How to learn to speak very well?

Question

I'm a starting actor who wants to learn to speak better? Sometimes when I'm on camera my voice gets all caught up probably because I'm nervous. Any advice on how to speak clearer and louder so everyone can understand and hear me?

Answer 1

What you are speaking about is not projectiong, the mic in the camera does that for you. I was in a movie with Sam Elliot who spoke so quietly that it was diffiuclt for me to hear him sitting at the same table as I. But in the film, he was perfectly understandable because the sound track mikes picked him up and the sound man magnified the volumne for him. What you are speaking about is articulation. Forming the sounds of the words clearly and distinctly. If you are screwing up because you are nervous, you are not acting. If you were acting, you would not be nervous, because you would be the character and the character is not nervous. It would not hurt for you to take voice lessons from a professional teacher of voice for actors, because it is important to get into the habit of speaking clearly..

Answer 2

What you're talking about is "projection." Kudos for looking up how to do so! I know lots of actors with many years of experience who don't even bother to learn this vital technique.

Try this exercise out:

1) Lie on the ground and put your hands on your stomach just below your rib cage. This is about where your diaphragm is, and is where, when you are projecting, your body should move.
2) Try to breathe without moving your shoulders or chest up and down. The only thing that should be moving is your stomach.
3) Next, try pushing the air out of your stomach using the same way of breathing. No words needed yet-- just say "hah!" Your stomach should rise.
4) Try this a few times till you have the hang of it. Then stand up and try. Keep your shoulders back and still, and push the air with your stomach.

The same applies for your lines! When you speak, push the air out with your stomach muscles, not the back of your throat. This will also help you not to go hoarse. And when you're speaking loudly, it should increase your confidence. Just relax and breathe. Good luck! :)