How to learn acting
Shakespeare said that “the world is like a stage, and all the people in it are actors.” It’s wrong to think actors are needed only on the stage. People still think of confidence as something that can be achieved through various courses, but in reality you need to actually develop it. One way of doing this is by playing games. A lot of advertising nowadays focuses on these, but is it really the quality or quantity that matters?
Is acting applicable in everyday life?
Acting is a life skill that’s useful in many situations. Not only can it help you sound good when speaking, but it also helps reduce anxiety. It’s also a well-developed body language skill that will enable you to control your body more effectively. One of the most common fears before public speaking is not knowing: Where to put hands, pressing buttons on jacket, biting nails… But people fall into routine and start this before their speech which makes them monotonous.
Managing one’s emotions is a crucial aspect for any aspiring actor. It cannot be assumed that only talented people have the capacity to do so.Did you know that when adults are talking to kids they often change their tone of voice? For example, if a child says “Look at my kitty!” an adult will reply “Oh! What a cute little kitty!”. They may also speak slower and simplify what they say. No one overeats when talking to kids because people unconsciously adjust their speech patterns.
Acting lessons are designed to help people know themselves better, see your abilities more clearly, and allow you to open up more. This leads to fewer psychological problems and complexes. Even little kids are sent to acting classes. One of the main goals of this is to develop useful skills, like eloquence, lip syncing, and body movement.
What elements of acting are taught?
The following elements of acting are studied:
• scenic speech. What sets it apart is that unlike the conversations we have every day, you’ll need to use your voice, tone and pronunciation as a form of persuasion. It’s not enough to speak with clarity; your words must touch another person emotionally and wordlessly communicate how power.
• stage movement. Putin considered the ability to be liberated as the main one in acting. With the help of non-verbal means, you can convey mood, emotions, express your attitude to what is happening or to other people. The main thing is to carry out all the movements that are deemed necessary for conveying these emotions convincingly.
• vocals. The Actors involved in theater often have to sing songs. As more and more shows incorporate songs, it is becoming increasingly difficult for directors. Working with a “universal” actor who can not only act but also sing can solve this problem. In everyday life, people who are far from acting will also benefit from the skill of singing, because it helps to impress, express mood and feelings;
• dancing. Dancing helps you work on your balance and technique. It also improves your creativity which in turn helps develop even more dance abilities in the future. This is because when you learn how to dance, not only are you improving your skills but also building up confidence in order to take on new challenges.
To start acting it’s not necessary to go to school or take course, at first you should just try doing some exercises at home. It can also help develop your speech & movements.
Exercises for the development of stage speech
Before any public speaking, you need to do exercises to warm up the language:
1. Imagine having a delicious berry in your mouth. Press on the soft palate with your tongue, feeling the sweet juice. Open your teeth and repeat 10 times.
2. Biting the tongue. Open your mouth and gently stretch your tongue over the top of it.
3. Pronouncing names, throwing a tennis ball: abruptly and clearly. During training, do not forget to look the other person in the eyes, otherwise you might seem unconvincing.
4. Speak so that everyone can hear. If you whisper so quietly that nobody can hear you, the message will not be communicated properly.
5. Find your voice. It is not the voice that is high-pitched that is best. Men are usually the best speakers because people can listen to them more easily – this gives men an incredible advantage in speeches.
6. Pronounce consonants. Consonants are the backbone of speech. To develop this skill, you need to take a text (consonant), hold it in your teeth and try to read out loud what is written. Theater students go through this exercise for a number of months in order to achieve better clarity in their speech.
Correct breathing is essential for a successful performance. Breathe from your stomach and don’t take in any air when you’re mid-word. Tongue twisters and difficult tongue twisters can help with articulation.
Exercises to develop stage movement
• Stand on one leg, then tilt your body in different directions. This exercise is good to break up the monotony of sitting & standing all day.
• Standing on your tip toes and holding an imaginary fan in your hand, lightly wave it around while keeping your balance.
• I’m going to take a stone and try moving it with my hands and feet. This is to show how hard it can be to move a large, heavy object.
• To develop coordination, you can rotate your right hand one way and your left another.
One of the most famous sources for teaching acting is Stanislavsky’s book “The Work of an Actor on Himself.” This textbook is taught in all theatrical universities. The basics of acting are explained there. You’ll get hands-on skills plus tips on acting, which you can use to emulate the author’s thoughts about it.
Another important work by Stanislavsky is Ethics, which describes situations that an actor may face, relationships with colleagues. His student, Mikhail Chekhov in his monograph “Secrets of Acting Skill” reveals the secrets of the profession and teaches.
From foreign literature, one should examine Ivana Chubbuck’s book “The Skill of the Actor: The Chubbuck Technique.” The next time you’re looking to contribute to social media, she teaches how you can correctly input an image and provides skills for how to share your feelings. Robots are also being developed that can switch between different emotions like death & pregnancy. Such manuals teach actors how to hone their strengths and give them more time to focus on what is really important.
Good acting skills will be handy for corporate event managers, animators, teachers, and educators. Each of their working days is like walking on stage in front of dozens of people. They can be watched carefully at any time. Other than talent and good looks, your acting skills will also help you get ahead in the workplace. Plus, the added benefit of having lots of fans who will admire your work is one more thing to consider.
Is it possible to study acting? If you want, are diligent and systematic, then this skill can be learned in just a few months. The boundaries of the world will become wider for the newly-made actor; he will begin to understand people’s behaviour better because he will try.
These trainings will help you become more honest with yourself and understand yourself better. One good way would be to focus on your strengths and put in a few hours a week to hone those skills. Then trust that success will follow!