Learn Secret Camera Acting Skills to be in Bollywood

What Ben means above is -don't pretend! Just behave normally in front of a camera

There is an immense competition to be a Bollywood actor. Thousands of aspiring actor flock streets of Mumbai's western suburbs to get a break in films, serials and commercials, but how many succeed? In spite of incredible efforts, unfortunately not even 10% are winners! One of the causes of this failure is a poor knowledge of Camera acting skills which are vital for a selection in auditions and bag a role in films or serials. Later, a good knowledge of acting for camera helps in giving a  great performance in a "final take" for a shot/ scene

Do you have a special set of acting skills required for the camera? Did your acting school teach you?

Acting for the Camera

This is not an acting school or a theatre stage acting where you get an instant feedback from the audience.
In film and television acting, you do not get a feedback from a live audience of any kind. Your audience is just a camera, the camera operator, the director, and any sound, light, and make up artists to help you  for the day.
This means you need to use your creativity and imagination in a scientific and calculative way. When you play to the camera, you have to project emotions to the unwavering and piercing eye of the camera.

Elia Kazan on what the camera does to you

How to �play to the camera�

1. Find the location of the camera at all times

Why? Because  if you are able to understand where the camera is, then you will be able to give the best performance. You must remember that it would impossible for you to let viewers see your great performance without the camera capturing your face.
2. Know how close or far the camera is for you and what the camera is trying to capture

 If you the camera is capturing a close up on your face, then it is not important for you to move your arms and legs, for the camera will not capture it. Instead, focus on what the camera is filming. For close ups, focus on your facial movements and emotions, but subtle and not exaggerated.  However, for long shots, focus on larger body movements to illustrate your character�s feelings.

3. Know where the other actors and props are located in relation to the camera 

If you step to ( move) close in one direction, you may take the other actor�s eye-line, lighting, or other sort of important elements. Understand where your �mark� (where you should be located) is and focus on staying in that position.

The Best Tip to Learn Camera Acting

Watch a television show or movie on video with the sound off

Without listening to any dialogue, your focus would be on facing expressions and movements. Look through at each frame first because that is a camera lens and then observe how an actor is behaving in front of that frame. The body and facial gestures can convey more information to an audience than you may think. By studying movies and television shows with the sound off, you can study how gestures can help an actor�s on-camera performance.

The bottom line

1. Focus on where the camera is
2. Concentrate what the camera is trying to capture,
3. Understand how can you express your emotions and movements with technical excellence and limitations of a camera

If you can keep these three elements in mind, you will definitely see a great improvement in your acting performance.