Tips on Acting for the Camera

Acting for the Camera

As an actor, one of the most important things you can do is to make a great impression on camera. But sometimes, it can be hard to know what to do to make sure you’re performing your best. Here are some tips on how to act for the camera and make sure that your performance shines through.

Understand the difference between acting for the camera and live theater

When you’re performing for the camera, it’s important to understand that there are some key differences between acting for the camera and acting for live theater. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

– In live theater, the audience is typically sitting far away from the stage, so you need to project your voice and make sure your expressions are big and clear. When you’re acting for the camera, however, the camera can pick up even small nuances in your performance, so you don’t need to overdo it. Sometimes less is more when you’re performing for the camera.

• In live theater, audiences can see your whole body and you need to use your body language to convey your emotions and tell the story. When you’re acting for the camera, however, the focus is typically on your face, so it’s important to make sure that your facial expressions are conveying what you want them to.
• In live theater, there are typically long pauses between scenes, so you need to be able to maintain your energy level and stay in character for long periods. When you’re acting for the camera, however, scenes are often shot out of order and there are breaks in between work, so it’s important to be able to focus and stay in character even when you’re not on camera.
• In live theater, audiences can see your whole body and you need to use your body language to convey your emotions and tell the story. When you’re acting for the camera, however, the focus is typically on your face, so it’s important to make sure that your facial expressions are conveying what you want them to.

Be aware of the camera

One of the most important things you can do when you’re acting for the camera is to be aware of where the camera is at all times. This doesn’t mean that you need to stare directly into the lens, but you should be aware of where it is so that you can make sure your performance is being captured correctly.

• If the camera is in front of you, make sure you’re looking slightly to the side so that your eyes don’t look like they’re darting back and forth.
• If the camera is to the side, be aware of where it is and make sure you’re turning your head slightly so that the camera can pick up your expressions.
• If the camera is behind you, make sure you’re not blocking it with your body and be aware of what’s in the frame so that you’re not accidentally including something in the shot that you don’t want to.

Use props and furniture to your advantage

In live theater, actors often have to work with whatever stage they’re given and they have to make do with the props and furniture that are available. When you’re acting for the camera, however, you can use the props and furniture to your advantage to help make your performance better.

• If you’re sitting down, use the furniture to your advantage and sit in a way that’s comfortable for you and that will help you project your emotions.
• If you’re standing up, use the furniture to help you stay grounded and make sure you’re not blocking the camera.
• If you’re using props, make sure they’re not obscuring your face or blocking the camera.
• If you’re in a close-up shot, use the furniture to help you fill the frame and make sure your face is completely visible.

Keep your energy up

It’s important to keep your energy up when you’re acting for the camera so that your performance doesn’t seem flat or lifeless. One way to do this is to make sure you’re well-rested and hydrated before you start filming.

It’s also important to take breaks between takes so that you can stay fresh and focused. When you’re on camera, it’s easy to get caught up in the moment and forget to take a break, but it’s important to take care of yourself so that you can give your best performance.

Another way to keep your energy up is to listen to music or do something that gets you moving and shaking between takes. Just make sure you’re not too loud or disruptive so that you don’t ruin takes.

Warm-up before shooting

Just like athletes need to warm up before they compete, actors need to warm up before they shoot. This is because acting can be physically and emotionally demanding, and you want to make sure as performers you’re in the right frame of mind and body before you start filming.

One way to warm up is to do some basic stretches or yoga poses to get your body loose and limber.

Another way to warm up is to do some vocal exercises to get your voice warmed up and ready to project.

You can also do some mental exercises to get yourself in the right mindset for acting. One way to do this is to imagine yourself in the scene and visualize what you want to happen.

Another way to warm up is to rehearse the scene with a friend or fellow actor before you start filming. This will help you get into the character’s headspace and make sure you know your lines.

With these tips in mind, you’ll be sure to give a great performance every time you’re on camera.

Bonus

To sharpen your acting skills on camera, try to take an acting class. An acting class is a great way to sharpen your acting technique, camera technique, screen acting, facial expression, visual focus, monologues, and even imagination on how to embody the characters you take on. As actors/actresses you have to remain students of drama/acting. Your acting teacher will bring new ideas that help you when acting.

So get out there performers! Show the world your talent! Hopefully this article has given you tips on ways to sharpen your acting skills. Check online for upcoming acting classes. Also try looking in New York or Los Angeles as these two areas are known for their performing arts classes for students. 

 

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5 Rules For Hollywood Success!

