Actors - what's the single best piece/piece of advice to give a new actor?

Answer 1

Break a leg!!!

Answer 2

Value professionalism. Be a real professional, in all true senses of the word.

1) Don't just know your lines; "own" them as well as you own info like your name and birthdate. Make them a part of yourself without changing a word.

2) Work hard. Acting IS work, and as such is tremendously fun and fulfilling. Don't expect to have the fun without the work. It doesn't happen.

3) Treat everyone respectfully and politely. Always. Always. Always.

4) Learn about who your character is and how best you can share this person with the audience in the context of this particular play. Chances are strong that the author never met you and is therefore not writing YOU onstage. You may have things in common with this character. Being human, it happens all the time. However, concentrate on the differences and play to those. That wa it'll be a real character onstage and not yourself. Talk to your director about the character. He or she should have an overall vision of where the play is going into which the good actor will fit his or her character. Think of a piece of woven fabric. If one of the threads is drastically wrong FOR THIS PARTICULAR FABRIC, the whole thing will be wonky. That "wrong thread" may well be right for a different piece of fabric, but just not for this one. The director is the one with the overall view of the play. Support that. Not only is it best for this production, but it's good for you as well. Directors talk to one another. If you're often in contention with your directors, do you really think they're going to WANT to hire you for a production? Most, of course, would not. Oh, there may be an exception, true, but you can't make a living off exceptions.

5) Strive for excellence in everything. Do your very best.

Answer 3

It's hard to pick one, so...

Be real. Be someone they want to work with from the second you walk onto the property.

Find your light. People forget all the time when they're auditioning about finding their light. Bathe in it. ;-)

DON'T PAY ANYONE who says their going to get you an agent, they are an agent, or anything like that. Legitimate agents do not take your money until you are their client, they get you auditions, you book a job, THEN they get a percentage, usually 10%.

Stay active in the acting world whether it's theatre, students films, do whatever you can to stay working. Flex your acting muscles constantly. Even if it's something you don't want to do, that can be your exercise in how to do a great job even when you don't feel like it :-)

Do not underestimate the value of taking classes and workshops. Training is extremely important. Take as many classes as you can and when you've learned all you can from one particular teacher or style, move on.

Best of luck to you!

Answer 4

Start taking acting classes. Study acting technique. Study. Study. And develop your SKILL. Without it, you won't go very far.

Find out what the business skills you need to run your business of being an actor. You are an actor. You are a company. And you are a business. You are the CEO of that business. You are/will be a free lance professional. You have a product and that product is you. You have to know how to market it, how to sell it and how to create value for those who 'invest' in you.

Put together a solid plan that will ensure that you will get to where you want to go in your acting career and have a real chance at achieving the success you want and stick to it. Learn how to plan effectively.

Develop your creativity to invent ways for you to position yourself ahead of your competition and to find new ways to promote yourself. BIGGIE! Figure out what it is that motivates you and learn how to keep yourself motivated to get done the things you need to get done and to help you deal with the rejection that you will inevitably encounter in this business. Figure out how to develop a strong sense of perseverance if you don't already have it. There is much to do and you MUST be motivated or you will have difficulty.

Get to know yourself better, your strengths, weaknesses, the opportunities you have, the resources you have at your disposal (and not just financial, but intellectual, skills, capabilities, talents, etc.) Figure out what you want out of your life first (specifically). Figure out how acting fits into that. Then figure out what you want out of your acting career. (specifically) Doing these two things will help you save a lot of time, effort and maybe even money down the road.

Answer 5

Find what sets you apart from other actors, or what makes you unique, and try to highlight it at auditions and when you're performing. Don't ever try to copy someone else's style, as it probably works better on them than on you. And lastly, be positive. Even the most talented actors on today's stages have face rejection at one point or another, so it's important to be confident about what you're doing no matter what happens.

Answer 6

I would say...

*Relate each character to yourself. Identify the emotion of the character first, and then recall a time when you felt that emotion. Really give the character life by becoming it!

*Try and feel at home with your stage. If you aren't comfy up there, the audience won't be comfy either.

*Find your stage prescnce and let it shine!

*Always listen to the director, but feel free to question. (By not questioning, you can't become the character). Accept critcism.

*Pay attention to detail.

*HAVE FUN!!! Don't get too discouraged... acting takes practice, patience and a positive attitude.

Answer 7

The craft comes first. Don't concern yourself with agents and headshots until you are good enough to do it for a living. Study and practice all you can. Any class is a good class. After that I'd say learn the business. After that I'd say never and I mean NEVER stop studying.

Answer 8

uhmmm. the best thing is simple... be yourself... drink water and breathe inhale exhale before you act..be self confident... don't think of the audience...remember just be yourself...don't pretend to be someone else and that's it...break a leg...

Answer 9

Always be prepared! Memorize several monologues for auditions... you never know when you may have an audition.

Always be professional and polite... today's stage manager may be tomorrow's director.

Answer 10

Don't be reserved.

Alot of the time, the stupid-er you look, the better it is.

Answer 11

confidence and a good attitude