Active Acting Posts

How To: Speak in a New York dialect

Who doesn't want to be able to speak like a New Yorker? Whether for acting, comedy or impressing your friends and family, speaking in a New York dialect will provide you with hours of entertainment. Learn how to speak in a New York dialect in this free video series from communications and public speaking expert, Tracy Goodwin.

How To: Prepare a Monologue

Make your own luck by having a well-prepared monologue in your acting arsenal. This video acting lesson will teach you some steps for breaking down a monologue into a context that will give you a better understanding of the character, allowing you to enhance your skills. Delivering a monologue doesn't have to be intimidating, so with a little prep work and the steps in this how-to video, you'll be preaching those lines in no time.

How To: Fake shooting a person with a gun for film

Adam from Chemical Reaction wants to show you a little movie magic. This video tutorial will show you how to fake shooting a person with a gun for your homemade film. If you really want to make it look real, get the most real prop gun you can get, but don't use a real handgun. Fake blood is a good thing to get from a Halloween store. Acting skill is the most needed part here... because you can't look like you're being shot unless you can act properly.

How To: Build a character's objective for acting

Actor and teacher Benson Simmonds speaks on the actor's process that he teaches in this how-to video. This video acting lesson is about objective and obstacle. In addition, he remarks on the importance of the action. Whatever the objective, the actor needs to be able to translate that into a need and to express that feeling. Watch this video acting tutorial and learn how to build a character's objective.

How To: Become a cartoon voice actor

Being a cartoon voice actor requires animation in the voice and the ability to act. Learn tips to become a cartoon voice actor from the voice of America's Naruto in this free voice over video. Become a cartoon voice actor - Part 1 of 7.

How To: Do improv warm ups

Struggling with improvisational skills? Looking for some helpful tips and exercises to improve your improv? Learn more than 30 improv warm-ups from a professional instructor in this free arts and entertainment video series.

How To: Boffer sword fight with the Knights of Gray

Check out this video from the Knight of Gray. If you are a LARPer, and are art of a LARPing association, then you must check with your league to see if you can even use these boffer fighting techniques. The Knights of Gray do not teach for live action role-playing, they teach for combat. You must be aware of this.

How To: Cry on cue

Crying on stage, crying at films, crying at funerals. All can be tricky if you aren't genuinely sad and emotional. Fake crying though could be your answer. Tears can be produced with lots of techniques, from onions, to Stanislavkian theory. Learn how to cry on cue, and you could be earning plenty of brownie points for your display of emotion. Cry on cue.

How To: Talk like a pirate

The Pirate Guys, Ol' Chumbucket and Cap'n Slappy teach ye lubbers the basics of talkin' like a pirate. Simply put, you will gain the vernacular of Johnny Depp in Pirates of the Carribbean in no time!

How To: Do improv comedy with kids

In this video series, let comedian Les McGehee school you in the art of humor as he teaches you the importance of practicing improv comedy with kids and starting your kids with improv young. Learn different improvisational techniques and games, how to apply those techniques to different situations, and how to use the art of improv comedy to make people laugh.