Active Acting Posts
Behind the Scenes: Animatronic Guts
Animatronics: the use of electronics and robotics in mechanized puppets to simulate life, mainly used in moviemaking, but also in theme parks and other forms of entertainment. (wikipedia)
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.
Boxwars: Serious Cardboard Anger Management
Forget video games. Go outside. Get some fresh air. Get out a little anger while you're at it. Play Boxwars.
How To: Join a theater group
As Shakespeare said, "All the world’s a stage" – step on up and play your part! You Will Need
How To: Boffer sword fight with thrusts
Thrusting, thrusting, thrusting... No, we're not talking about sex here, we're talking about LARPing. To be specific, boffer sword fighting.
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: Boffer sword fight with a short spear
Live action role-playing. LARP. LARPing. The battlefield. Boffer. Sword fighting. DEAD. Do these terms ring a bell? They should, if you're anywhere but heaven.
How To: Impress a casting director
If you want to make it as an actor, you’ll need to get the parts. So the first step on the road to fame is impressing the casting director.
How To: Make a great audition tape for a reality show
So you want to be a reality TV star. The first step? Wow the producers with an awesome audition tape.
How To: Cry convincingly on stage
Knowing a few tricks of the trade will help you cry at the drop of a hat. You Will Need:
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 for actors
Acting requires getting to know a fictional character and becoming him or her, including motivation, status, desires, habits, and more. Learn to act in character from a performer in this free acting video series.
How To: Cross one eye or speak with an ech-ech o-o
Want to learn a valuable skill? Well, just watch this video tutorial to see how to cross one eye or speak with an echo.
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: Do some comedy improv games
There are hundreds of great improv comedy games that you can do to improve your improv skills and interaction among people as well. Here are a few free games for you to try in these free video clips.
How To: Become a performance artist
Performance art is conceptual, usually visual art that involves bringing a concept to an audience. Learn to be a performance artist in this free conceptual art video.
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: Lead improv icebreaker and comedy games
Improv comedy is done in groups of people who need to be comfortable with each other. Learn how to lead improv comedy games and icebreakers in this free theater acting video from a teacher of improvisation. Lead improv icebreaker and comedy games - Part 1 of 21.
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: Build ideas with the “Yes, and” principle for improv
Are you struggling with your improvisational skills? Are you looking for some helpful tips and exercises that will improve your improv? Learn how to use the "Yes, and" principle in improv to build ideas in this free arts and entertainment video series.
How To: Perform prose interpretation
Prose for performance is different than performing with poetry. Learn about the basics of prose from a communications and public speaking expert in this free instructional video. Perform prose interpretation - Part 1 of 11.
How To: Practice improv with the Alphabet Circle exercise
Practice playing "Alphabet Circle" improv games. Learn how to practice improv with games, warm ups, and exercises in this free acting video. Practice improv with the Alphabet Circle exercise - Part 1 of 15.
How To: Practice improv with the Bucket exercise
How to practice improv with the "Bucket" game. Learn how to play improv games to practice acting skills in this free video on theatre and performance. Practice improv with the Bucket exercise - Part 1 of 15.
How To: Rehearse for monologues
Need practice tips for your monologue? Learn how to tap into your real emotions on stage in this free video clip from a professional theater director. Rehearse for monologues - Part 1 of 15.
How To: Analyze a monologue
Monologues are important to any acting career. Get tips for rehearsing your monologue in this free video clip from a professional theater director. Analyze a monologue - Part 1 of 15.
How To: Find a monologue for auditions
First theater audition? Get tips for picking the right monologue in this free video clip about how to audition with a monologue. Find a monologue for auditions - Part 1 of 15.
How To: Play improv games
What are some improv games for practicing or improv class? Learn how to play improv games in this free video on theatre acting.
How To: Do improv warm ups and exercises
Get ready for improv class with some warm up games and exercises. Make the most out of theater and improv acting with these free videos!
How To: Do theatrical improv
Watch this instructional video for some theatrical improv tips and techniques. Learn about improv for the theater in this free video series on acting performance.
How To: Boffer sword fight with duel wielding
Duel boffer sword wielding! It's twice as defensive, twice as offensive, and twice as aggressive.
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: Boffer sword fight with one-handed strike drills
The Knights of Gray are back, and they're are here to teach you some boffer sword fighting drills to practice with for your upcoming LARP events.
How To: Boffer sword fight with the rules and code
This lesson in boffer sword fighting with the Knights of Gray is the most important of them all! This video tutorial for all you LARPers out there focuses on the rules and the code of foam boffer weapon fighting.
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.
How To: Do mime illusions
In this series Mark Wenzel shows us how to perform popular mime illusions. Part 1 of 7 - How to Do mime illusions.
How To: Perform popular mime routines
Without light, the Mimeans became very pale, and without possessions they were forced to interact with imaginary objects and play with imaginary toys. In this series Mark Wenzel shows you how to perform popular mime routines.
How To: Do basic mime skills
Teri Lynne shows us how to do basic mime in this series of videos. Do basic mime skills - Part 1 of 16.