ACTING TIPS

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Herman Melville once said “The eyes are the gateway to the soul”, and I agree. As a director, I’m staring at an actor’s eyes during auditions to see if they believe they are the character. Even with the motions appropriate (A side effect of weak acting is overcompensating through extra movement), if their eyes show something contrary to the emotions in the scene, I won’t use them in a principal role. If the scene is serious and they have a twinkle in their eye because they feel silly in front of me and those seated with me at the audition table, how are they going to pull off an emotional scene in front of other actors and 12+ crew members? Another thing your eyes will reveal is whether you’re over thinking your next move or dialogue. You shouldn’t just be waiting for your turn to orate some dialogue, you should be engaged in the scene, interacting with others and ready to express your dialogue in a way that the viewer will stay intrigued. Film is all about the close-ups and they must relay pure emotions. Learn to emote properly by studying others and then yourself in the mirror. Nothing over-the-top, this isn’t theater.

Believe in yourself, practice so you’ll evolve as an actor, and never give up on your dreams (especially when everyone else is telling you that you should quit).

J

John Foutz
Foutz Studios, LLC
www.FoutzStudios.com