Acting in cinema is the art of portraying a character in a movie or film. It involves using a variety of techniques, including vocal and physical expression, to create a convincing and engaging performance that captures the audience's attention and emotions.
Actors in cinema often work closely with a director and other members of the production team to develop their characters and bring the script to life. They may spend time researching their role, studying the script, and practicing their lines and movements to achieve the desired effect on screen.
Some actors may specialize in specific types of roles, such as comedic or dramatic performances, while others may have a broader range of skills and be able to play a variety of characters. Successful actors in cinema must be able to convey emotions and tell a story effectively through their performance, while also adapting to the demands of the script and production team.
Overall, acting in cinema requires a combination of talent, hard work, and dedication to the craft. It can be a highly rewarding profession for those who enjoy the creative process of storytelling and connecting with audiences on a deep and emotional level.
There are so many methods; where does a person begin? Over the years, two methods have been heralded as the best when acting for film. They are the Sanford Meisner Technique and Method Acting. Although they can be similar, they also can be quite different. For the experienced film actor, they soon find themselves emulating one or the other. Academy Award winning actors have been disciples of both schools so it is totally up to the actor as to which works best for him/her.
Acting in the eyes
If there is one trick in film acting, it’s to keep the acting in the eyes and not in the face. It’s amazing how little a proficient film actor expresses in the face or forehead. The acting is in the eye, which can become as large as eight feet wide on a big screen. More and more I find myself coaching actors with the instruction to “keep the acting in the eyes and not in the face.”
You might be asking at this point, “How does an actor keep the acting in the eyes and not in the face?” It sounds like a ridiculous direction, but as a piece of side coaching I find that it works. If the actor concentrates on communicating with his eyes, then it follows that he will. Getting the brow unfurled is only a slight adjustment and it’s about awareness. If there is any physical tension, actors will see it immediately when they watch their scene played back.
If your upper eyelids slightly relax and droop, it can send a message of sadness, fatigue, boredom, or like you’re about to check out.
When your upper eyelids raise slightly, it sends a message of some kind of interest, low-level excitement, or something unexpected. However, if nothing else is moving on your face, the message will be neither positive nor negative.
When your bottom eyelids get tense and the upper eyelids raise, just exposing the white above the pupils, it’s often a sign of the beginning of fear or controlled fear.
If your lower eyelids get tense, narrowing the eyes, it sends a message that something has your attention, you’re focused, or the beginning of anger or controlled anger.
There are many other ways your eyes are involved with communication—eye movement, gaze, eye positioning, etc.—but they all include additional body language. For now, I wanted to focus on the specific messages your eyelids are responsible for sending since they’re responsible for the messages you’ll most often rely on when the camera is close and the expression needs to be small
