Acting : Why make Short films? by Marysia Trembecka

Here is a list of great reasons to act in short films, can you think of any more? http://loveyourcreativity.com/2014/01/21/why-acting-in-short-films-is-us... The pluses of doing shorts are Experience on a set with often inexperienced directors You are getting to practice the art of acting, which means that you are open and warmed up when going to other castings. It is always easier to get more work when you are working. Watching the crew do their job so you really understand where you, as an actor, fits in Getting to play and explore characters out of your type-casting, Establish how you are perceived by directors and casting people in how they cast you Practice about being open, truthful, honest on camera and not being too ‘theatrical’ – I watched some people auditioning the other day for a film role and you could see those who have done a lot of theatre and not much screen work Getting to watch yourself back, yes it is horrid but you have to see behind the lines, wrinkles and fat bits to how you are portraying the character and moving the story along Really understand how your only importance on screen is how you move the story along, so when you audition think about how what you put over sells the story.. so be a yummy mummy with an edge but you have to be believeable as a yummy mummy in the first place. You have something to talk about in those meetings when they ask that dreaded question ‘What have you been up to’ You get to meet and work with other actors and crew, plus working with some young directors. You learn a lot about camera angles, shot size and keeping quiet when necessary There is more freedom to play with characters, costume, make-up than on TV and big budget productions. You can have a lot more creative input It may inspire you to make your own! Be warned though you do need a good sound guy, bad sound ruins many an ambitious film! You will feel that you have done your job, of being an actor. Classes are great but you need to act. It will make you perceive yourself as an actor and motivate you to keep going! Marketing yourself as an actor – you can market the film on your social media sites, you may get to go to a screening so a positive networking situation, you can use the production stills on Spotlight, you may be able to use the footage for your showreel. You learn the importance of the edit; how listening and reacting is so important , how you can be left on the cutting room floor for the sake of the story or how when another actor has a huge amount of lines that does not mean it is their scene and where the camera will look to you for reactions to tell the story. Any more to add my lovely Stage 32'ers ;-) ??