How to Be a Great Actor in Middle School
Know what acting is!, Know your character!, Learn your lines!, Know the blocking., Be confident!, Get the timing right., Understand the Fourth Wall., If you desperately need to, improvise!, Respect everyone involved., Performance Day!!
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Know what acting is!
Acting, despite the term, is not simply acting like someone else... it is practically being someone else! -
Step 2: Know your character!
You need to know your character up and down.
You must know him/her/it better than you know your best friend: his traits, his habits, how old he is, his hopes and dreams and fears, his past, even the way he walks.
A nosy woman could walk like a bird and constantly raise her eyebrows.
A grouchy old man could have a limp and the saddest facial expression.
If the details aren't specified by your director, make it up.
Bring the character to life! , KNOW THEM! If you don't have your lines memorized, you're sunk! A performance is powerful and smooth if you know what you are supposed to say.
I admit, it can be difficult.
To help with memorization, you can write down your lines several times.
You can practice with friends and family.
Practice in front of the mirror, with feeling! Practice does make perfect! , Blocking is where you are supposed to move and what you are doing with your body.
A well-placed gesture can make a dull line interesting.
But be careful not to mime everything you're saying. , Your comfort zone is irrelevant.
Be must LOUD, get out there! Do not be afraid to make a fool of yourself.
When people laugh at you during a performance, you are entertaining them! (This may not be a good sign during a sad, dramatic play though...) Looking and sounding like a total idiot makes for great comedy. , Do not just plow through your lines as soon as the other person finishes! For example, if your co-star says, "Look, a fire-breathing dragon!"
jump and frantically look around before you speak. , The fourth wall is the imaginary wall between the audience and the actors.
Unless you are specifically told to interact with the audience, DO NOT PAY ANY ATTENTION TO ANYTHING BEHIND THAT WALL.
Never ever ever break character.
Never giggle when you aren't supposed to.
Don't let it be known to the audience that you forgot your line. , If you forgot your lines, think of what your character would say in their situation and say it! (This is difficult in a rhyming script.) Always help out your co-stars, too.
For example, if he was supposed to say, "Wow, she is beautiful..."
you can cover for him by saying, "I bet you think she's beautiful.
Your eyes are popping out of your head." Improvising is difficult, which is why you need to know your lines. , Be respectful to the cast, the directors, and most especially the undervalued crew.
Even if you aren't on the best terms with the cast members, put that aside so you can have a wonderful performance! The crew (lights, sound, props and costume workers) is often treated unfairly by the cast because they didn't get a role.
Do not tease them.
They are important.
Keep in mind that your performance would be nothing without them. , You have done everything to prepare.
You know your lines and your blocking.
The cast and crew is well-rested and ready to go.
Your play is darn near perfect! (Maybe not, but always give it your best try.) Relax, go through your lines, and fight back those butterflies! It's really fun to do a warm-up with the whole cast.
Break a leg! -
Step 3: Learn your lines!
-
Step 4: Know the blocking.
-
Step 5: Be confident!
-
Step 6: Get the timing right.
-
Step 7: Understand the Fourth Wall.
-
Step 8: If you desperately need to
-
Step 9: improvise!
-
Step 10: Respect everyone involved.
-
Step 11: Performance Day!!
Detailed Guide
Acting, despite the term, is not simply acting like someone else... it is practically being someone else!
You need to know your character up and down.
You must know him/her/it better than you know your best friend: his traits, his habits, how old he is, his hopes and dreams and fears, his past, even the way he walks.
A nosy woman could walk like a bird and constantly raise her eyebrows.
A grouchy old man could have a limp and the saddest facial expression.
If the details aren't specified by your director, make it up.
Bring the character to life! , KNOW THEM! If you don't have your lines memorized, you're sunk! A performance is powerful and smooth if you know what you are supposed to say.
I admit, it can be difficult.
To help with memorization, you can write down your lines several times.
You can practice with friends and family.
Practice in front of the mirror, with feeling! Practice does make perfect! , Blocking is where you are supposed to move and what you are doing with your body.
A well-placed gesture can make a dull line interesting.
But be careful not to mime everything you're saying. , Your comfort zone is irrelevant.
Be must LOUD, get out there! Do not be afraid to make a fool of yourself.
When people laugh at you during a performance, you are entertaining them! (This may not be a good sign during a sad, dramatic play though...) Looking and sounding like a total idiot makes for great comedy. , Do not just plow through your lines as soon as the other person finishes! For example, if your co-star says, "Look, a fire-breathing dragon!"
jump and frantically look around before you speak. , The fourth wall is the imaginary wall between the audience and the actors.
Unless you are specifically told to interact with the audience, DO NOT PAY ANY ATTENTION TO ANYTHING BEHIND THAT WALL.
Never ever ever break character.
Never giggle when you aren't supposed to.
Don't let it be known to the audience that you forgot your line. , If you forgot your lines, think of what your character would say in their situation and say it! (This is difficult in a rhyming script.) Always help out your co-stars, too.
For example, if he was supposed to say, "Wow, she is beautiful..."
you can cover for him by saying, "I bet you think she's beautiful.
Your eyes are popping out of your head." Improvising is difficult, which is why you need to know your lines. , Be respectful to the cast, the directors, and most especially the undervalued crew.
Even if you aren't on the best terms with the cast members, put that aside so you can have a wonderful performance! The crew (lights, sound, props and costume workers) is often treated unfairly by the cast because they didn't get a role.
Do not tease them.
They are important.
Keep in mind that your performance would be nothing without them. , You have done everything to prepare.
You know your lines and your blocking.
The cast and crew is well-rested and ready to go.
Your play is darn near perfect! (Maybe not, but always give it your best try.) Relax, go through your lines, and fight back those butterflies! It's really fun to do a warm-up with the whole cast.
Break a leg!
About the Author
Madison Stewart
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow DIY projects tutorials.
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