What does CHARACTER have to do with acting?

All too often when we ask a student how they define what acting is, they say "bringing to life the character" or "becoming the character". But the reality of casting is that more often than not you get cast for who you are, not who you can potentially 'become' with your acting. In other words, one of the largest focusses of casting directors is to find an actor whose look and personality most closely align with the character, rather than finding an actor who can "play the character". The result is that most of the acting work you will ever get requires you to be yourself, not to play the character.

We recently had a casting director from the US use our studio for a workshop and her big emphasis for the students was stop acting, just be you, we want to know who you are, even if you're not right for this role. Why? Because then we know what roles you are right for.

So acting classes where the focus is on characterisation are quite disabling for actors. They lead an actor down the wrong path.

Authenticity is a much more prized commodity than your ability to characterise. So the larger percentage of your efforts in training within acting classes should go toward learning to be yourself and to be authentic in front of the camera.

Our acting courses at The Actors Studio Australia are focussed on authenticity and connecting emotionally with the situation. Placing yourself wholly and truthfully within the scene.

Our acting school offers a unique and powerful approach to performance harnessing the techniques of master teachers Sanford Meisner, Lee Strasberg, Constantin Stanislavsky, Ivana Chubbuck and Eric Morris. We train actors to bring a powerful sense of personal truth to their work.