Expert: Rusty Meyers - 5/29/2009

Question
Hello! I would really like to know how professional actors perform. Just say that they are in a movie scene where they come across a magical stone on the ground. They have to look ecstatic and pick it up. Are professional actors so 'into' their character that they can think like their character and look ecstatic without even trying? Or are they just so excellent at acting that they can pull any emotion off easily? Or do they envision the stone to be something else that they can naturally look ecstatic about, like, say, a bar of gold? I tend to gravitate towards the third method and I am a little worried in case it means I am not a good actor. How can I convert to one of the other methods instead, preferably the second? Thankyou very much in advance! I greatly appreciate it.

Answer
It's really whatever works best for you.

There are many ways to work and nobody really cares how you "get there" as long as you get there and it looks good on camera.

If you are talking about on stage then once you have rehearsed it to where it work, then just memorize that moment and then forget it and just let it happen.

So if you aren't taking any acting classes then get in some, and you better be studying with someone that knows about a variety of techniques and has studied them his or her self.

A good place to find out if your coach is legit is by looking them up on imdb.com because if they aren't there then you might sek out one that has actually worked in the business.