20 Best Acting Books For Beginners (2023 Update)

Do you know a teen that's been bitten by the acting bug? here's just the book they need! acting for young actors, aimed at teens and tweens, lets kids hone their skills and develop their craft. it begins with the five w's: who am i? what do i want? why do i want it? where am i? when does this event take place? sounds basic – but many young child actors are told simply to "get up there and act." this book explores each of these questions, using helpful exercises to allow young actors to work through problems of character identity and motivation. with comprehensive chapters on auditioning, rehearsal, and improvisation, plus a primer on how young actors can break into film, theater, and television, acting for young actors is every kid's ticket to the big time.

About acting – formerly titled the complete about acting – hasbecome indispensable for students and professional actors alike becauseit is simple, clear and inspiring about the difficult art and craft ofperforming on stage, film, television and radio.peter barkworth guides the reader through all aspects of acting -from auditions and preparing for a part to rehearsals and survivinglong runs with freshness. he has also included a selection ofinterviews with leading performers and a director about how to work ona part: judi dench, alec mccowen, edward petherbridge, anna massey, wynjones, alison steadman, patience collier, roger rees, prunella scalesand samuel west. about acting is not only a lucid and practical book abouttechnique, it also explores ways of achieving the connection between anactor's own life and the life of each part he or she plays.

Make a career out of your voice? easy. voice acting is like acting, but just using your voice! it's a unique career where the actor's voice can be heard worldwide-in commercials, on audiobooks, in animated movies, documentaries, online videos, telephone systems and much, much more. the point is to bring the written word to life with the human voice. with step-by-step explanations and an abundance of examples, voice acting for dummies is the ultimate reference for budding voice actors on auditioning, recording, producing voice-overs, and promoting themselves as a voice actor. creating a voice acting demo finding your signature voice interpreting scripts using audio editing software promoting your voice acting talents if you're an aspiring voice actor or an actor or singer considering a career transition, voice acting for dummies has everything you need to let your voice talents soar.

The casting director for chicago, pippin, becket, gypsy, the graduate, the sound of music and jesus christ superstar tells you how you can find your dream role! absolutely everything an actor needs to know to get the part is here: what to do that moment before, how to use humour; create mystery; how to develop a distinct style; and how to evaluate the place, the relationships and the competition. this is the bible on the subject.

A master actor who's appeared in an enormous number of films, starring with everyone from nicholson to kermit the frog, michael caine is uniquely qualified to provide his view of making movies. this new revised and expanded edition features great photos throughout, with chapters on: preparation, in front of the camera before you shoot, the take, characters, directors, on being a star, and much more. "remarkable material … i'm not going to be looking at performances quite the same way … fascinating!" gene siskel

Provides the expert advice you need to get your big break! jump-start your career and land that paying part from preparing for auditions to finding an agent, the acting business is a challenging and competitive field. this indispensable guide is what every aspiring actor needs to get a foot in the door. discover how to market yourself, choose a dynamic head shot, create a stellar acting resume, join unions, and pay the bills while you pursue your acting dreams. explanations in plain english "get in, get out" information icons and other navigational aids online cheat sheet top ten lists a dash of humor and fun get smart!

Develops a valid method for training performers to act from their core – whether they are cold reading, auditioning, or performing for film or television. this book teaches actors how to achieve and respond to believable and honest emotions before the camera. it also teaches readers to experience an emotion rather than to indicate it.

Sanford meisner was one of the best known and beloved teachers of acting in the country. this book follows one of his acting classes for fifteen months, beginning with the most rudimentary exercises and ending with affecting and polished scenes from contemporary american plays. written in collaboration with dennis longwell, it is essential reading for beginning and professional actors alike. throughout these pages meisner is a delight—always empathizing with his students and urging them onward, provoking emotion, laughter, and growing technical mastery from his charges. with an introduction by sydney pollack, director of out of africa and tootsie, who worked with meisner for five years." this book should be read by anyone who wants to act or even appreciate what acting involves. like meisner's way of teaching, it is the straight goods."—arthur miller"if there is a key to good acting, this one is it, above all others. actors, young and not so young, will find inspiration and excitement in this book."—gregory peck

Heralded as "best acting teacher in la" by back stage magazine, hollywood's most sought after acting teacher howard fine reveals the winning technique that has garnered his students international acclaim and the industry's highest honors in his astonishing book fine on acting. during his twenty-five years as a teacher and director, fine has developed a technique that is both useful and exciting. emmy award-winning actor michael chiklis (the shield, fantastic four) writes in the foreword for fine on acting, "you've purchased this book because you either aspire to be an actor or want to be a better one. either way you've made a wonderful decision. howard fine is a great teacher. his philosophy and approach to the craft of acting are the most helpful, encouraging and practically applicable i've ever encountered." fine on acting covers the essentials for actors, including the common mistakes, rehearsal, auditions, stage vs. television and film acting, and comedy vs. drama. fine also offers valuable advice for troubleshooting challenging situations, such as playing opposite a bad actor, nerves, memorizing lines, working with a bad director, and being emotionally blocked. a close colleague of the legendary uta hagen and the founder of the howard fine acting studio, fine has worked with hundreds of stars, including brad pitt, will smith, bradley cooper, chris pine, justin timberlake, lindsay lohan, salma hayek, simon baker, amanda bynes, gerard butler, jennifer connelly, dwayne "the rock" johnson, michelle williams, val kilmer, sela ward, jason priestley, kerry washington, amy smart, jared leto, wilmer valderrama, brooke shields, daryl hannah, rick fox, estella warren, christopher meloni, enrique murciano, garry shandling, alexa vega, heather locklear, geri halliwell, carla gugino, james belushi, diana ross, jon bon jovi, and josh groban. fine is one of the few elite acting experts who has devoted his primary career to perfecting the teaching and coaching of professional actors. his outstanding reputation is the product of his remarkable expertise uniquely coupled with his extraordinary gift to inspire.