The Hollywood Rules 

Hollywood is where filmmakers, actors, directors, and artists – from around the world – have been dreaming about for over a century. Every day, some of the best actors and artists come to Hollywood with the hope to succeed. If you want to work with the very best, Hollywood is the place to be. Unfortunately, most people who come here don’t succeed. Why is that? Well, there are two reasons. It’s because they have never learned the “5 Rules of Hollywood”, and they never found an acting coach or mentor who could show them what Hollywood expects from them as actors. 

These rules below will make all the difference in your success in this industry. 

1. “WHAT WILL I GIVE?” NOT, “WHAT WILL I GET?”

Most people come to L.A. to get things. Hollywood will not respond to you unless you are ready to give something. The people in this industry can see this needy energy and sense of entitlement instantly. Trust me! The more you’re willing to share, offer, and present, the more excited and interested people will be in you. Come with a giving mindset. 

2. “HOLLYWOOD RUNS ON ENERGY.” 

If you don’t have positive energy radiating out of your body, you will be unemployed because energy is Hollywood’s currency. The successful artists I have met, for the most part, are very nice, professional, and have the energy I want to be around. Enthusiastic behavior will attract the right people into your career and life. Artists who are considerate and keep improving themselves, their craft, and sharing their gifts will attract more of the same. Enthusiastic behavior attracts the right people to your life and career. 

3. “YOU ATTRACT WHO YOU ARE.” 

You never attract who you want. If you are a superficial person and you come to Hollywood, you’re going to meet a lot of superficial people. In life, you always meet the kind of person you are. If you have negative friends then you had better look at yourself in the mirror, because like attracts like. Positive people will meet other positive people. You must be the type of person you’re seeking to be around! What changes do I need to make in myself to attract the people I want to work with? We don’t live in the world of our wishes. We live in a world we attract, create, build, and nurture. 

4. “LIVE YOUR AUTHENTICITY.” 

Be courageous enough to be your true self. This is not an easy thing to do, because many people tell you that who you are will never be good enough. Renowned artists share their authentic selves with the world. Know that your true self will keep progressing because you learn, grow, and expand.  
“Be YOU – because everyone else is taken!”

5. “BE GRATEFUL.” 

One of the things that Hollywood likes is gratitude. It embraces people who appreciate others for their efforts and kindness. I have noticed that stars and other successful people in this industry are thankful to others for helping them. I find that most of the people at the top are caring individuals. They tell me that they feel fortunate to have a job and grateful to be in this business. Most realize that it’s not just about being a star, but how they can help others. 

Please send us your comments.

Love, Bernard

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YOUR VOICE DETERMINES YOUR LIFE!

When a baby is born, everyone waits to hear the voice that announces the child’s arrival. They make a very loud sound when they cry, which signifies that they are tired, hungry, or in pain. They are trying to communicate with all the noises they can make.

We are unique in that we start our lives trying to communicate verbally, even when we don’t yet have the language skills. 

The voice is the most powerful instrument in the human body.

That’s why singing is so effective in penetrating our hearts.
Know that, “Your voice is the mirror to your soul.” 

How effectively you are using your voice will determine your success in love relationships, business, dreams, career, and every single aspect of life! Your voice transmits your feelings, emotions, hurts, wants, and needs from you to others.

I’ve been a public speaking trainer for the past 28 years, and I’ve noticed that people around the world have more problems communicating now more than ever before. One of the reasons is the emergence of the digital age. We’ve started texting, twitting, and emailing as a way to communicate. Therefore, interpersonal relationships have suffered greatly. A recent survey said that people feel more comfortable expressing their feelings by texting rather than speaking to that person. That is so sad!

I’ve also noticed that people have vocal blocks given to them by their family, friends, or teachers. A vocal block is when you were told to be quiet as a child when you wanted to say something. They made you feel as though you have nothing of value to say. This affects a child’s voice greatly. Another common vocal block is when you were told to stop singing or were severely shamed and ostracized in school for having different opinions!

IMPROVING YOUR VOCAL SKILLS – IMPROVES YOUR LIFE! 

When you’re unable to communicate fully you lose a huge part of yourself.

In business having powerful verbal skills are crucial if you want to improve productivity and have a more talented workforce. Only confident communicators can bring clarity and direction to a company. The ability to be a dynamic speaker is a skill you must acquire. A great speaker is someone who can transform the listener not just give them directions or information. This is not an easy thing to do, but with training and practice, one voice can change the world.

How you communicate will determine the quality of your life, relationships and it has the ability to resolve or prevent problems. If you want to be acknowledged you must be heard. This is also a big problem. The sound, tone, loudness, facial expressions, and body language while speaking are all major factors. If we cannot hear you, we don’t care what you are saying.

