BUILDING ONE’S ACTING SKILLS; DEVELOPING ONE’S VOICE

Acting is an activity in which a story is told by means of its enactment by an actor or actress who adopts
a character in theatre, television, film, radio, or any other medium that makes use of the mimetic mode.
The vast majority of professional actors have undergone extensive training.

Acting serves countless purposes including the following: It reminds us of times past and forgotten, or
gives us a glimpse of a possible future. It portrays our raw, unadulterated, vulnerable, emotional, and at
times, ugly, horrifying humanity. It provokes emotion, thought, discussion, awareness, or even
imagination.

What skills are needed for acting?

Being an actor requires several acting skills, including the following:

Creativity.

Good understanding of emotions, scenes, and acting techniques.

The ability to memorize lines.

The capacity to engage with the audience.

The experience to understand a character.

Ways to improve your acting skills

Establish a morning routine. It doesn't have to be long, just 30 minutes! ...

Observe. Acting requires us to look inside and see what we are made of, but we must become good
observers of the outside, of humans and human nature.

Be You.

Be Present.

Find Your Own Voice.

How do I get better at acting?

5 Free Ways to Become a Better Actor

Pay attention. Yes, acting is an internal process.

Read. Each year we spend more and more time reading bite-sized bits of information on electronic
screens.

Listen. And I'm not just talking about listening to your scene partner.

Become a fan. Netflix is one of the best acting schools on the planet.

Live a little.

How do I get into acting with no experience?

7 Tips on How to Become an Actor with No Experience

Read and study. First of all, you need to familiarize yourself with the industry.

Don't move right away.

Audition and train locally.

Work on your special skills.

Start working on your marketing.

Get used to rejection.

Finally, be patient and consistent.

What every actor should know?

10 Things Actors Should Know

The Business isn't Fair.

There's Always Someone Better Than You (Even You)

The Director is Usually an Idiot.

The Playwright's Words are Law.

Be Prepared.

Those that Give Up Never Make It.

There is No Perfect Audition Monologue.

Actors Don't Articulate Well About Acting.

How can I practice acting at home?

Practice Acting by Yourself

Record Yourself. The most common and the most popular method is to record yourself.

People Watch. Watching others is technically not something you can do by yourself.

Learn More. Read the books available out there on dramatics and acting techniques.

Practice Cold Reading.

DEVELOPING ONE’S VOICE

The voice is one of the most important tools for actors, adding nuance and quite literally breathing new
life into texts. But taking the time and making the effort to train the voice isn’t just the difference
between a good performance and a goosebump-inducing showstopper, it’s crucial for the vocal health
of actors – not just when they deliver lines, but in their everyday lives.
10 TOP INDUSTRY TIPS ON VOICE TRAINING FOR ACTORS

Always warm-up.Do this before every audition, every rehearsal and every Even five minutes makes a
big difference, so try to fit in some mindful voice work every day.

Practice sight reading. This is when you recite books or scripts you’ve never read before, out loud. It’s
an essential part of almost any audition and the more you do, the better you get – remember to look up
at the end of thoughts, this will help you be more convincing.

Breathe at punctuation. It may sound obvious but punctuation divides text into thoughts, helping you
make sense of it. So, it’s important to breathe at punctuation to gain a better understanding of the
character’s thoughts. Be careful though, if you breathe when there is no punctuation, you will be in
danger of unintentionally transforming that speech into a list.

Relax the jaw. This is so important, as it creates room in the mouth for the tongue to move freely,
which is the part of our mouth that actually creates the shapes for us to articulate sounds, so it really
helps with oral resonance. Try saying “ahhhh” with a tense jaw and then hear the difference when you
allow the jaw to drop open.

Strengthen your tongue. Do exercises such as letting the jaw drop open and pointing out the tongue,
touching it to the top lip, bottom lip, top teeth, bottom teeth, top gum ridge behind your top teeth, and
the bottom gum ridge behind your bottom teeth, the hard palate and the floor of mouth. Repeat the
sequence five times and don’t forget to breathe or make sure that the jaw remains relaxed!

Shape the words. Each word has a different combination of vowels and consonants that give it a
different feel when spoken. Try to become more aware of the physical sensation of speaking these,
particularly when practicing sight reading.

Practice good alignment. Your body is the carry case for your voice, so if your posture is aligned
correctly, your instrument remains in good condition. Imagine your pelvis as the foundation stone of the
spine, and try to be tall through the back, so that your neck is straight, rather than curved.
 Yawn. This is an easy one for most of us. Yawning is one of the best voice exercises you can ever do, as
it lessens constriction in the throat. Indulge as often as possible and always make it part of your warm-
up.

