The Six Most Common Acting Mistakes
I often hear actors lamenting the amount of time they spend auditioning and not getting cast. In my experience, some of this is due to circumstance, but there are ways that actors can make themselves stand out from the crowd and book more work. Here’s a list of common mistakes I see actors making over and over again in auditions:
1. Making it all about you. The first mistake most actors make is not listening to the other actor in the room. It’s called a scene for a reason. A scene is an interaction between characters, so when one actor focuses only on their own part, the scene falls flat. If your audition partner says something funny or surprising, give them a beat to respond before saying your next line.
2. Talking too fast. If you’re talking too fast because you’re nervous, see number one (and breathe). If you rush through your lines simply because you think you need to get all the words out as quickly as possible, you’re wrong. Audition readers aren’t examining every syllable of dialogue; they just want to know if you understand what your character wants and if you have any range as an actor.
3. Shouting. Shouting doesn’t mean your
Acting is hard. It’s even harder if you’re making common mistakes. Unfortunately, many actors make some very basic, easy-to-fix mistakes. Make sure you’re not one of them by avoiding the following blunders:
1. Rushing to Audition
The more prepared you are for an audition, the more comfortable and confident you’ll feel in the room. Don’t rush through the steps just to get yourself in the door. You won’t be able to do anything with a script you haven’t had time to memorize or learn about your character. Take the time you need to prepare for auditions so you can nail them!
2. Not Using Your Resources
If there’s one thing that actors have plenty of, it’s resources. You don’t have to go it alone! Use all of your tools and connections to find work, build your resume and skills, and promote yourself as an actor. Don’t forget that Backstage is a resource too!
3. Focusing on Fame
Don’t get caught up in chasing fame or money as an actor; it doesn’t always come right away. Instead
These are the 6 most common mistakes that actors make when they start taking acting classes. They are all easy to overcome. If you’re just starting out, you can avoid these pitfalls.
1. Lacking a Foundation
2. Not Putting in the Work
3. Not Listening
4. Trying to Be Someone Else
5. Only Focusing on Your Skill Set
6. Choosing Roles You Can Play vs Roles That Will Challenge You
1. Do not be late. This is a major pet peeve of mine and I personally have fired many students for being late. If you are ten minutes early, you are on time. If you are on time, you are late. If you are late, do not bother coming at all. If you show up late to an audition or to class, it sends the message that your time is more valuable than the other actors’ time or mine. In this business, it is important to be respectful of others’ time and energy because we depend so much on each other in order to get our work done. Be early and be ready to work when the class starts so that we can make the most out of our time together!
2. Turn off your cell phone when you enter the studio or theater. This is another pet peeve of mine and I cannot tell you how many times I have had a student’s cell phone ring during class and disrupt what we were doing. Not only does this distract the other students from their work but it also distracts me from teaching them properly. You should always turn off your phone before entering an acting class or an audition so that it does not ring or vibrate during class/audition; if it does ring during class
Acting is an art. It is an expression of the mind, body and soul. It is a way of communicating to the audience your emotions and thoughts over the characters you are portraying. Being an actor is the act of taking the life of another person and expressing it through words and movement.
Acting requires concentration, focus, imagination, creativity, courage and belief in yourself. Actors need to have a good understanding of human nature, as well as different cultures and beliefs. Acting requires a lot of self-knowledge and self-awareness. To be a good actor you will need to have a lot of confidence in who you are as well as being able to understand other people’s thoughts and feelings.
Some people think that acting comes naturally but I disagree with this statement. Acting does require some natural talent but it also requires a lot of hard work, practice, persistence and dedication. You must have a good understanding of how to interpret scripts in order to bring them to life on stage or on screen. Actors must give themselves permission to truly live inside their character’s skin so they can express their thoughts and feelings authentically on stage or in front of the camera.
There are many different skills required for acting such as voice control
1. Acting is not about being someone different. It’s finding the similarity in what is apparently different, then finding myself in there.
2. Acting is not lying. It’s a form of craft that enables a storyteller to bring the truth to their performance and the audience.
3. Acting is not pretending to be someone else. It’s discovering aspects of myself that are connected to the character I’m playing.
4. Acting is not showing off or manipulating your audience with my behavior as an actor. It’s providing a meaningful experience for the audience, which can only come through understanding and expressing the truth of the character and the circumstances.
5. Acting is not imitating behavior. It’s investigating the text for clues about the character, then making clear and specific choices about how to realize those clues in performance.
6. Acting is not reacting; it’s taking actions that fulfill my objectives by doing things that move me toward my goals in each scene, moment by moment.
1. Too much focus on memorization
2. Acting too big
3. Not rehearsing enough
4. Worrying about the wrong things
5. Not having an objective
6. Not asking for help when you need it
