5. Getting aware of your body and it’s flow.
It is very important for an actor to be aware of his body and it’s flow. They must have a certain amount of mastery over their body.
If an actor has control over his body then he/she will be able to use the body in many ways to enhance the performance.
A free-flowing body is always a better option than a rigid body. Flexibility is not only a concern when you are not stiff there will be stability in your body which will reflect in your performance. Subtle acting always looks so powerful.
An actor with the free body can perform a variety of roles with ease as compared to an actor with a rigid body. A rigid and tough muscular body may enhance your gym look but it’ll not always look good especially on camera while you act. Having a muscular and flexible is not less than a blessing for a artist you wants to look good as well in their performance. Please make sure that there are at least some exercises or dance forms that are part of your daily routine in order to prevent your body from getting stiff and on the top of it you’ll have an extra skill that will help through out your acting carrier.
Here are a few exercise forms that you can make part of your daily routine , :
- Kalaripayattu.
- Mixed Martial Arts.
- Basic Full Body Stretching.
- Functional Training.
- Chhau dance form.
4. Flat/Cold reading
This simple hack is very, very effective. You can find long-standing theater artist using this technique in almost every performance. Cold or flat reading as the name itself implies is about reading your script/dialogues adding no emotion or gestures to it. Read it loud and keep repeating the same until you find it to by-hearted. You’ll be surprised to find that it will gradually get imprinted in your mind and body.
Whenever you forgot or miss any dialogue while performing there is an instant shift in the rhythm and intensity of your performance which most of the times dampens the experience of the audience. These acting tips will banish your problems like missing out your lines, fumble, etc.
As a result, there will be a boost in your confidence while delivering your lines. You must try it and then let me know about your experience.
3. Building up Character before getting on the stage:
What is Characterization ?
It is the process of developing a role into character.
How does it help in acting?
Character is something you will present to the audience. The dialogues, gestures, behavior you portray is always of some character.
To make a character look natural and real you have to dive deeper in the character’s life. As said “actor needs to be in the character’s shoes to portray it.”after all that’s what acting is all about.
To get into a character’s shoes, you have to go through a certain transformation process both physically and mentally.
From Physical aspect I mean the way a character looks his/her physical appearance they can transform it through the help of make-up, changing the dressing style, etc.
When it comes to getting ready mentally, you should have an approach that works best for you. Never rush looking out for mutual qualities between you and your character, look what’s uncommon and develop those qualities. Characterization is a very vital part do a deep study about your character. These acting tips or question will really help you
Here is the list of 100 question’s that will help you to build up a character- Click here
2. Warm up!
Warm up your mind, body, and voice. Acting is no less than any physical exercise. Acting requires full physical and mental involvement and you have to prepare yourself for it before getting into the actual part i.e. the performance. There are several preparations that we do. Warmup is also one of the very fundamental and important steps to get started. Warming up makes sure that there is proper blood flow in your body which helps an actor to push the limits and be in the rhythm. So as every other exercise, warm up your body, mind, and voice before jumping to the real act.
So, how can I warm up?
Here are a few very simple yet powerful warming up exercises that will make sure that you are now ready for the real performance.
Body warmup- Click here for the video
Voice warmup- Click here for the video
1. Don’t focus on the consequence focus on the doing.
When it comes about being on stage, be relaxed and confident about yourself and your craft. But felling likes anxiety, stress, are common when you are stepping on stage or while you are performing in front of a large audience or crew. Such hindrances affect the artist’s actual performance.
So what do we do? How do we cut these unwanted hindrances?
“Be in doing”This is answer to every such question.
“ALWAYS BE IN DOING THERE IS ALWAYS MORE TO DO.”
So what does it actually mean?
When you are on stage, there is always something more to do until and unless doing nothing is the demand of the script itself. Doing can be both physical or emotional activity. Doing means you have to be present there in a scene with all your involvement there. Always be occupied in something in your scene even when the camera is not rolling on you or even when you are having no lines in that particular scene.
What happens is when you occupy yourself in doing something your mind also gets occupied and hence the unwanted emotions and feelings don’t come in your actual performance.
Do this simple practice and you’ll know it experientialy what I’m talking about(Or make someone does this and be a observer ):-
- Initially-
Sit or stand anywhere you want (Preferably with someone who watches you as a performer there),
and "do nothing" for around 2 minutes and when I'm saying do nothing, just sit or stand there don't put any logic to it.
- Then-
Once again sit or stand and,
Now Count the number of colors around your surroundings (put no logic to it honestly count the colors)
- Now-
Now observe what was the difference between "Doing nothing" and "Counting the colors"(In the Doing)
You’ll be surprised to know that when you were doing nothing all the consciousness, anxiety, fear, what other’s must be looking at, and other such feelings were there.
When you were occupied by something (Counting the colors) all those unwanted feelings were not there. There was a full involvement in your activity. When you are totally involved in the scene itself it looks very powerful and real to the audience. Now, the motive of this demonstration was to make you all understand what is “Be in Doing”. How it eliminates all those unwanted feelings and emotions.
The competition is already cut throat and having an extra edge in your performance is never a bad idea that’s what can make you out stand from others in the crowd of average performers. Don’t miss out the details work on them.
I’m sure these acting tips that most of us forgets to pay attention to will help you a lot in getting better with your acting skills. Please do leave a review.
