Acting is a unique skill that you need to practice to improve. You might be born with talent and charisma, but everyone needs to practice to become a great actor or actress. Many people take acting classes from renowned instructors such as The Actor’s Group Orlando, which presents an environment to learn, interact with others in the same field and practice your craft. However, this may not always be possible. After the Corona pandemic hit, interacting with people in a public setting became quite difficult. Furthermore, acting classes may be too expensive for you or you may not be able to add them to your schedule.
Many actors attest to the power of a class setup and practicing with others as part of their success formula. But as you may imagine, there is no clear path to success as far as acting is concerned. So what do you do when you need to improve your skills by yourself?
Actor Watching
One of the best skills you should develop as an actor is the power of constructive awareness. This is the ability to observe critically and pick on the minute details that make a scene or an actor good. It is the ability to critique an actor positively and learn from them.
Actor watching entails selecting an actor or an actress to observe and learn from. As everyone is different, watching someone you feel resonates with your style and ability is important. Start from their earliest work, such as film, theater, TV shows or even social media skits. Look at their development and how they changed their acting skills in their latest work. Take note of their strengths and weaknesses, but most importantly, look at what they did to overcome their limitations. Try and understand why they took the direction they did with a scene. Actor watching helps improve how you view your acting. It also encourages you as you analyze success stories from individuals who took a similar journey or route as you intend to.
Read Out Loud
Reading out loud is a trick used in many creative fields, from script writing, content writing, plays and even acting. Listening to yourself read out loud can help you identify areas you need to improve or how to handle different acting situations. It helps build range and flexibility. You will be able to improve your articulation and help express yourself better, which will help build confidence in your abilities.
Most auditions will require you to do a cold read, that is, reading out loud a script that you have never seen before. Cold reading is a great way to see how naturally you pick up scripts, your flexibility and your diversity. By practicing by reading out loud, you build the confidence to handle cold reading, giving you a better shot at roles.
There is no formula to what you should read out loud; the only caveat is that you should read a lot, something new each time, and diversely. There is no limit to what you can read, so you can try and start with content in your comfort zone and look to expand as you build confidence. You can read literature such as Shakespeare, books, social posts, comics, etc.
Meditate And Constructive Rest
Meditation is a powerful tool that every actor and inspiring actor should embrace. It helps with self-affirmation and reaffirmation. Take the opportunity to talk to yourself and understand yourself better. Meditation can help you learn how to calm yourself, which can help you deal with stage fright.
Constructive rest is taking time to self-reflect and understand what you can do better. You shouldn’t be too hard on yourself while having a constructive rest, as the aim is to push yourself to improve and not criticize yourself. Meditation and constructive rest can be done simultaneously, as you can meditate while you analyze yourself.
Use Your Imagination
Every actor should look at ways to increase their creativity, and using imagination as an acting exercise is high on that list. Imagine yourself in different scenarios, and visualize different scenes. Imagine different approaches and dialogues in the same scene while you map out the setup in your head.
Record Yourself
Perhaps the best way to improve your acting skills is by recording yourself. Many people have found much success by recording themselves and analyzing the results. It is a great way to help you feel like an actor and one of the best ways to help you identify your strengths and weaknesses.
Even though many aspiring actors do not like to show others their work, it is a good way to learn what others think of your acting abilities. Showing your work to friends and family may not be the best move as they may be biased. Instead, with social media a driving force for many aspiring actors, you can post your work and see the reaction. Tiktok and other social media sites present the perfect opportunity for this.
You can also collaborate with other creatives and aspiring actors. Today you can do this virtually, meaning you will still be doing it yourself. As you can see, acting requires dedication. With no clear formula to succeed, it is up to you to find your path.