Your most crucial dramatic lessons won’t come from acting class but from your own life.
Sure, it’s important to go to movies and plays, read scripts, and study the great directors. But if your only reference point is other movies, your performances will come across as flat and derivative.
An actor has to continually fill her/his well of creativity to stay inspired.
For me, I must immerse myself around art and creative people frequently. The broader your experiences and your studies, the more resources you’ll have to draw from during a performance.
Follow these tips to spice up your acting:
Read. Learn all you can about art, music, family, science, psychology, history, politics and theology. Each field in its own way examines what it means to be human.
Become a first-class people-watcher. Keep a notebook with you and jot down dialogue, mannerisms, and interesting situations.
Develop a desire to experience other cultures. How do people greet each other within their own race, age group, social economical level? And then observe those same people interacting outside of their groups.
Follow current events for insights into the best and worst of human theater.
Seek novelty. Do something you’ve never done before, such as learn another language, repair a car’s engine, or pet-sit a snake.Take risks. Bungee jump. Travel solo. Scuba dive. Love and lose.
Love and win.
Live with your mind and senses fully engaged, and you’ll perform the same way. Not to mention you’ll have fantastic stories to tell your grandkids someday!
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