As a stage manager, Brooke Horan Williams says one of the most common questions she is asked by newcomers is how to start an acting career. “To understand how to perform well,” she says, “let’s start by looking at what acting is.” Whether for theatre or film, acting is the art of performing for an audience. It’s taking a 2-dimensional character and turning it into a real-life person, believable in every aspect. There are a few things someone can do to increase the chances of success, she adds. In this article, we’ll discuss some of the things one can do to enhance their future acting career.
Start Early:
Start learning all you can while you’re still in school with musicals and plays, she begins, and participate in anything you can, such as local theatre, drama clubs, student films, acting workshops. From there you can progress to regional activities like performing in theme parks and other live events. “There are great networking opportunities when you are in groups like these,” she adds. “Plus, you’ll learn just by watching and listening.” Brooke Horan Williams recommends participating in everything that you can put on your resume. This becomes part of the valuable experience that casting directors are looking for.
Develop Skills on Your Own:
Even though acting is about interaction with other people, there are things you can do on your own, even prior to formal training. Brooke Horan Williams talks about the importance of reading and studying everything you can about acting as early as possible. There are many great websites and books out there about acting techniques, the history of acting and about the industry itself. These will introduce you to the different approaches to acting and give you some great ideas about how to perform your character like a professional.
There are many resources to choose from, she adds. Sites like BackStage have good casting tips and industry news. However, Brooke Horan Williams, says it’s difficult to just name one. She recommends starting with sites like PerformerStuff which has acting tips and samples of monologues to practice with. Websites like Actor’s Forum and ActorPoint are other sites with tons of tips and links to additional information you can study. Another huge online resource is Acting Is which includes weekly podcasts on various acting topics.
One skill you can definitely do on your own is to get exposed to various forms of acting. Watch great actors on film and theater and analyze body mechanics such as rhythm, posture, and movement. See if you can identify the method the actor is using. Study specific movement techniques and practice in front of a mirror.
There are other skills you can acquire on your own, she explains. These are of lesser importance but go along with acting. These include performing skills like dancing, playing a musical instrument, taking voice lessons, and other skills like horseback riding, stage fighting, and martial arts. Finally, you’ll need the ability to memorize lines. You can do this by searching online techniques, get some quality monologues and begin practicing in front of a camera. “There are a number of great techniques to learn this,” Brooke Horan Williams says. “It doesn’t really matter which one you start with.”
Get Professional Training:
For the best training in becoming an actor, you’ll need to go to acting classes or drama school. Here is where you’ll learn the art and craft of the profession along with professional methods and techniques that will last you a lifetime. “Drama schools will introduce you to so much more than you can get on your own,” Brook Horan Williams says. “The networking alone is invaluable.”
This is just the tip of the iceberg, Brooke Horan Williams says. This is a huge industry and there’s so much to learn. “I love to help newcomers break into the business,” she adds.
Brooke Horan Williams has been involved with theatre as long as she can remember. At the age of six, Brooke Horan Williams starred in her first school play as Snow White, and ever since, she’s been passionate about the stage.
After graduating from college, Brooke Horan Williams began her career in stage management, pursuing her passion as soon as she was able. Brooke Horan Williams’ love of acting translates to her hobbies, as she spends most of her free time taking in films and television. Brooke Horan Williams is proud to be involved with her local theatre and has recently started auditioning for film and television.
