Acting tips?How do u overcome performance anxiety.and just some good acting advice and links please.thanku!?

Question

And just any acting tips to help improve my game?
eg method of remembering lines?
how to cry on queue?
how to get the best expressions out of my voice and face?
actually if u know the link to a good website please advise me?
And any other useful info tips or experiences you can share,to better help me grow as an actor.I'm a 26 yr old male aspiring actor from sydney Australia.I've done one short as a lead and some extras work including the matrix 2 and 3,as a background.
i appreciate it alot any help,thnx guys,peace.

Answer 1

First of all on some clinical level you perhaps should identify FEAR and it's cause and effect on you (reasons)

Determine what may be bringing on the anxieties? They can be as simple as worry over forgetting lines, to performing in front of audiences (Which by the way YOU rarely can actually SEE). It may be that your expectations about YOU are tied into ego, and/or some deep issue about always succeeding?

"Acting" as are any other genres of creativity; is a Passion, and one so strong at times, it denies any intrusion or distraction. Perhaps you need to re-evaluate your Level of passion? The best often have "OOOPS" and yet the best of the best, let them go, and keep on. Certainly if it's FILM,,, there are techno excuses and re-takes.

I don't do Links. I just KNOW stuff.

Expressing::: My first piece of advice in that regard, and even with initial auditions is to BE THE CHARACTER... We all know,,,even audiences, that it's acting, and YOU are the "representative" of the character. The trick, or HOOK for you, is to completely engage and involve the audience in the piece, and have them relate to your character as if they not only were living through you in the moment, but can also compare what you're doing in some way, perhaps very personally, to their own life or experiences.

CRY On CUE: Obviously there are hundreds of individual "PRO" "Criers" Demi Moore being one, though she has aids as well. On film it's easy. Live, it may not need be more than creating through recall, what it feels and sounds like to cry, then rubbing your eyes to create irritation and moisture. Certainly there are PROPS you might HIDE to effect that as well. Some even get deep enough into the moment that they may say "I think of my favorite Pet" Or "Grandma" , etc.

Think of your time in this way. The audience knows, and in Live performance they are likely 30 feet away or more, from the stage, so details in finite things are less to them, than how you CREATE an effect, involving an emotion such as sadness, grief, crying, etc.

In Australia you have sooooooooooo many valid venues in your genre. I wish you well.

Steven Wolf

Answer 2

As far as performance anxiety in acting is concerned, what works best is the same as what works for public speaking - do more of it. If you can find a small amateur theatre group near you it might help in giving you smaller audiences to overcome the initial anxiety. Just doing theatrical exercises and role playing with the group will help too.

Actually, how this helps is a rather complex process, involving getting you used to audiences, teaching you more about the craft of acting itself and helping you "grow" into the characters you play. If you ARE the character rather than just ACT the character there usually is no performance anxiety because you will be immersed in the role and the obstacles that the character is facing.

Here are links to sites that provide tips on acting:
http://www.geocities.com/akatsavou/tips_en.html
http://www.actingbiz.com/articles/acting_tips.php
http://www.actortips.com/

Answer 3

Acting tips?
yes, I'll give them below...

How do u overcome performance anxiety.
A relatively small amount of anxiety is normal. Everyone goes through it. Different people do different things to overcome it. Most of them point back to taking your mind off of things. Make sure you know your part well, but after that, try not to think about it. We do things such as "shake down", (Where you shake each hand and foot one at a time while counting to ten, then nine, then eight, etc.) or "pinkies" (make sure that you've linked pinkies and prentended to kiss each cast member on both cheeks while making a "mwah" noise).

and just some good acting advice and links please.thanku!?
Again, those are coming up...

And just any acting tips to help improve my game?
A few tips would be to make sure that you get into character. Try not to be fake. I know it's acting and you may be playing a totally opposite character from yourself, but try to get under your character's skin and act from emotion. Try to be realistic and have fun with it at the same time. The character doesn't have to be anything like you (I tend to be shy, yet I LOVE playing over-the-top, outgoing, crazy characters) to get into the character, just have fun and don't "pretend".

eg method of remembering lines?
A few methods that I know of are reading out loud over and over again, reading out loud with a partner, reading silently over and over, and paying attention in rehearsal.

how to cry on queue?
I'm not very good at this yet, but I've tried a few things. One is to start thinking about something that makes you cry. I don't know what you get upset about, but think of something terribly sad and just try to let the emotions come.
You could also close your eyes really tightly for awhie, but that hurts after awhile and doesn't work for the "on cue" part.
Ultimately, the best way is to get so into your character that the tears come. I've never had that happen on stage, but I've never had a moment on stage that called for tears. (Hyperventilating is much more fun!) The tears are more realistic when they're coming from the emotions your character is feeling.
However, tears are lost to all but the first few rows. If you don't have the emotions to back them up, it's just water on your face. (And most likely runny makeup.)

