A familiar and cynical actor/director dialogue goes something like this; Actor: “But what’s my motivation for crossing to the sofa (or “saying this line,” “picking up this book,” “breaking into song,” etc.)?

Director: “Your paycheck.”

Yes, this does happen. The problem with the director’s answer is that in performance, the motivation will actually LOOK like it’s the actor’s paycheck. The paycheck as motivation won’t make sense to an audience captivated by the world of the play or screenplay. Bottom line: any time you move, any time you speak, it must be motivated by need, circumstance, fear, the conscious or unconscious elements contained in the play or screenplay. Do your homework – move by move, line by line. Knowing Why (and making it real to yourself) is everything.