The most authoritive, authentic text of a classic guide to acting – in the four decades since its first publication, michael chekhov's to the actor has become a standard text for students of the theater. but to the actor is a shortened, heavily modified version of the great director/actor/teacher's original manuscript, and on the technique of acting is the first and only book ever to incorporate the complete text of that brilliant manuscript. scholars and teachers of chekhov's technique have hailed on the technique of acting as the clearest, most accurate presentation of the principles he taught yul brynner, gregory peck, marilyn monroe, anthony quinn, beatrice straight, and mala powers, among others. – this new, definitive edition of chekhov's masterful work clarifies the principles outlined in to the actor concerning the pivotal role of the imagination in actors' understanding of themselves and the roles they play. on the technique of acting also expands on chekhov's previously published work with many unique features, including: thirty additional exercises – a chapter devoted to screen acting – more thorough explanations of the psychological gesture, inner tempo vs. outer tempo, and other key concepts of chekhov's approach – for actors, directors, and anyone interested in the theater, on teh technique of acting is an essential handbook.

"what a refreshingly honest and practical guide for the actor! stuart covers every detail that actors need to know, from how to get into sag, to how to spot a scamming agent, to how to keep your self-esteem from taking a nose dive. sprinkled with positivity and helpful anecdotes, the keys to commercial acting is the text book every actor should own." – faith streng in the second edition of the keys to commercial acting, hollywood casting director stuart stone reveals what it takes to be a working actor today in the lucrative, but competitive, world of commercials. his years of experience casting for the world's top brands and directors gives him a deep insight into what works and what doesn't for actors looking for success.the tools and tips on every page of this must-read book are designed to take actors step-by-step through the business of acting. full of useful information on how to build your career and what to avoid in the process, the advice in this book can save you time, money, and making costly career mistakes.the conversational style makes the keys to commercial acting a quick and easy read, like sitting down with stuart and picking his brain

Theoretically, the actor ought to be more sound in mind and body than other people, since he learns to understand the psychological problems of human beings when putting his own passions, his loves, fears, and rages to work in the service of the characters he plays. he will learn to face himself, to hide nothing from himself — and to do so takes an insatiable curiosity about the human condition. from the prologue uta hagen, one of the world's most renowned stage actresses, has also taught acting for more than forty years at the hb studio in new york. her first book, respect for acting, published in 1973, is still in print and has sold more than 150,000 copies. in her new book, a challenge for the actor, she greatly expands her thinking about acting in a work that brings the full flowering of her artistry, both as an actor and as a teacher. she raises the issue of the actor's goals and examines the specifics of the actor's techniques. she goes on to consider the actor's relationship to the physical and psychological senses. there is a brilliantly conceived section on the animation of the body and mind, of listening and talking, and the concept of expectation. but perhaps the most useful sections in this book are the exercises that uta hagen has created and elaborated to help the actor learn his craft. the exercises deal with developing the actor's physical destination in a role; making changes in the self serviceable in the creation of a character; recreating physical sensations; bringing the outdoors on stage; finding occupation while waiting; talking to oneself and the audience; and employing historical imagination. the scope and range of uta hagen here is extraordinary. her years of acting and teaching have made her as finely seasoned an artist as the theatre has produced.

What do actors do? what is an audition like? can i be an actor? dive into this book and find out what it¿s like to be an actor and tips on how to begin. told simply through words and pictures, this is a great introduction to the who, whats, and whys of show business. perfect for kids and parents interested in knowing more, whether you are ready to try out acting or just curious.

Product type: subjects > arts & photography > performing arts > theatre > acting & auditioning

It reveals everything an actor needs to have a successful career in film and television in 2016. it is a tell-all of insider secrets author kym jackson spent nine years researching and compiling into this one resource guide for anyone hoping to navigate the rough seas of hollywood.

Until very recently, acting was passed on the form of tips. here are 205 of them — ranging from using opposites to the way to set a laugh, and on through a clear definition of actions, how to use a breath score, and even how to react if you're fired. the tips are clear, concise, evocative and constructed to give you a better day in rehearsal and a better night in performance. a buffet of ways to improve immediately that you'll want to have with you in your rehearsal bag.

A step by step guide for anyone wanting to become a working actor.

The audition is the first — and most essential — test of any actor's craft, one that is typically performed for a very tough audience, under conditions that are always less than perfect. this practical, hands-on guide by a veteran producer covers every aspect of the auditioning process: the monologue, the cold reading, the musical audition, and the interview. it shows actors how to see their performance through the eyes of prospective employers, how to sell themselves even before they step into character, and how to interpret roles without outside direction.

Salter is a small, inexpensive acting text for beginners and non-majors that can fit in a student's back pocket. the text is designed to give the student necessary skills before embarking upon scene analysis and self-study. instructors can use this book as a supplement or a primary textbook for a beginning acting laboratory class. "acting: basic skills" helps students start monologue/scene work early by providing a useful, handy reference. in addition, a brief chapter on scansion has been added to help students while working on shakespeare scenes. the book also includes fifteen blank journal pages for student reflection during class time.

If you are an aspiring actor with dreams of becoming a success like al pacino, julia roberts, brad pitt and the likes, then this is the step-by-step blueprint for you.here’s what you get:- you will discover the secrets about the acting industry.- larn acting techniques to perform better than your competitors.- discover acting terminologies to instantly be noticed by the directors and producers.howexpert publishes quick 'how to' guides on all topics from a to z by everyday experts.