Breathe consciously.Breath is the power behind your voice, but it’s so easy to allow it to become
restricted – once in a while we all forget to inhale, perhaps if we’re stressed or shocked. That can lead to
shallow, throaty vocal delivery, so try to let the breath drop in deeper and as you breathe out, sense
how the stomach muscles contract to help the diaphragm push the air out of the body.

Drink water.One of the most easily forgotten points of vocal health is making sure you are well
hydrated. Drink at least a couple of liters a day and carry a bottle of water around with you, so you make
a real splash while doing any type of voice work.

How do actors use their voice?

Actors use their voice to project outward emotion, matching it with body movements to interpret text
and present a story. Because of this, voice cannot be thought of as an isolated skill, but rather a skill that
requires coordination of the entire body.

SKILLS AND FUNCTIONS OF THE THEATER DIRECTOR, CAST AND THEATER STAFF

A theatre director or stage director is a professional in the theatre field who oversees and orchestrates
the mounting of a theatre production such as a play, opera. Theatre directors have responsibility for the
practical and creative interpretation of a dramatic script or musical score. You'll be involved in the whole
process, from the design and pre-production stages, right through to the final performance.

Who is a director in Theatre art?

An artistic director is the executive of an arts organization, particularly in a theatre or dance company,
who handles the organization's artistic direction. They are generally a producer and director, but not in
the sense of a mogul, since the organization is generally a non-profit organization.
What makes a good Theatre director?

Having a clear vision helps the rest of the team tell the story better. Theatre is storytelling. The director
also sets the emotional temperature of the rehearsal room as they are seen as the one leading the
production. Theatre directors must try and set the culture of the production.

Why is the director important?

Even though they may not appear in front of the camera, the director is one of the most important
people on a film set. They do more than shout “action” and “cut” behind the scenes—they're the person
who determines the creative vision and makes all of the film's biggest decisions

FUNCTIONS OF CAST IN THE THEATER

A cast is the group of actors who make up a film or stage play. Cast also refers to various types of actions
a person can take: if you throw out a fishing line in a particular way, you are said to cast it; if you fancy
your chances in Vegas, you cast the dice at the craps table.

In the performing arts industry such as theatre, film, or television, a casting (or casting call) is a pre-
production process for selecting a certain type of actor, dancer, singer, or extra for a particular role or
part in a script, screenplay, or teleplay.

A cast is the group of actors who make up a film or stage play. Cast also refers to various types of actions
a person can take: if you throw out a fishing line in a particular way, you are said to cast it; if you fancy
your chances in Vegas, you cast the dice at the craps table.

What are the main responsibilities of the cast?

Learn lines, songs and/or dances

Research the play/character

Attend all rehearsals scheduled

Attend costume fittings

 Take direction from the Director and/or Choreographer

Work with other Performers

Attend technical and dress rehearsals

Perform the show to an audience

Use props and costume during the performance

Perform other duties laid out in the job description depending on the kind of show

What qualifications do you need to be a cast in the theater?

Whilst there are no specific qualifications needed to be a cast, here are some courses you may want to
consider to gain knowledge and experience:

Acting

Musical Theatre

Drama and Theatre Arts

Dance

Actor-Musician

Voice

THEATER STAFF

These staff members are responsible for running a theatre group from year to year. Their objective is to
facilitate the success of individual productions. Staff positions help ensure good attendance in safe
facilities. They help ensure the theatre remains financially solvent, that it is well run, and that it is
perceived as an asset to the community it serves.

Artistic director

Theater manager, the administrator of the theater, also called general manager, managing director, or
intendant (UK English); often also has the responsibilities of an artistic director

Director of production
 Technical director

Costume director

Marketing director

Director of public relations

Director of audience services

Director of development

Director of special events

Dramaturge

Literary manager

Company manager

House manager

Usher

Ticketing agent

Crew chief

Janitor

Dresser

Stage crew

Fly crew

Light board operator

Spotlight operator

Grips

Call boy, a stagehand who alerts actors and actresses of their entrances during a performance

What are backstage theater workers called?

Technical crew

The technical crew, often abbreviated to the "tech crew" or simply the "crew" (individually often known
as "techies", "techs", or "technicians"), are the people employed behind the scenes ("backstage") to
control all the technical aspects of creating a concert, play, musical, opera or other live performance.