Expert: Taylor Sheppard - 8/26/2008

Question
Hey, I am looking for an expert like you, who is experienced on this stuff, so I just want to ask you what is good acting (in your opinion) about either Theater acting or in Film acting? What is good acting, and what should be avoided in order to be a good actor?

Answer
Hi Tommy,

Well, good acting is subjective (depends on a person's opinion).
Bad acting is pretty much obvious to all viewers!

Take for instance, Heath Ledger in "The Dark Knight".
I waited for this film for so long, but if it weren't for Heath, well...

What did he do right? He came up with an interpretation of the character that was more than watchable than the previous ones.
Maybe it has to do with our society and times now, or just a really good character.

Basic acting is the ability to let go of reality and "live" in a scene. HARD to do. Concentration is vital. If you keep looking for the camera out of the corner of your eye or are busy in your head, trying to remember your next line so you can jump in when the other actor finishes, no good. It will show. But when you are totally absorbed in the moment, all distractions fall away and it's like it's really happening. When you get experienced at it, it gets easier and easier to fall into the moment.

Beyond basic acting is the watchability factor. That thing where you can't take your eyes off the actor. Not because he or she is pretty maybe, maybe just unusual and stands out. A lot of it is the actor's choices. HOW does he do something? In classes I've watched a number of actors pick up a script, analyze it, and ALL DO THE SAME THING THE SAME WAY! Then, one will walk up and see something no one else thought of, and blow us away!

One time, it was a "blank" script. -A script giving precious little hints other than one person wanted to leave an apartment and the other person was questioning them and not getting answers other than: "No, you can't go with me, I want to get some air and be alone!"
Everyone thought it was a couple breaking up. One pair went up and played it as a mentally handicapped adult with a worn out caregiver!
Brilliant! -and unexpected.

Sometimes what you see a character do in a film is more telling about who they are than what they say. Sometimes it's the incongruence of their words/actions that tell something else is going on.

There is an old saw in acting about a young actor speaking to an old master. (the names change, who knows who it was) The young actor says to the old actor: "What do you think about acting?" The master replied: 'Acting is great as long as you don't get caught doing it!"
Acting is being honest and not "acting" and doing it all in an interesting way.

Best, Taylor