Stop Doing This When You Act

There is a huge amount of work that goes into any actors schedule. Learning lines, knowing your character, auditioning and performing all take up an immense amount of effort and graft. Through all this, it is easy to forget some of the more basic mistakes we can make as actors. We’ve put together a list of some of the most common mistakes actors can make…

1. Breathing unnecessarily

Many actors often breathe before they are delivering an emotional line. However, by doing this, you risk losing the tension you have built up through the dialogue. Instead, try to sustain the breath through the phrase. This will give your words more gravitas, and shows you are not attempting to force an emotion through; it is arising naturally.

2. Moving for no reason

While it may seem awkward standing still on stage, moving is equally as bad. You should always have an impetus to change places, whether that is adjusting a curtain or pouring yourself a drink. 

This, of course, varies depending on the genre. For instance, if you were in a pantomime, you may have to exaggerate your body language to fit in with the style of the production.

3. Putting on an accent you cannot do

There is nothing worse than attempting an accent which sounds awful. If you are not certain what you sound like, make sure to ask someone, preferably someone who you know will be honest. As a professional actor, getting a vocal coach is a worthwhile investment. They should give you some tips as to what you can do to improve on your voice.

4. Shouting

Although there are moments in plays where you do need to raise your voice, shouting is not the same as projecting. This is important to note in roles where you are often angry or upset, as it can damage your vocal chords. Unless specified in the script or by the director, try to see if there are other ways you can interpret the line, which do not involve shouting.

5. Mumbling

Unless you are impersonating Marlon Brando in The Godfather, mumbling your lines can reduce clarity, especially when you are onstage. Stage whispering, projecting your voice so it is audible for the audience, helps to retain the volume in your line. Otherwise, your words will be lost.

6. Back to the audience

While this is a fairly basic step, it is easy to forget. Sometimes you can get away with speaking to the back of the stage, however this should only be for a short time, not for a long duration.

7. Thinking of the line before you start to speak

It is important that you are focusing on the character you are addressing as opposed to yourself. One of the best ways to avoid overthinking is knowing your lines really really well. This will make your dialogue flow far easier as the lines will come more naturally to you while you are speaking.

8. Not following instruction

Directors always have the final word, no matter what. Although you may think you know what is best for the production (and sometimes you might be right), you also must remember you are employed by them, not vice-versa. 

9. Not reading punctuation

Punctuation is there for a reason. Pauses, indicated by commas, full stops etc. are so vital to make sure you get the delivery accurate and communicate the meaning to your audience. Never regard them as something superfluous to the text itself. Sometimes they can be just as important…

10. Not looking beyond your own experiences

While you may have had an interesting, explorative life, it is unlikely you will be able to totally relate to your characters, especially in a fictional setting. Do research, read around the part you are playing. It can be very insightful to see what you find out about them.