If you've ever watched an actor disappear into their role, shedding genuine tears or adopting mannerisms that aren't their own, then you've seen method acting techniques in action. Most people think of this approach as "becoming a character," and some actors do take that literally, pretending to actually be the person they're playing.  Method acting is taught everywhere from Hollywood to Broadway. But a few notable actors are well-known for taking it to award-winning extremes, making enormous

If you’ve ever been in a play or musical you will be familiar with the term ‘stage directions’. For those who don’t know, stage directions are,  “an instruction in the text of a play, especially one indicating the movement, position, or tone of an actor.” Stage directions can also be instructions for the director, such as the way the stage should be lit or what kind of sound effect could be used.  Stage directions can also tell an actor how to deliver a line— pace of speech, emot

Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise: it is indeed possible to be a professional actor and turn acting into a career, even in today’s world.  Sure, well-meaning friends and family and the media may scoff at the idea - but they don’t have insider knowledge! When somebody says “I want to be a professional actor”, they don’t always have dreams of becoming a Hollywood or Broadway superstar. The truth is, you are a professional actor no matter where you are being paid to act!  Here ar

You’ve studied Stanislavski, Meisner, Adler, and Suzuki. You’ve learned the Circle of Fifths and mastered your second turns. But are you ready for the real world? Here are a few golden tidbits to help any recent grad transition from the acting school environment into the working world, written by actor and teacher Jasmine B.: 1. Competition is Real (But it doesn't have to bring you down.) Right around showcase time, students at acting colleges and conservatory programs start

Professional actors often can’t help but feel a little powerless when it comes to the process of auditioning and booking jobs. Sure, from the outside people think that actors have some say in creative aspects, but your input and personal preferences are really quite insignificant in the process (well, not until you're on a Brangelina level at least). So while you're on your way to superstardom, it's smart to leverage the opportunities at hand. The first area you have control of as an actor is

When it comes to preparing your acting resume, knowing what to include can be a challenge. However, there are several items that should always be included. It is important for your resume to come off as professional and put together. This way, you will impress before you even step into the audition room! Instead of only listing the parts you've played, include some of the following items to dazzle directors.  What Should You Include on Your Acting Resume? Your acting resume should include

As an actor, you will face rejection on a regular basis. It is important to learn how to deal with it in a healthy way so that it does not damage your self-esteem or career. Here are some tips for handling rejection as an actor gracefully. What Are the Struggles of Being an Actor? Being an actor can be a very rewarding career, but it is not without its struggles: Actors must be extremely dedicated to their craft. They need to be constantly studying and honing their skills, so that t

Emotions are at the heart of the craft of acting. But how do you tap into your emotions as an actor? How do actors laugh, cry, and respond truthfully in the moment, using real emotions that aren’t just fabricated? What are some tips on emotional acting and emotional acting techniques that will help you tap into those real emotions, so your performance is believable to audiences? In this article, we’ll look at some of the best, tried and true emotional acting techniques used by perform

Good monologues are hard to find. They are even harder to find when we are talking about film. Film is a very fast moving medium. We, as an audience, have been trained to expect to see something new every few seconds. Live theatre, however, has enjoyed a long and enriching relationship with the sustained attention of the monologue. Here, we are just going to focus on movie monologues for men, and how they help the actor hone their skills. First, we need to define the thing we are looking

Like any skill, acting benefits from natural talent, but that can only get you so far. Countless hours of patience, practice, and a good amount of confidence are required to take your acting level into another stratosphere, and one of the major steps involves partaking in improv acting. But what is improv acting and how do you do improv acting?  Also known as improvisational theater, improv acting refers to an unscripted performance in which the actors spontaneously perform scenes on stage