What Makes Good Acting
Acting School
Whether you are taking acting classes in Regina, or acting classes in Montreal or Los Angeles…. it’s pretty much all the same thing. I would say a lot of your success has to do with the amount of work that you put into the craft and of course the teacher that you have. I did some of my acting classes in Vancouver BC and before that I studied improv comedy in Toronto ON.
…One thing that I did learn in acting school, was that the teacher wanted us to recreate life on stage…
First off, I’ll say that I’m not a perfect actor. Sometimes I could have done better in the projects I’ve worked on. But, I have acted in some short films, music videos, web series, a documentary etc., a few commercials and have performed stand up comedy.
Think of this as a guide as to what I think it means to be a good actor. And the steps you can take to become a good actor.
Your performance has to be believable..
So when you are ready, and feel good enough as an actor to start working in films…you’re gonna need to put together an actor’s resume etc. An actor’s package. Put together a solid actor’s reel and list yourself on these casting websites ie; Casting Network and Actor’s Access etc.
The next step is to make sure you are auditioning regularly. To stay sharp, and try to get as many parts as you can.
I don’t want to go into my history again. it will take too much time to go through it. So let’s get to it…
WHAT IS GOOD ACTING?
This time I want to talk about what makes an actor a good actor? When you watch a show or a movie,…. what is good acting?
Yes, they go to school and hone their craft….. everyone knows this. But, visually, what qualities makes an actor’s performance good acting?
Your performance has to be believable.
In my opinion it would come down to one thing: Conveying the truth of human experience (through relationships.)
I mean, what else is their in life besides our interactions between other people?
So, one thing that I did learn in acting school was that the teacher wanted us to recreate life on stage. Sounds simple right? Yet it is not so simple.
I think when I was in acting class (way back when) I didn’t fully understand this at the time. But, I did my best. Now I write these blog’s to share my knowledge and experience with upcoming actor’s or anyone just interested in learning about the business.
WHAT I THINK GOOD ACTING IS…
Pretty much for me, what I think good acting is….is when you start to forget that the show isn’t real. When you forget that they are just acting. When the situations in the show or movie are so real to you, that you cannot tell that they are acting.
When you become so drawn into the stories and you can relate to what is happening on the screen. You forget. But, to me the most important part of it all is that nothing can be off. There can be no weird camera angles or continuity issues. If this does occur than the audience will be reminded that this is make believe.
Becoming a good actor can take year’s of practice. It is the same as learning any new skill. It takes time and dedication.
BE IN THE MOMENT WITH YOUR CREATIVITY
When you are acting in a “role” you will have to decide how you want to play it. When you read the script that you are given, you will have to create in your mind(imagination) what the backstory is or what it could be if it is not clear. Yes, really, you have to make it up! This is based on your interpretation and yes, you might get it wrong. The teacher will tell you if you are wrong after you perform the scene. So take some risk and get it wrong!
Then, eventually over time you will get it right.
GETTING COMFORTABLE WITH THE UNCOMFORTABLE
So you have memorized your lines to the best of your ability and you have a play coming up soon. And this is your first play! Now, you might be a wreck inside. You’re nervous. So what do you do? Breathe. It will be ok.
The only way to gain confidence as a performer is to perform. Yes, you need to be prepared first! And then you go live on the stage.
How do you stop being self conscious? Get into the role. Dive into the role. And you will forget about the crowd.
PREPARATION
Prepare! Prepare! And rehearse the scenes with your partner over a few days or maybe a full week. The goal of this is to make your performance really natural. You don’t want others to notice that you are acting. As I mentioned (a couple paragraphs ago)
CONFIDENCE IN A ROLE
Gaining confidence with performance takes time, and with practice you will get better at it. I know everyone says this, but this is the way. Once you put it into action and start applying yourself, you will see this. So that means that you have to take risks and make mistakes. And learn. I did.
After some time has passed, and many performances (as many as it takes), you should become more confident with live performance.
MEMORIZATION
One of the best ways to memorize the lines that you need to memorize from a script is to write it out on paper. Over and over again even for a couple hours at a time. This is a sure way for you to have all the words you need stuck in your head for a while and you’ll be able to have access to them when you need them. For show time!
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
I’ll be discussing this in Part 2.
Coming soon!…
Check out my other blog posts for more!
