10 Ways to Become a Better Actor

Everyone always asks me how I do it. I always say that I don't know. I thought about it, and here are ten things that I do to be the actress that I am.

1. Create a character.

If you think you don't have a character, you're wrong. There are characters in the ensemble, too! Live in the life of someone else. You don't need a name to do that. So, what are you? A construction worker? A baseball player? You decide and incorporate little things from that career into yourself. A construction worker probably slouches a lot, so do that. A dancer probably has great posture, so do that.

2. Plan ahead.

Planning ahead is probably the biggest thing that I do. I never, I repeat, NEVER, go into a rehearsal empty-handed. I always have ideas for blocking and funny bits planted into my head and written in my script. I have my lines memorized, a pencil and water in my hand, and tennis shoes on upon walking into any rehearsal, no matter how small!

3. Plant. Your. Feet.

It's always underrated. Nobody wants to watch someone awkwardly sway back and forth either. Stand there. Put your feet apart and stand there. Say your line, use your hands.

4. Move!

Okay, okay. I'm a little bit hypocritical. You can move! But move with good posture and with purpose! You plant, move, and then plant again! There's still no swaying, moving around your feet, and then walking backward. NEVER!

5. Focal Point

Have you ever seen someone performing, er, trying, but you're just distracted by their eyes? Why do they keep looking around? It's just awkward. Pick a spot in the back of the auditorium and stare. If you want to get crazy, change your focal point when you change your verb.

6. Tactics/Verbs

Ever tasked with a one-minute monologue, but you just don't know how to make it interesting? Well, I have the solution. Split it into chunks. Come up with an action, or tactic, for each chunk. And no, I don't mean "sneeze". I mean to argue, beg, sympathize, etc.

7. Please do what your director tells you!

I don't care if it's a TV scene, a musical, or a play. If your director tells you to yell a line, do it. Now that doesn't mean do it without understanding why. They obviously have some specific reason of why they want you to do it. They are envisioning a tactic, so ask them. Don't be afraid!

8. Don't be arrogant!

You being arrogant means nobody will like you. If nobody likes you, nobody will set you up with a gig. If your director doesn't like you, good luck getting a good part!

9. Just perform.

Once you've mastered the basics, just do what your heart desires. It can't be that bad, right? Don't watch YouTube videos about your monologue, just be unique. Do what you think the character would do, not what someone else thinks the character would do. Isn't acting supposed to be a form of expression? After all, it is an art, isn't it?

10. Watch, watch, watch.

Here I am being hypocritical again. Watch YouTube videos on monologues and songs (but NOT your own). See how others put together their monologues. Listen to musicals. Watch them online. Watch plays and TV shows constantly. Do research into roles and analyze the people who play them. Reflect constantly on what you could do better, and then do it!

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Use these ten things to your advantage. Create a masterpiece. Create a character. Create a world inside your mini world. Come up with your own ways that help you become a better actor!