how to get the best expressions out of my voice and face?
I don't know any specific method for this. Just work on getting into character and really feeling what your character feels. Over-the-top is okay as long as it goes with the character. Every director I've had has told me that you won't take it too far, and if you do they'll let you know. (But I've NEVER seen a director tell someone to go a little less.)

actually if u know the link to a good website please advise me?
The most useful site I've found is http://www.musicaltheatreaudition.com/ The articles, as well as the people on the message boards, are very helpful.

And any other useful info tips or experiences you can share,to better help me grow as an actor.I'm a 26 yr old male aspiring actor from sydney Australia.I've done one short as a lead and some extras work including the matrix 2 and 3,as a background.
I don't know how useful other tips that I'd have would be. From experience, I've learned that things that you may not feel are right in rehearsals sometimes just click when you're on stage. You respond to the audience a lot, and you get better with each performance.

i appreciate it alot any help,thnx guys,peace.
No problem. Break a leg!

Answer 4

I'm not exactly sure about my position on this... I haven't really fleshed it out enough. I guess one thing I would say is that it depends on whether or not the act would cause suffering if adopted as a general rule. Let's use spitting in someone's coffee as an example. Suppose people who worked at coffee-houses adopted the general rule of spitting in the coffee of people they didn't like. Once people discovered these rules they might stop buying coffee at coffee shops. Of course, there is only minimal suffering encountered by a person who loses the option of getting coffee at a coffee house. I suppose the only suffering in that case would be that an individual has to take the effort to make coffee him/her self. (It could be argued that such a situation would actually decrease suffering because most large coffee-shops get their beans from non-sustainable sources. I'm ignoring that for now to concentrate on my point that even if an act doesn't cause suffering, adopting that act as a general rule might.) The main point, however, is that adopting such an action as a rule would increase the total amount of suffering, even though the increase would be very small. As such, the act can be considered immoral even though the specific act doesn't cause any suffering. EDIT: I also think it's also important to acknowledge self-harm as immoral. Performing an action that harms one's self is still increasing the total amount of suffering, even though it doesn't affect anybody except the person doing the action. I would count necrophilia as self-harm. (At the very least it poses the risk of harm.) EDIT 2: I also agree with Novangelis. An action that is intended to cause suffering but doesn't also counts as immoral.

Answer 5

well, one simple acting tip that would basicly answer all of those questions is: Put yourself in the position of your character. If you do that, your performance will be a lot more convincing. You will be able to cry on queue, get expression out of you voice and face not because you have to, but because that is how you would really feel. This will also help you remember your lines because you can kind of picture what your character would say.

Answer 6

I can help with one thing, as far as your expression...
an important one is practice, practice, practice. In the mirror around other people , etc. You should know the basics....first off all know emotions and the differences between them this includes the facial expression of the emotion and the body movements that are involved with that emotion. It can be hard to portray sympathy and sorrow in different ways.

Also understanding intensity levels is another thing. Knowing grief as a number 5 on an a 1-10 scale as opposed to grief at a level 10 on the same scale. Picture a funeral scene this is the difference between crying out loud (5) and throwing yourself on the casket while choking on your tears (10)...

Then you should also know a little history of acting so being familiar with the typical expressions of famous actors past is important...like knowing the typical face/expression/line of "Lucille Ball" to "Borat" to "Ryan Seacrest"....

Answer 7

There are multiple kinds of disorders that deal with anxiety. Although most can manifest in similar ways, these disorders generally occur due to different events in your life. Natural home remedies for anxiety https://tr.im/EndAnxiety
Generalized anxiety disorder includes persistent and unnecessary worries about everyday, common events or activities, which can disrupt concentration and lead to other issues, such as depression.

Answer 8

DC, first off, get comfortable in your own skin. Believe you are who or what you are in your part or character, let it all hang out without thinking others will laugh at you behind your back. Look at William Shatner, he has played everything from super hero to Dork, and even hideous, and he is, once again, in another hit series in his 70's. Go for it. If drooling makes it work, then do it.

Answer 9

As painful as it is, it is very helpful to record yourself. Then, when you watch it you can see what you like and what you don't like. What worked and what didn't. And whether what you wanted to come across did or not.

If you don't have a video camera, you can just record your voice and watch yourself in the mirror. It's difficult to watch yourself, but it's the best way to fine tune your acting.

Answer 10

Get a qualified acting coach. See your doctor about your anxiety.