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It’s your first day on the show’s set and your heart is pounding with anxiety and excitement. The good news is that’s completely normal. The daunting news is that your work has just begun and your job is to impress and have a good impression on everyone you meet.
Here at MRP we are committed to helping you thrive in the industry so we have interviewed and polled experts to find out the 3 most common mistakes on set and how to avoid them.
The first time you take the stage can be terrifying. You have probably rehearsed so far alone or with friends/family as an audience. Here you are faced with strangers expecting you to do something. Anything! This can easily make a beginning actor, and sometimes even the more seasoned ones freeze.
Solution
Stage fright gets easier the more you get in front of an audience. Start performing in front of small groups to build your confidence. However, sometimes it doesn’t always go away. You may need to learn some calming techniques such as breathing exercises. It could also be a case of feeling not adequate enough, but remember you got the part and that means the casting director saw potential in you at the audition! So leave those fears behind and once you get into the groove of things, you will wonder why you were ever afraid in the first place.
This art requires a lot of concentration and sometimes you may lose focus and stumble on your line, lose your place and cause an awkward silence. More experienced actors know they have to get back on track asap and gracefully, while a beginner will probably break out of character to apologize *cringe*.
Solution
Practice practice practice. In different settings, different situations that might throw you out of line. Practice till you hone that focus. And if you do end up losing your line, develop a technique to get back on it without breaking character. An audience would never know you made a mistake unless you break character or apologize. Also do not cause the yawning awkward silence, no one will solve your problem, you have to take charge and get back in line.
This is similar to the tip above but also a general life lesson. You are on set, everyone is stressed out, on a tight schedule and want things to be perfect. However, everybody is prone to making mistakes. It is how you deal with it that sets you apart and shows your professionalism. Mistakes rarely become compounded unless you make it worse by trying to give a million excuses. This is a huge no-no on set.
Solution
You are a professional actor and professional behaviour is expected from you. When you make a mistake, take responsibility for it, don’t come up with excuses or blame someone else for it. You will only make matters worse and probably lose the respect and trust of those around you.
These tips are useful for both your professional and personal life. Being on a film set can be stressful, with emotions flying and everyone working really hard and fast to achieve one goal. You can quickly get overwhelmed or carried away. But if you do your homework beforehand and follow our tips at MRP, you will be able to build and navigate your successful acting career.
Born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada, Tahnee Harrison began dancing, singing and playing the piano at the tender age of 5.
By 15 years old, she was well on the way to stardom and was crowned Miss Nevada Teen USA in 2001. Read More
