Here are our Top 10 Acting Tips for Beginners at the start of your acting journey.
1. GET READY TO HAVE FUN! DON’T BE SCARED TO LOOK SILLY!
Be brave! Acting is all about taking risks, letting your guard down and doing things you wouldn’t normally do. There are no rights or wrongs with acting, it’s not like a maths class. You might be throwing an imaginary object one minute and performing a dramatic scene the next, so be open to whatever is thrown at you.
2. PEOPLE-WATCH!
Observe the people around you and look at how they behave. Great places to do this are: the tube, cafe’s, or sitting on a park bench. Actors often say that they think something their character does in a scene is ‘too extreme’ or ‘real people don’t talk like that’; but as soon as you really start observing real people you realise that the saying ‘Truth is Stranger than Fiction’ is really true!
3. LEARN YOUR LINES
It can be a boring task but you need to learn your lines back to front and inside out if you want to do a good performance! Once you’ve learnt your lines you can relax and enjoy the scene you’re in and the character you’re playing. There are also lots of fun exercises to help make learning lines a bit easier.
4. FIND OUT AS MUCH AS YOU CAN ABOUT YOUR CHARACTER
Go through your script and write down every fact that’s written about them. Then let your imagination run wild: where do they live? What is their job? What do they do when they’re afraid? How do they laugh? What’s their favourite food? Start to build up an image of their world, your character is a real person with a whole life.
5. ACTING IS REACTING!
A phrase you’ve probably heard a bunch of times, but is one of, if not, the most important thing when starting out in acting. When you’re performing a scene you should never switch off, you should always be present and listening to your fellow actors when you aren’t talking. It’s a team sport!
Carry on reading below for more acting tips for beginners...
6. GO AND WATCH AS MUCH THEATRE, TV AND FILM AS YOU CAN
It doesn’t matter if it’s a play at your local pub theatre or a West-End show. Watch actors. Find performances you love and what makes then brilliant.
7. START AN ACTING JOURNAL
Journaling on its own is a great exercise all round! Logging your acting journey with a specific character or play, from the start to the end will allow you to track your progress and growth. It has also been known to improve anxiety and confidence which can be big blockers when getting started in acting.
8. RESEARCH
From Meisner to Stanislavski, Pina Bausch to Laban, there are so many theatre practitioners out there with many different approaches to acting. Some like to analyse exactly what a character's intentions are behind every word. Others, throw themselves (quite literally) into the role and go about their everyday lives exactly as the character would.
9. JOIN AN ACTING CLASS AND COMMUNITY
Our Acting Beginners Course offers an introduction to acting in a friendly and supportive atmosphere taught by professional actors. Jump straight into acting techniques in a playful, accessible and practical way. This is also an incredible way to meet actors starting out just like you! Find lots of social media accounts such as ‘The Actors Network’ or ‘TheatreBubble’ with advice and audition tips! Also online publications like The Stage and West End Wilma have a great community section.
10. ENJOY YOURSELF.
Acting is about playing and giving yourself the freedom to explore new characters and other worlds. So have fun; your work will be better for it!
