HOW TO BE A GOOD ACTOR

4. 4

   Use your pace and volume to dictate the energy of a scene. When reciting lines it's tempting to blaze through them as fast as you can. But this is a surefire way to lose the nuance of your role. Instead, let your pacing and volume mimic your character's internal state.

   • Nervous or scared characters often talk quickly, rushing the words out.

   • Angry characters will raise their voice, and may slow down their speech (to make a point) or speed it up (when overflowing with anger).

   • Happy/excited characters tend to speak with an even volume, or raise volume as the speech goes on. They talk quickly.

   • A variety of pacing and volume, depending on the scene, is a great way to show characters changing or reacting to certain events. 

    

   
   
   
5. 
   5

   Play with the emphasis in your lines. Think about the subtext of every line, and emphasize accordingly. Emphasis the lined is stressed. Think of it as the most important word or phrase of the sentence. It may not sound important, but emphasis can have a huge role in anything you say. "I love you" has a different connotation than "I love you," for example.

   • This is another place where famous actors can help you practice. Research an old script online for a movie you haven't seen, then pick a character and try out a couple of line readings. When you watch the movie, compare how the actor chose to deliver the lines. There is no wrong answer here, but this can help you notice the subtleties of emphasis.

    

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   6

   Respect the script. Unless given permission to do so, or briefly improvising a word or two, stick to the script as much as possible. You may not be sure if there is a call-back to another line or scene, or if a director likes the exact line reading for some reason. When in doubt, always obey the script. Someone will tell you if they want you to improvise or deviate into something different.

    

    

    

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   7

   Keep your blocking consistent. Blocking is where you move and stand in a scene. Once you've decided on blocking with the director, don't change it. Work on hitting the exact same blocking each take, rehearsal, or scene. This allows continuity, and helps the rest of the cast and crew plan their own jobs.

   • This is especially crucial for filmed projects, as identical blocking allows an editor to cut between different takes without the audience noticing. 

   
   
8. 
   8

   Ignore the camera or audience. Noticing, reacting to, or acknowledging the audience is the quickest way to fall out of character. In most cases, characters do not know that they are in a play or movie, and you shouldn't either. This comes with practice, but a good way to get ready is to simply get in front of a camera. When you notice it, or feel like you're being watched, don't react to the feeling.

   • Many experienced casts and crews won't make eye contact with you while acting, knowing that is is a natural human tendency to make eye contact back. Try and help your fellow actors by doing the same while they work and you're taking a break.

   • Be aware of things that you do when you're nervous. Avoid playing with your hair, hiding your hands in your sleeves, or shuffling your feet. Instead, by taking a deep breath and drinking some water.

      

     NOW ON METHOD THREE

     BY PETER ABRAHAM. { P FEELINGS }

Method 3

Honing your Craft

1. 
   1

   Research human behavior through conversations and books. To play a diverse array of people, you need to know a diverse array of people. When you meet people, do your best to be quiet and listen. Ask them about their lives and stories, note how they talk and any slang they use, and let yourself be a sponge. Reading helps you see these concepts at work. Moreover, reading actually activates the same part of your brain as acting does.

   • You should also do specific research for your part. If it is based on a specific person or time period, find out as much as you can. These little facts will work their way into your performance, even if only unconsciously.

      

      

2. 
   2

   Watch and re watch actors you admire. When you're watching someone act, let the scene simply wash over you the first time, watching like you would watch any other movie. Then replay the scene, paying specific attention to each actor separately. What do they do when they aren't talking? How do they deliver their lines? What is their body positioning and posture like? What movements do they use to sell their lines?

   • Would you read the same lines differently? If so, how?

   • Classic plays, like Shakespeare, are a great way to see the artistry of acting. YouTube, for example, 5 different actors delivering the same monologue from Hamlet. How do they all differ? What artistic choices is each actor making to make the character unique?

      

      

3. 
   3

   Go to acting classes. These classes often end in a production or performance, and are a great way to practice acting in a low-pressure environment. Take note not only of the teacher, but the other students. What can you learn from them? How would you improve their line readings, and would you make any different character choices? Make friends with your fellow actors, and talk to them from time to ask them for advice or tips on your performance.

   • You never know when a fellow actor will make it bi, and could potentially help you get a role. Be kind and friendly to everyone in class-- it will pay dividends later.

4. 
   4

   Take improve classes. Improvisation is the art of acting in the present, letting your character take over the action and react accordingly. Improve skills will help your characters seem natural, like they are reacting to the events on the screen in real time and not reading off a page. There are many improvisation classes in urban and semi-urban areas, and many acting classes feature a small amount of improve training.

   • Improve games, like acting out suggestions from friends, acting with weird props, or acting short scenes with a friend, are great ways to practice acting anywhere.

      

      

      

5. 
   5

   Practice "cold readings" to ace your auditions. A cold read is when you're handed a script and asked to act it out on the spot. Sometimes you get 1-2 minutes to look it over, and sometimes you need to just launch into it. While this is scary, it is also very easy to practice. Buy a book of monologues, grab passages from a book, or even pick up a dramatic newspaper story and read it out loud. You can also read it once, silently, then take 20-30 seconds to choose a direction for the piece before beginning.

   • This is also a good warm-up exercise, helping you prepare your mind and body for.

      

      

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