Act

“If you want to be an actor, act.  It’s really simple.  The more you act, the better you get.  Go to classes.  Go to workshops.  Act more hours of the day than not.  Act for free.  And if you’re lucky, every once in a while, you’ll get paid.” – Richard Dreyfuss

My wife has the luxury of living with someone who morphs in and out of characters all day long.  She’s thrilled by my perpetual meanderings into psyches as varied as Baskin Robbins’ menu.  Um, yeah.

Inevitably, after watching a movie together, I will brush my teeth that night as the most memorable character from the picture show.  My recent favorites are Rowan Atkinson’s Bean, googly-eyed Ben from Lost, and the always reliable Hannibal Lector.  Granted, this is more mimicry than acting, but it serves a purpose.  I’m practicing acting.  And annoying my wife.  It’s a double-edged sword, but I have lots of bandages.

Mr. Dreyfuss’s advice is simple and true.  Many self-proclaimed future stars seem to think they can just walk on a set and make movie magic.  Did Michael Jordan just walk on a basketball court and make basketball magic?  Did Joe Montana just walk onto a football field and make football magic?  Did Harry Potter just walk into Hogwarts Academy and make magic magic?  Well, maybe he did… I haven’t read or seen any of his work.

Point is, to be good, you have to work at it.  No matter what ‘it’ is, you have to practice.  Practice doesn’t make perfect (despite the old saying), but it gets you a heck of a lot closer than you’d get without it.

If you’re just starting out as an actor, find a way to practice your craft.  Take classes.  Study literature on the craft of acting.  Audition for student films.  Start connecting with others that share similar interests and maybe start a scene study group with them.

Just act.  But be careful who you annoy along the way.  My wife is awfully tolerant, but sometimes a mirror is the best audience.  Yeah, I do that, too.  Don’t tell.