How Good Am I So Far? - Actors Forum is the Community to Talk, Learn and Study Acting.

cgl102770 · 03-29-2006, 05:29 PM

I just joined and wanted to say hi to all my new friends on this forum. I have a question and I'll try to make it brief but I have a lot on my mind.

I've been taking private acting classes for several months now, and I'm having trouble telling how good Im doing (I started with private classes because I have stage fright). My teacher has given me varying feedback, though i feel he is pretty honest and up front.

At the beginning he said I was "very open", which I took to mean I am an open book and its hard to hide my feelings, which is true. He told me I might be able to be pretty good at this.

Class involved me acting out a scene from Strange Snow by Stephen Metcalfe. After taking a class or two he told me I had come a long way from when I started. He also said he chose this character and scene because the character was very outgoing (I am more reserved) and the scene involved a wide range of emotions. I think I was being too reserved so he chose a very not reserved character.

The scene involves the character in a scene with a close friend, starting out as his gregarious, loud self, then easing into a very serious, intimate discussion. He said my rendition of the serious part was "awesome", though better for film than stage.

After a few more classes, he also said that he saw me as a "character actor", a Paul Giamatti type but that I needed a lot of work before I was ready for auditions. This sounded sort of contradictory to me but I am still a novice and not really sure what to think.

So, my question is, what should I make of this feedback so far? I tend to overanalyze things so an objective opinion would be great.

Also, I'm a graphic designer, so its very hard for me to switch to a creative medium in which I cant see my work (people in the field have told me its not a good idea to watch my acting on tape). This is driving me crazy though...is it the general consensus that its not a good idea to watch your performances, because it takes away from what you should be focusing on, the feeling and the moment?

Thank you for any comments or suggestions, I appreciate it!

Chris

Light · 04-04-2006, 09:25 PM

It sounds like you trust your teacher, which is very good and quite rare. Honestly, it sounds like he is giving you advice that is straight forward. Take it at face value. He clearly thinks you are doing well and making steps forward, but at this time you might not be ready to audition. It just takes time and a level of readiness.

As for being a graphic designer on the side, I can understand how it might be hard to not see physical evidence of your work, but you get used to it. I don't know much more to suggest to you. I'm sorry. But over time you do grow to trust people's opinion and suggestions, while still not giving their voice absolute power over you.

revoltofagirl · 04-29-2006, 10:54 AM

I disagree with whoever told you it wasn't helpful to watch yourself on tape. it is extremely helpful to see yourself and what you're doing on stage. it's good to see your movements and how they look while you interact with other actors... if it's just a solo scene or you're the only one being taped, it's good to focus on your facial expressions and it helps you notice if you're doing anything out of charactor. I had to tape an audition for a school I was applying to because I was in another state at the time and couldn't make it to an in-person audition. after watching the tape, I decided to re-shoot it. I noticed quite a few flaws during my monologues (looking down, looking away, biting my nails, ect) that were out of charactor.

also, when I was at college, our director would tape the dress rehearsal and all of the performances so that before each performance we could see how we did the night before and it would psych us up (for lack of a better term) for the upcoming performance.

it's only bad to see yourself on film if you're going to criticise yourself too roughly and give up on acting. and if you're going to do that anyway then I believe acting isn't right for you to begin with.

also, I agree with what the above person said. I think your instructor is being very honest with you and you should believe him/her. you're paying for their help.

cgl102770 · 08-02-2006, 09:44 PM

Sorry for the late reply...I'm starting back with classes soon and any insight I can get is very helpful, so thank you for the posts.

Russjns · 11-03-2006, 08:43 AM

I agree with your teacher. However, I would also like to add to one of the above mentioned posts. It would also be unbeneficial to me if I absolutely LOVED everything that I watched myself in. There needs to be a level of HONEST self-criticism. And that can be quite difficult.

As for your class and your teacher, I think you should definitely listen to him. When you ARE ready, you'll definitely know it.

I'm a big supporter of auditioning in small things, small casting directors, small everything. That way if you suck, then there's no big loss. But you will have gotten one step closer to feeling comfortable in the uncomfortable situation that is "auditioning".

cenobitehell · 11-03-2006, 08:48 AM

oh god i know what you are saying

i think most of my performances are awful!

they seem good at the time and the director was happy at the time but when i watch them on TV or DVD i think " god i would do it so differently now"

which is good i guess, its shows im developing

Pyodog · 01-23-2007, 01:52 PM

I think you should believe everything your acting teacher is saying, seriously, believe it with your whole heart. I think that's what you need to do to grow as an actor anyway; fully believe that the compliments people give you are real.

Hyburn · 02-08-2007, 06:25 PM

heres my two cents:

Im new at this acting scene. compared to most, ive only been doing acting for roughly 5 years, and I am now only getting results. When I get in front of that big hunk of mechanical genious I close out the rest of the world, its just me and that cam. no director or other actors, or even that guy holding the coffee trying to look busy. its just me and that in-animate object. Once im "in the Zone", expression seems to be so much easier for me. if anybody has comments on this. please get back to me at my email address(Andrew.Roussakis@sympatico.ca), also please keep your eyes open for me on the big screen in a film called crystal spray. its comming out some time next year. at which time I hope to be on the set of the new stargate series.

Eat, sleep, Breathe acting.

I hope this has been helpful for you cgl10277. break a leg kiddo

method1 · 02-13-2007, 06:25 PM

I alway thought that being aware of the camera was a bad thing, I personally think that when you are in a scene you should only be aware of the other actors, reacting to them.

Malka · 03-16-2007, 06:17 PM

Hi. Well, my opinion is it is awesome to watch yourself and what you've done. You can correct yourself, but you shouldn't watch it if all you're going to do is go: "I look too fat. I look ugly. I'm bad at acting. I suck much more than everyone else. I'm going to quit and become a janitor...". That's when you know you shouldn't watch yourself.

Well, good luck and I hope you learn to express yourself, TTFN!