When you look at some of the professional actors in your favorite films, you tend to assume that they were naturally born to act. Well, did you know that while most people in the acting profession may have the natural acting gift, they had to go to acting classes to hone their skills? Actors like Denzel Washington, Tom Hanks, and Natalie Portman are but a few actors who went to acting school.
If you need to learn more about acting classes for beginners, you can find more here https://actorsgrouporlando.com/acting-classes-for-beginners/. But what exactly should you expect from your first acting class?
What to Expect from Your First Acting Class
Before you can talk about what to expect from your first acting class, you need first to determine your goals for the class. One major problem with most acting students is that they go into their first class expecting their teacher to transform them into actors. However, that isn’t how acting classes work. As a student, you have to go into your first acting class with an idea of what you want to accomplish.
Once you have your goals laid out, everything you learn will push you towards that goal. So, let’s take a look at what you can expect from your first acting class.
Physical and Stretching Warm-Ups
Acting is emotional, physical, mental, and vocal work that requires adequate preparation for you to operate at your peak performance. As an actor, your mind and body need to be warmed up for you to deliver your best to the audience. The first thing you will learn from an acting school is how to have control of your body, which is where stretching and physical warm-ups become necessary.
You will spend time working on your breathing, like how to take in large quantities of air and use it to your advantage. Breathing exercises will also help you reduce anxiety and improve speaking voice quality, which is essential for screen and stage acting.
Once you have your breathing under control, you will also learn to stretch and loosen up your muscles. Unless you are playing an immobile character, almost all movies, plays, musicals, and TV shows require movement. You will do some shoulder rolls, leg stretches, and sometimes jumping jacks to get the blood flowing.
Apart from loosening your muscles, stretching will also help release tension and allow you to engage while on stage.
Theater Games
Imagination is a fundamental aspect of creative individuals. And like any creative attribute, it takes commitment, patience, and time to nurture. The best way to nurture your imagination is through theater games.
Theatre games help keep you as an actor on your toes. It also allows you to maintain your attention and focus. And while some theater games may seem a tad ridiculous, they can help you gain basic acting skills. You also learn how to maintain eye contact, pay attention, and work together with other actors to craft and develop characters.
Acting Classes
The acting classes tend to defer depending on the acting school you attend. Some of the common acting classes taught in most acting schools include:
- Acting techniques
In this class, you learn diverse techniques you can apply in your acting career to help make you more versatile and achieve greater emotional freedom and greater imagination.
- Audition Technique
Now that you have the acting techniques, the next step is getting your first job. After all, the end game of going to acting school is to become an actor. Audition technique lessons prepare you for the audition process. Ask any professional actor, and they will tell you there’s nothing more nerve-wracking than an audition. Your first impression matters, so you need to nail it from the word go.
Performances, Scenes, and Monologues
Acting technique classes prepare you to tackle monologues, scenes, and performances. Depending on your particular needs and level, you can then proceed to prepare yourself for the real world. After all, there is no better teacher than real-world experience.
The more you perform, the better you get, so it’s essential to be consistent with your acting classes. While acting classes can sometimes sound like they are only for aspiring actors, they can be pretty helpful for anyone looking to venture into the film industry. Even if you want to be a voice-over actor or actress, acting instructor, or comedian, acting classes can still be valuable for your career.