A speech without emotions and passion is meaningless. Emotions and passion gets people’s attention, trust, interest and will give you the ability to persuade others. When you improve your speaking and communication skills, your self-esteem gets better. How you communicate also affects how much money you will earn during your lifetime.

I want you to express yourself fully because then you will become a better partner, parent, friend, co-worker, and human being. Once you let your inner voice express itself, you will discover your talents, gifts, and ideas.

“One voice at the right pitch can start an avalanche”

Write us at bernard@bernardhiller.com and we will send you some exercises you can use to improve the power and effectiveness of your voice.

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DYNAMIC SPEAKING AND 9 POWERFUL EXERCISES

DYNAMIC SPEAKING AND 9 POWERFUL SPEAKING EXERCISES

Powerful, Effective, and Dynamic speaking, is a skill and an art that must be learned, developed, and practiced daily if you want to achieve greater success. There are a number of tools and techniques that you will need to employ to enhance your communication skills and with time and effort, you can perfect them. 

There are two categories of human communication. They are verbal and nonverbal. How well you communicate with both will determine what kind of life you’re going to live. To live the life, you’ve always dreamt of will depend on how effectively you communicate. 

Speaking and communicating is like a sport that must be practiced every day. I will give you nine exercises that will help you to improve. 

WAKE UP YOUR BODY AND VOICE

Before starting these exercises, warm up your body by doing jumping jacks or running in place, and don’t forget to stretch. WAKE  YOUR ENTIRE BODY UP!  

Then make your mouth as big as possible and move it around (like your chewing gum) in the circular motion for 5 minutes. Warm up your voice on a hum, use different pitches for your hum. Then once your vocal cords feel sufficiently warm, open your mouth to let your diaphragm support the sounds that are coming out. The weird,  stranger, and freer the noises are, the better. If you get louder,  ensure you are always supporting your breath from your diaphragm,  do not push your breath from your vocal cords.  

SMILE

When you speak, speak from a very positive place. SMILING always helps. Ensure that your voice and sound are focused on the person you are talking to. 

BE A WORDSMITH

Expand your VOCABULARY! People judge you by the choice of words you use. Choose them carefully. Try learning 5 interesting new words every day and avoid using slang. 

FIND THE POWER OF YOUR VOICE

When you speak, your voice is the primary link between you and your listeners. Every time you address a colleague, friend,  significant other, or an audience your mind, body, and voice all play an important role with your listeners. The greatest tool you have as a speaker is having a strong and dynamic presentation.

9 POWERFUL SPEAKING EXERCISES

1. Speak for 10 minutes every morning, look in the mirror and tell yourself how amazing you are. Speak until you believe your words and motivate yourself. If you cannot inspire yourself to change, chances, are you will not be able to change anyone else. That means that you have to connect to your energy and passion. 
2. Talk to someone special about what you want, need, and feel. Use ‘I’ statements like “I need this”, “I want this” and “I feel this.” Expressing personal feelings and emotions are the most difficult.  For communication to be powerful it has to be personal and meaningful to you.  
3. Take singing lessons not just to improve your singing, but to help you find your voice. Singing and taking powerful acting exercises will help you discover what is it that you have to say. What is your unique message to the world? 
4. Be aware of your body language. When you speak, look into the other person’s eyes, letting them know you care. Keep checking your body language. Your body should be conveying the same message as your words in order to be effective. Notice your breath. Take five breaths and follow each inhale and exhale. Shift your awareness from your breath to your body and begin to scan through the body slowly from head to toe, observing any tension,  feelings, or emotions that may be present. 
5. “Listen with your blood.” Active listening is the most important factor in having a constructive dialogue in business and life. It’s not what you think they said, but what they meant. Try understanding and connecting with other people’s intentions, feelings, needs, and wants. This is called empathy. 
6. Talk to 3 new people every day. You must be willing to leave your comfort zone for this practice to be effective. Pushing yourself to speak under pressure will improve your ability to speak in any given situation. 
7. Go into a very busy restaurant or other exclusive places where they require a reservation or an appointment for service. Once they tell you that they cannot accommodate you right at that moment, use your charm, humor, and well-chosen words to convince them into giving you what you requested. This will only work if you do this with love and humility. You will discover that if you put your intention into getting something, you can achieve it. I know that great words and the right energy can change any situation.
8. Record yourself reading poetry or text and play it back. Find your diction, articulation, and your vocal power. This is finding the tone, the pitch, and the specific sound that is pleasing to the ear. This is what makes people want to listen to you. Sometimes voices are too nasal or too squeaky and very hard on the ear making them not appealing nor do we want to listen to. The sound you make when you speak is the most crucial factor when communicating. 
9. Find a rousing or powerful piece of text that you emotionally connect with, which also has deep meaning for you. Read it out aloud every day with energy and power. For example, the “I have a  dream” speech by the legendary civil rights leader, Martin Luther  King, is a passionate, emotional, and inspiring speech.  

