[This post was written in response to an actor who asked me via email how to become a better actor.]

It’s hard to be a great actor, but it’s easy not to suck. I’ve been in and around the entertainment industry for over 20 years. I’ve seen thousands of auditions and have some idea of what will get you cut right away and what makes you stand out. I’m writing this blog post specifically for actors who are auditioning for shows and movies, but much of this advice can be applied more generally as well.

Don’t let your nerves show. I know, easier said than done, right? But actors (and especially new, inexperienced ones) have a tendency to be very nervous during auditions because they really want to do well. It’s like taking a test in school; you want a good grade so bad that your palms sweat, your heart rate increases, etc., which isn’t exactly the best state to be in when you’re trying to perform! The key is to calm yourself down before you go into the audition room. Take a few deep breaths, try not to think about what’s coming up next, and just try to relax. If the nerves show through, you’ll come across as being stiff and uncomfortable —

If you are reading this, it is because you have made a decision to become an actor. Congratulations on making this decision. Acting can be a very rewarding career but there are some important things you will need to know before you start your acting career. Although we cannot teach everything about acting here, we will give you some tips on how to be a better actor.

1. Practice makes perfect!

The most important thing to remember when becoming an actor is that practice really does make perfect. The more time you spend practicing your acting skills the more natural the acting will seem and the better you will become. If you don’t practice enough, then people will notice that you are not a natural actor and it won’t be as easy for them to believe that your character is real.

2. Learn from others

Another good way of becoming a better actor is by learning from others mistakes and successes. If someone tries something new in the script which doesn’t work, try to avoid doing it yourself unless you are sure that it will work for your role and your character. However, if they find something which works really well then try using it yourself as well.

3. Use your imagination

One of the most important things when trying to act naturally is to use your imagination

The first rule of acting is to be honest. The second rule of acting is: when you’re not being honest, notice it and do something about it.

That’s the secret that most actors don’t want you to know. Good acting is not really about “being natural”; it’s more like dancing, where the steps are arbitrary but need to be precise. You can’t fake being a better dancer by just flailing your limbs around; you have to actually learn the steps. Similarly, good acting isn’t about being real; it’s about making precise choices.

Acting lessons are a lot like dance lessons except instead of learning to move your body with precision, you’re learning to move your emotions with precision. You learn exercises that make your emotions precise, then you get a script and use those exercises to find precise ways to portray the character’s emotions in each scene.

Some people say that acting is about discovering the character’s motivation for each scene, and only then deciding how you would feel if that were your motivation. But I’ve found this approach doesn’t work very well for me; I end up either choosing too many random motivations or else getting stuck trying to figure out what my motivation should be. Instead, I prefer an approach where I come up

If you’re an actor, you’re probably going to be spending a lot of time in your car. You’re going to have to get used to it.

I’m not talking about just driving to auditions. I’m talking about what happens when you get there.

First, take a deep breath. Then, relax.

Actors are by nature nervous people and tend to be on edge even when they are not auditioning. I once had an acting teacher who assigned the exercise of walking around for an entire day with a smile plastered on your face. The idea was that this would train you to be happy and outgoing all the time, instead of waiting for your cue. It was a good idea, but it didn’t work for me or anyone else in class. We simply couldn’t sustain that level of enthusiasm for more than half an hour or so at a time.

The problem is that actors are creative people and creative people are often insecure and self-doubting. That’s why they have chosen a profession that allows them to express themselves in ways that may not be fully understood by others, and one in which success is often measured by acclaim rather than more tangible rewards like money or power or prestige. And because we feel we must strive constantly

Don’t tell me you forgot your lines! If you forget your lines, you can’t be an actor. I don’t know why you are in this business.

We are doing a play today, people. Not a movie. You have to remember your lines. If you don’t, we’ll stop and go back until you do.

You may have heard of the term “blocking.” It is a very important thing for actors to learn so they know where they are supposed to be on stage when they are performing a scene. I am not kidding when I say that most of the actors who auditioned for me this morning did not know their blocking. This is unacceptable, people!

Every actor knows the feeling: you’re going to go in and audition for a really big part. You know it’s going to be amazing, and you’ve got a great monologue prepared.

Then, right before the audition, someone asks you to do something completely different than what you’d prepared. Something that you feel like you have no control over, and maybe don’t even know how to do.

You absolutely can’t let this thrown-off feeling show during your audition. But most actors aren’t sure how to keep these nerves under wraps…

Luckily, there’s an easy solution for handling a situation when you feel thrown off your game: Simply use your imagination!