Movies, TV serials, and advertisements are some of the most popular forms of entertainment and sources of information for the general populace. They are all around us and are parts of our life, whether we like it or not. All have some standard requirements connecting them, such as innovative storytelling, consummate acting skills, creativity etc. Taking all this into consideration, it is no surprise that there is such a massive surge in the number of people who want to get into acting. Apart from the influence, visibility and popularity that they enjoy through their exploits on the visual medium, they also get to earn an above-average income. But behind all the glamour and glitter in the show business, a lot of hard work is involved. Actors and technicians go through the grind facing multiple struggles before emerging successful, and any aspiring actor must understand the way that most of the assiduous actors have laboured past obstacles and discouragements to become accomplished. This has not been mentioned to dissuade you from pursuing a career in acting but only to inform you about the toils involved. Even after being cognizant of the hard work that this field entails, if you are determined to achieve big, we can get to the process:
You must start by honing and refining your skills in a regimented manner with utmost discipline. Watch a lot of movies and TV series to understand the nuances involved in acting. Many of the esteemed actors employ numerous techniques to convey their emotions more effectively. It is imperative that you upgrade your memory skills in a concerted manner because it is an indispensable asset in your skillset. Acting involves memorization of many lines daily, and any lapses in retention skills will be conspicuous on set. Regular exercise and consumption of foods rich in omega-3 will help you in this endeavour to improve memory.
A popular trick to help remember lines is to associate the line that you want to commit to memory with the movements and the emotions that you wish to display while rendering that line. This will ensure that you have mental cues to guide you, even if you forget any of the lines. Taking frequent breaks is also vital when you are looking to practice retention because spaced repetition has been proven to enhance any skill by leaps and bounds. So, take breaks, come back and repeat the previously learned line again. Curation of the voice is also a critical area where you must look to excel in. Different scenes involve different emotions, and voice modulation is absolutely necessary to better deliver the emotion that you wish to convey. This necessity becomes especially pronounced in theatre where the actor has to perform in front of a live audience. Some other skills to develop include:
Learning different dialects: Versatility in roles is sure to keep any actor in good stead, and will also help him/her stay relevant in an ever-changing field. Regional and genre-related limitations can severely dent the prospects of the actor, and the acquisition of different dialects can help purge such limitations from affecting his/her career.
Internalization of emotions: To be an effective actor, you must try to put yourself in the shoes of a completely different person and react to situations and circumstances in the way he/she would. Remember, the audience wants to see the character’s life on the screen and should at no point feel like someone else is acting out the life of the character.
To further hone your skills or reinforce what you have already learnt, you can join an acting university and have formal training. This will also give more credibility to your resume. You can also learn skills through workshops and summer camps. Most importantly, even if you have college classes to attend or any other commitments, don’t let your focus waver, and keep learning. If your financial condition is stable, you can hire an acting coach to help you with a structured learning experience.
Once you are confident with your virtuosity, you can take a big step in this expedition by applying for modelling assignments or can try your hand by acting in advertisements. TV serials are good launchpads too and can be used as potential starting points. Several shows on television and online are designed to recognize filmmaking and acting talents for which you can collaborate with budding filmmakers, music composers and other technicians and work on short films. It is imperative to network consistently on Social Media websites, and you must try to find like-minded people with similar interests and goals online. Post your work regularly on your YouTube and Facebook handles and solicit feedback from your friends, families and other miscellaneous followers that you garner through these ventures. Take the positive feedback as encouragements to persevere while using the negative feedback as reality checks to further improve. Develop a reputation in your circles as someone diligent, respectful and easy to work with. A tainted reputation will gravely debilitate your chances of bagging opportunities.
It is also essential to have a periodically updated resume handy. This should include all your previous relevant experiences with any additional skills that you possess. Multifarious skills like singing, music composing, dancing can bolster your resume in many ways. It can also open other doors if, in any case, your acting career starts faltering. Now, start applying for various auditions and wait for their replies. If you manage to get selected for some, start preparing for them. Usually, these auditions are held to evaluate your memory skills, your body language, and the confidence you exude by making you act out a monologue. To get yourself ready for this, you can go online to get resources on ways to act out monologues. There is a diverse set of books on these topics in the market. You can buy them, and using these resources, coupled with YouTube videos and websites, you can practise in an organized manner for these auditions. To further develop your career, you can work as an extra in movies or TV shows, which too will be valuable additions in your resume.
