The following list contains valuable advice for actors at any stage in their development as thespians. I hope it’s helpful! If it's not - make up your own rules.
1. If you're a real actor, you will act, you will take action, and you won’t worry about where you do it or who sees you doing it.
2. Be seen. Unmask yourself, your soul, your very being. This is what acting is! YOU BARE YOUR SOUL! Let the audience see the real you, warts and all. Initially, this may not seem very safe, but actors must bear it all in their performances.
3. Be willing to die on the stage, in front of the camera, in the interactive experience! What does that mean? Exactly that. Be willing to die for what your character wants and what the piece communicates. Be willing to fight tooth and nail to achieve what your character wants. *A note for all you method actors out there….don’t die up on stage, but play like your life depends on it.
4. Look at the world around you. Try to see humanity in all its rich, beautiful colors because that is your primary source material. You will use it to paint the canvas… the very base of your craft, and mold it into a piece of art.
5. Be a perfectionist in depicting the human condition, become a craftsperson build your craft!
6. Never call yourself an artist. That is for others to say and judge.
7. Don’t waste your money or your parents' money on acting school. Instead, read books written by masters, only take classes you can audit, and speak to students about the courses they’re taking. Be inquisitive—it's your craft! You can gain the best experience and knowledge by performing in front of a live audience.
8. If you're going to study, be well-versed. Study clown, the classics, movement, and avant-garde. Study the method and discover your own. Study around the world if you can. Try Asia, Europe, and South America. Make your schooling as exciting as the act of playing.
Photo Credit: Asya Gorovits
9. Master the art of auditioning by auditioning! Yes, It's a slightly different art form!
10. Never “wing” an audition! You will make a horrible first impression that might take years to recover. Show them that you care about your craft.
11. Remember to maintain your sense of play. Why are you doing it if you’re not like a kid in a sandbox, diving deep into your role?
12. Be genuinely grateful for the audience feedback you receive because they took the time to see you, and maybe your performance moved them. However, keep in mind that most people do not really know the breadth and depth of what it means to be an artist, and they never will.
13. Look for acknowledgment ONLY from your peers, the directors, your fellow performers, and eventually from yourself. It will take years to discern a good performance from a great one, but if you're steadfast, you will learn. Be patient. It takes about 20 years to become an actor.
14. If others call themselves actors, NEVER judge them or mock them; be compassionate even if you think they're not real actors or never will be. This is not your place; focus on your art. Go into the rehearsal room and become the actor you dream of being.
15. Regarding rehearsals, be the first one there and the last one out, always!
16. Play hard, or don’t play at all! The minute you start to complain about this or that… being too cold, too hot, too uncomfortable...you are not playing. You're whining. Know that your collaborators will think you're a whiner; nobody likes a whiner!
17. Be patient. The reality of your path is that finding roles will be demanding. At the beginning of your career, you will most likely work with young people like yourself who have no resources and need to create “magic” from nothing. So man up! If you're a woman, woman up! Be tough or get out of line and let the real actors step forth!
18. There are no rules, so make up your own!
If you have any questions for me, leave a comment below!
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