This is a blog about actors and the different ways they work. There are three main categories: film, comedy, and voice over. Each of these professions are so different from one another, yet all of them are based on the same thing: acting. Here I will be discussing the different techniques and methods each actor uses to become better at their specific job.
There are many different techniques that can be used when performing as an actor. Some techniques are specific to particular professions, while others can be used across professions. For example, the Meisner technique is said to be very useful in becoming a better actor for films, but it’s also said to help comedians become a better comedian and comedians themselves say it helps them hone their skills as well. The method acting technique is also used by some actors in films/theater, but not as much in stand up comedy or voice over work because they don’t have time to become “one with the character”. So why is this?
Well there are many reasons why these techniques exist or aren’t useful at all times. Some techniques require time or take a long period of practice before they are effective enough for use on stage or camera/microphone. Other times these things might not even be useful at all because they might only
I recently had a meeting with a casting director and she told me that the production company was looking for an actor who could do all three of these things. Film actor, comedian, and voice overs. I’m not sure if that is possible, but it does intrigue me. Here are some thoughts.
Film Acting
I feel most actors are pretty good at this. Although I think there is a big difference between working in film and television. There are some actors who can do both but most don’t cross over successfully. The last time I tried to make the leap it didn’t workout very well. I was taking classes with a woman who specialized in coaching actors to make the transition from theater to film/tv. It was helpful in part but it really just made me realize that I didn’t have what it takes to be one of those types of actors. So now I just focus on working in film, which is what I enjoy doing anyway.
Comedian
It’s hard to be funny on demand! That’s why they call comedians “comics” and not “films”. Some people are born with the ability to make others laugh but most have to work at it. There are many kinds of comedy and many ways to approach it so it’s
I am an actor/comedian/voice over artist. I am interested in sharing my knowledge and expertise of these fields with people who are considering becoming actors, comedians, or voice overs.
I have been acting since the age of 17. I have performed in theater and film, and can tell you what to expect from the casting process, how to prepare for auditions, how to deal with setbacks, how to stay motivated when you feel like giving up, where the best places are to find a job as an actor and how to make a living at it.
I will also share my knowledge of what comedy is and how to become a better comedian. I will talk about stand up comedy, sketch comedy, improvisational comedy and my personal experiences with all of these formats.
I have performed in many plays and films as well as done voice overs for commercials, documentaries and cartoons.
As a film actor, you are hired by the producer or director. You usually audition for the role, and if you get it, you memorize the lines and shoot your scenes on location or on set. When acting in a film, you work with a script supervisor who is responsible for ensuring that all takes are consistent (which means that everyone is saying their lines the same way each time they shoot it).
As a theater actor, you are hired by the theater company. Often there is an open audition and then callbacks to test chemistry with other actors. If you get cast, you memorize your lines and block your scenes (this means physically moving around the stage in specific ways during different scenes). If there is a playwright involved, he or she will probably be present during rehearsals to make changes to dialogue or blocking if needed.
The only difference between film and theatre acting is that in theatre we have a live audience. So we perform multiple times for an audience, where as in film once we’ve shot something it’s there forever (unless it gets cut from the movie).
Voice overs are usually done with other actors in an audio booth at a recording studio, and then there will be someone off camera feeding you the lines so that you don’t have
As a film actor you are going to be working closely with a director and a cinematographer.
A cinematographer is often called a DP, or Director of Photography. Like the director, the DP is an artist. They are responsible for bringing life to the director’s vision.
As actors we must understand that we are not in control of how we look on camera. The camera will either accentuate your flaws or make you look flawless. It’s all up to the DP so it’s important that we respect them and their art.
The DP has many jobs: they must bring life to the visual concept of the film, they work closely with production designers to create the world of your film, they determine what type of film stock to use (color, black & white), they choose lenses and filters that will enhance mood and emotion and they must keep the budget in mind for every shot as well as time constraints for each shot.
It is so important for us to know these things because if you don’t like how you look on screen it’s not your problem – it’s theirs! If you don’t know this fact going into each job you may end up blaming yourself for something that is out of your control. Don’t fall into this trap!
Over the past two years I have been working as a professional actor in and around the New York City area. It’s not an easy career path to take, but I realized early on that it was what I wanted to do. Working as a professional actor has allowed me to work in amazing productions on stage and screen, meet hundreds of talented individuals, and above all else, make a living doing what I love.
I have also written professionally for many years. In college at NYU my work appeared several times in the NYU newspaper and blog site. Later I wrote for the entertainment section of Yahoo! News, which was my first foray into writing professionally. Now I write here, on my own blog site, which is really just an outlet for me to write about things that are interesting to me.
It is a cliche to say that life is short but it is true – even if you get to live a long life. But it isn’t true in the sense that we think it is when we are young. It isn’t true that we are running out of time… No! We aren’t running out of time; we just aren’t sure what we want to do with our lives yet, so we look at ourselves and see that we are wasting time because we
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