\n<\/p>\n
You may have noticed here at StageMilk that many of our articles are titled with questions: \u201cIs acting easy?\u201d<\/a> \u201cHow to act drunk?\u201d<\/a> \u201cShould I stay in character?\u201d<\/a> That\u2019s because we like to try and think about what actors might be asking themselves as they ponder their artistic journey (or at least what they might be asking Google.) Of all<\/em> of these questions, however, there is no more fascinating and audacious a query than \u201cCan you teach yourself to become an actor?\u201d\u00a0<\/em>Can you? It certainly begs some thought.<\/p>\n There is little to stop you teaching yourself to become an actor. Information on technique, material and the workings of the industry can be sourced and learned from a variety of places; all an aspiring actor would need is the will and means to put these ideas into practice. However, while a person could teach themselves to act, their journey would at some point require the help of others\u2014if not teachers in a formal educational setting, then peers and support within the industry itself.<\/strong><\/p>\n Ultimately, this question warrants some clarification around what it means to \u201cteach yourself\u201d. If you define this as not going to drama school, then you\u2019re in luck. There are plenty of successful actors who never had this opportunity and flourished all the same. However, if you wish to shut yourself off from any kind of teaching\/practice\/support, you\u2019re going to have a near-impossible time. No actor is an island. And sooner or later, your path is going to bring you alongside another actor, if not lead you right smack into them.<\/p>\n When I was in my early teens, I taught myself to play the guitar<\/a>. I can\u2019t pinpoint the exact moment I decided to do this, but looking back many many <\/em>years later, it amazes me to think that there was a day when I woke up unable to do something at all and went to bed with the kernel of that ability at my fingertips. I still play to this day; I\u2019m definitely better than I was when I started, but I\u2019m no Jeff Beck.<\/p>\n However, I can compare my self-taught abilities as a guitarist to something I have formally trained in and notice a vast difference. I also trained for fourteen years as a classical violinist, and although my ability today is nowhere near what it used to be with hours of practice every night, the bedrock that strong teachers and formalised learning solidified in me is still very much there.<\/p>\n Self-teaching isn\u2019t something to be scoffed at. You may find you possess a natural affinity<\/a> for the thing you\u2019re trying to learn, and you might be backed by your existing, related knowledge in the way that music theory helped me with the guitar. But it\u2019s seldom the easy, or simple way forward. It takes time and effort, and your passion is no\u00a0<\/em>guarantee that you\u2019ll have any degree of success.<\/p>\n If you are truly committed to becoming an actor, and the life\/career\/art means a lot to you, you\u2019re probably best seeking some actual training. And that\u2019s not to say you can\u2019t do anything else we\u2019re about to talk about in this article and give yourself every opportunity to succeed.<\/p>\n If your goal is to teach yourself to become an actor, the first thing you\u2019ll want to do is set very clear goals in both craft and career.<\/p>\n Craft refers to your skills and abilities as an actor. <\/strong>It\u2019s the kind of thing you can easily develop and maintain on your own as an actor. In actual fact, it\u2019s something all actors can afford to spend more time practicing in their lives. If your goal is to git gud, then absorb all the knowledge you can from short courses, online materials (such as our StageMilk Scene Club<\/a>), books, plays<\/a>. Honestly: anything art-related that will expand your horizons as an artist. At some point, you\u2019ll want to involve other actors in this process, so that you can put your training into practice and get some real-life experience.<\/p>\n Career refers to your professional path and opportunities as an actor.<\/strong> You\u2019ll need craft to convince people you can actually do the acting thing. But you\u2019ll also need to be across all the things a working actor requires to sell themselves in the industry. Headshots<\/a>, a CV<\/a> and a showreel<\/a> are the \u2018holy trinity\u2019 of materials needed to pursue independent jobs, professional auditions and, eventually, an agent<\/a>. But there are also casting networks to consider, industry contacts and the development of your reputation as a reliable acting professional.<\/p>\n So why are clear craft and career goals important? Because they\u2019ll tell you where to focus your autodidactic efforts. If your goal is to tread the boards at your local amateur company, there\u2019s no need to do a three-day seminar on shooting the perfect showreel. Hone your sights. You\u2019ll overwhelm yourself if you try to know it all.<\/p>\n Your efforts to teach yourself to become an actor can start right here on StageMilk. Click through to acting career information<\/a> for an overview of the profession, or perhaps our article on finding your character\u2019s objective<\/a> to learn the most important, fundamental tool when performing. From these links you\u2019ll find other links, and other links, and so on until you\u2019ve absorbed everything we have on offer.<\/p>\n Then you can hit the local library. Read \u201cAn Actor Prepares\u201d<\/em><\/a> by Stanislavski<\/a>, or \u201cThe Actor and the Target\u201d<\/a> by Declan Donnellan for a different perspective. When your eyes get tired you can switch to videos of masterclasses online by acting greats. When your eyes get really\u00a0<\/em>tired you can switch to an acting podcast. And we haven\u2019t even directed you to the \u201cplays\u201d section of the library, where you can immerse yourself in literal<\/span> thousands of years of dramatic stories.<\/p>\n Be hungry for knowledge and seek it out wherever you can. Read up on a particular acting methodology, and then read the work of a teacher who disagrees with the method completely. We mentioned above that this kind of practice is something all actors should do more of. That\u2019s because a lot of traditionally trained actors graduate from drama school and stop\u00a0<\/em>learning.<\/p>\n You have to be constant in your efforts to expand you ideas and methodologies in acting. Always be trying something new\u2014because you never know which obscure technique might revolutionise your entire process.<\/p>\n Of course, academic study and research is only going to get you so far. Eventually, you\u2019ll need to put what you\u2019ve learned into practice. This is what will evolve you from somebody interested in acting<\/em> into a practising actor<\/em>.<\/p>\n Our advice is to start small and keep things manageable. Work on some short monologues<\/a>, or perhaps a Shakespearean sonnet (Sonnet 18<\/a> is a great place to begin this journey.) The freedom to work on any piece of text you like can be intoxicating\u2014and a little overwhelming. And while you can launch into Hamlet or Hedda with nobody stopping you, you should probably hold off until your skills can sustain the character and carry the performance. These bigger, iconic roles<\/a> will come in time.<\/p>\n Set yourself clear goals with each piece you work on. You might focus on memorising lines<\/a>, nailing an accent<\/a> or developing a sense of characterisation<\/a>. While we mention it, don\u2019t think of memorisation as the endgame either. A lot of first-time actors race to memorise a piece before they\u2019ve even plumbed its depths for meaning. So take your time, and know that lines are far easier to keep in your head when you know\u00a0why <\/em>your character is speaking them.<\/p>\n No matter your process, no matter your choice of material, the most important thing is to stand up and act it out. If you\u2019re feeling brave, film yourself or perform for people whose opinions you trust and feedback you\u2019ll listen to. Because this is how you\u2019ll start getting practice, and eventually getting better.<\/p>\nSelf-Teaching<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Where to Begin?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Develop your Toolkit<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Gaining Experience<\/strong><\/h2>\n
No Actor is an Island<\/strong><\/h2>\n