Does anyone here create a casebook for their character/play/film? Do you take stock in putting everything down in it such as:
a diary of your character, subtext (thought/sensory), drawings, magazine clippings, lyrics to songs, blocking (obviously), etc.
Or do ya just kinda write on your script what you want to do. Has creating a casebook opened up your eyes to new possibilities if you have created one? Just wondering. When I first started doing casebooks for my work, I was forced to by my professors. I didn't feel the need to do it. But now, I see what a difference it makes in my character choices. Share your thoughts!

This is part of any actors job in developing their character..knowing who or what your character is..the more life you build for your character the more you build a bridge from who you are to who the character is. It takes your character and your performance from being general to be specific..because each actor will bring their own discovery and nuances to the same role. So the more you build your character's background (I've never heard of casebook before) but it boils down to the same thing.

Of course an actor needs to know blocking as well as intentions/objectives and all that stuff, but have never had much use for a diary of a characters or magazine clippings (?).

I guess what I'm saying is that I just write on my script.

I think a "casebook" as you call it (I have never heard that term either) forces you to think about many things that you might not think about otherwise, but I'd like to think that I touch on all those important things with my "fast, cheep, and out of control" (as I call it) method of writing all over my script.

Iceman, i used to do the same thing. Whenever I would get my script, I always made a point to make several copies of it because I knew by the end of the rehearsal process it would look like the alphabet exploded all over it! hehe. to be honest, I really started to love the idea of a casebook well after I was "forced" to do so because it really helped me pick the specifics with my character's world, and not just the character himself. I felt like a solid "person" with my work. But I do admit, there were somethings I did away with such as magazine clippings of what made me think of my character, and I got rid of the diary idea...to an extent. I do a lot of voice and gesture exercises with my work and I always note in the casebook what discoveries I made for my character. its actually a lot of fun!

Sounds like you have taken what works from it, dispensed with the stuff that doesn't, and made it your own. That's great!

Making note of your voice and gesture exercises is a VERY good idea; I am a strong believer in that.