Acting Technique

What it is

Acting Technique refers to the systems that an actor uses in order to help him or her prepare for a role. There is no hard and fast rule here. There is no ‘best’ technique. In fact, some actors may tell you that their best technique is a combination of styles that they have been honing for the past 15 years. The actor’s technique is constantly in process and is something that has to reassessed and reevaluated when a weakness arises in their artistry.

You may swear by the Method or Meisner training and that is your prerogative. No one is right, everyone is different. It’s up to you to get out there and take classes or participate in workshops until you find something that ‘fits’ you.

You might like to try having a look at the following page links to the different acting techniques such as Konstantin Stanislavski (The Method), Sanford Meisner, Lee Strassberg, Stella Adler, Uta Hagen, Anne Bogart and Michael Chekhov...

…just to name a few!

What the benefits are and for whom it is necessary?

Having a technique that guides you through your work as an actor is one of the most important (if not the most important) building block of your career. It is your acting career. Actors simply must get training and they must take acting classes if they want to have a long and rewarding acting career.

In William Esper and Damon DiMarco’s book, The Actor’s Art and Craft (Anchor Books, 2008), Esper talks about a student that he had that used to play professional football. In a discussion with his teacher, Esper, this student draws a parallel between training for sport and training as an actor, he says; “You’ve got no business setting foot on stage or in front of a camera unless you’re ready to work.

And you’re not ready to work until you’ve honed your craft. Honing that craft means that you’ve conditioned yourself to the point where you can’t help but do certain things in a certain way anymore. You’ve internalized the work. Craft is habit. Once you’ve honed the craft to the point where it’s a part of you, then you’re free to put your whole attention on interpreting the part.”

Here you can read about a New York acting teacher, with whom I studied and who teaches the Meisner Technique

Check out these books and dvds that will help you understand how a really good acting class should be and what you should learn.

Acting Class on DVD with the Masters!

Other pages you might find helpful and interesting:

Why taking acting classes is so important (23 benefits)

Interview with a New York acting teacher who teaches one of the acting techniques above

How to choose the right acting school for you

How to do research to start your acting career

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What you’re doing is great Anthony. Whenever I read the things on your site, the interviews and even your book, I feel like if only everybody got to read this before they got started, they would be so much better off and everybody else (casting directors, agents, directors, etc.) would be so much better off too.
Personal Manager, Ingrid French

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Tony,
I want to say you changed my life. I want to be an actress so bad, but i began losing motivation when I couldn't figure out what to do. And then I found you! Thanks to you, I'm taking my first acting classes next month! Yippee!
Sara, Pasadena, CA

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Hi Tony
I would like to thank you for helping me with the monologue question I asked you. I went to the auditions for a Drama course and I am happy to say that I have been accepted as a first-year student at the Tshwane University of Technology. Please keep on sending me those newsletters and let me know where I can find books that will help me in my acting career. Thank you once more. Have a blessed day.
Sincerely
Edward Thaba -South Africa

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Dear Anthony,
Just wanted to thank you for bringing me in to [audition for the video], meet you and chat this Saturday. I was really excited to hear about your working on actingcareerstartup.com and even took a look at it today - it's awesome! You are very well-spoken, knowledgeable and enthusiastic, and it shows through the work that you do! I hope our paths in the industry will cross again and really enjoyed meeting you. Thanks, again and best wishes with your very important work!
Warmly,
Gretchen, NY, NY

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Hey Tony, thanks for the info, yours by far is the most useful, I am 30 years old, and I myself always (secretly) wanted to be an actress, but I never knew where to begin, so thank you. You have given me hope!
Ana C., Tampa, FL