“I Have A Dream” (an excerpt from the speech below). 

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident;  that all men are created equal”…I have a dream that my four little  

children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. 

I have a dream today… 

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together. 

With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day. This will be the day when all of God’s children will be able to sing with new meaning,  “My country ’tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrims’ pride, from every  mountainside, let freedom ring.” 

And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true. So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania! Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado! Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California! But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia! Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee! Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring.

BERNARD HILLER ACTING AND SUCCESS STUDIO 

Bernard Hiller is a world-renowned International Hollywood acting and public speaker trainer. His methods have revolutionized the speaking world. He will teach you the dynamic skills that he has taught his superstar actors and CEOs around the globe.  

The average trainer gives out information and advice. However,  Bernard believes that “You don’t just need information. You need absolute transformation!” Bernard’s techniques turn you into a dynamic and powerful person that speaks with authority and passion! 

These sessions are totally unique, life-changing, fun, and unforgettable. 

To help you discover the dynamic speaker within please email  Dustin at bernard@bernardhiller.com to schedule your private session. 

For further information, please go to our website links: www.bernardhiller.com 

https://bernardhiller.com/business/ 

https://bernardhiller.com/life-coaching/

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Famous Actors Who Were Rejected By Acting Schools

There’s an understanding that to become successful as an actor you must go to acting school. Well, that is absolutely not true. We have many actors who were rejected over and over again by some of the finest acting schools In London.

George MacKay star of the movie 1917 directed by Sam Mendes and Cary Mulligan was rejected by 3 top acting schools yet has managed to have an incredible career and 2 Oscar nominations.  The truth is, real actors can’t be stopped no matter what happens to them. He found a way with a coach, not a school.

And by the way, you can never train with a school, you train with the teachers who are in the school. If the teachers in the schools are not able to bring out the best in you, it will cause you more damage.

Never just think of a school you want to work with but investigate what teachers you’ll be studying with and what techniques you will be learning. If their technique and methods don’t change every few years, it’s not a school that I would recommend. Training changes because what the audience expects from the actors’ changes all the time

There’s a belief that there are only 10 great acting teachers around the world that can help you become a world-class actor. There are many wonderful teachers out there, but everyone knows that you must find the right coach and mentor to take you to your highest level possible. You must keep searching until you have found a teacher that makes you soar!

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Best Acting Coaches in Los Angeles

The Best Acting Coaches in Los Angeles

We asked actors to list the most influential acting coaches in Los Angeles. There was a big response, but It came down to these 4 coaches.

The criteria was based on their reputation, personal experiences, what other people in the industry said about them, and the transformational techniques and methods they taught. Extra points were given to coaches who also taught them how to succeed in this industry.

We listed them not in any particular order.

The Most Influential Acting Coaches in Los Angeles

Larry Moss

Larry studied his craft under Stella Adler and Sanford Meisner. He is highly regarded as one of the best at helping stars get nominations and win awards. He is also a Director of one-man shows. He specializes in training his actors with classical plays. The love for the author and theatre is evident by the work he does. Larry is doing Masterclasses and Private Coaching. www.larrymoss.org His book is “The Intent to Live” will give you more of an idea about his methods.

Ivana Chubbuck

Ivana has been teaching for the past 30 years at her school. She works with stars and her book “Power of the Actor” is distributed everywhere. She specializes in having the actor use their emotional experiences in their work. She also teaches internationally. www.ivanachubbuck.com She teaches classes, masterclasses, and offers private coaching.

Bernard Hiller

Bernard studied with Stella Adler and Eric Morris. He teaches in 26 countries and is known for training the entire actor, from overcoming their blocks to creating a business plan for their success. He also helps stars and actors become the artist they must be to keep succeeding. Truly transformational. www.bernardhiller.com “The Revolutionary Guide For Acting” – upcoming book in June 2021. He offers classes, masterclasses, and private coaching. “Stop Acting – Start Living” is available on audio version only.

Howard Fine

Howard’s book “Fine on Acting: A Vision of the Craft” shares his unique insights and methods he uses with his students. A protégé of the respected acting legend Uta Hagen. He also has an acting studio in Australia. Howard works with stars and helps them develop their craft. www.howardfine.com He offers classes, masterclasses, and private coaching.

We recommend that you investigate each of these teachers and find the coach that’s right for you!

Of course, there are other teachers and coaches in LA, so please familiarize yourself with them.

Different coaches are right for you at different times of your career.

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