnecessary in a scene that is already emotionally charged.
