10 Ways for an Actor to Improve

1.       Ace the audition- You may be convinced you can act, but if you can’t audition, you’re not getting the part. Work on overcoming your nerves, being prepared to the fullest, and treating every audition as a performance. You can become better!

2.       Don’t be camera shy- You may think you only want to act for theater, but the acting business can be unpredictable and you do not want to limit yourself. Take a class for auditioning in front of the camera and open yourself up to all doors so you can open your opportunities!

3.       Learn to improvise-Take an improvisation class and help yourself react spontaneously in the audition room and onstage. Be able to handle whatever the casting directors or live theater throws at you and enhance your creativity!

4.       Laugh it off-The acting business is tough, and just like a marriage, needs a sense of humor in order to succeed. Casting directors and agent s enjoy working with enjoyable people. Perhaps take a standup comedy class. You won’t necessarily become a comedian, but you will face the audience one on one and learn to stand on your own!

5.       Overcome Stage fright- All actors get nervous before they perform, but stage fright is experiencing the nerves that keep you from performing at all! The only way to end that fear is by continuously confronting it and opening yourself up to different performing opportunities! Another way to end stage fright is by focusing on the other actors on stage, instead of you.

6.       Learn about Human Psychology- Take a psychology class and delve deep into the way all people think and act. There are some roles you will be required to play that you may not have personal experience from, but a psychology class can give you knowledge of that persons mental shoes.

7.       Take care of your body and develop your voice- No matter what your typecast, it is important to be healthy and fit in order to receive and perform different roles. Take a dance class to up your chances in the audition room or a mime class to help your body language. Your body is your instrument and you need to keep it healthy and in shape! Learn how to breathe and project your voice when you speak. If casting directors can’t hear you neither can your audience. Take singing lessons that may help you land roles in musicals or commercials where a trained singer is needed. Get a dialect coach to help overcome your accent and learn many more to open a door of opportunities.

8.       Keep a steady income-If you are able to maintain a reliable income, you will never audition with a weight of desperateness which is not attractive to casting directors. Be confident, not desperate.

9.       Avoid the outright stupid choices-Be early. Be prepared. Be easy to get a hold of. Make acting a high priority and of high importance. Don’t lie, you will get found out and lose credibility. Never get comfortable, always be searching to make yourself and your career better! You can!

10.   Keep your eyes open-You can improve your acting just by paying attention to the world around you! Watch plays, movies, TV, etc. to find what actors are doing right and wrong. Study different techniques and methods to find which work best for you. Take acting seminars or classes to gain knowledge. You can never stop learning which means you can never stop improving!!!  You CAN make your dreams come true, but are you willing to put in the work? –Actors Nook Team