Actor

An actor is a person who portrays in a character in a movie/tv show/play/radio show etc. They have to bring the character to life using their acting skills and really make the viewers/audience feel like they are the character. Actors are generally the most popular part a film crew, because they are noticed much more than people such as the director or the editor, so they are quite often used to promote a film. Certain actors are usually associated with a certain genre of film, for example Seth Rogen or Paul Rudd and well known for playing in comedies, you wouldn't really see them venture into an action movie or sci-fi. Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger are well known for playing in action films, they have played in other types of films a few types but generally have been as successful as in their action films. Actors must be able to adapt to the requirements of playing a character, for example they may have to wear a costume that looks stupid or they may have to do a different accent but they are expected to do it once they have agreed to play a certain character. An actor may have to carry out some research into the character they are playing in order to play the role as best they can. They will work mainly with the director who tells them how to portray the character, in some cases the director may want a character to be different to how they were in an older film and the actor will have to adapt to that. An actor must be able to learn their lines quickly and be able to perform on camera, actors in film will have many chances because they can just do a retake but in a play it requires an actor to be at their best the whole time because it is infront of live audience, they are allowed minimal  mistakes and they must know their lines off by heart. They also need to be able to respond to the other actors lines and know when to reply and use them to know when they have to start speaking. They will need to suggest ideas and be able to improve their own performance and assist other actors in improving their performances. Quite often a certain actor could make or break a film, for example if there was a new Batman film, the actor playing Batman would have to be at his very best because that is the main marketing point and a poor performance would generally make the film less successful. Actors begin their careers in all different ways, some will start in theatre and will learn the trade as part of stage management and will eventually go into acting themselves, others may audition for roles in tv series or movies and gradually work their way up to bigger productions.

Actors should have a good knowledge of what is required for auditions, they should know a lot about the role they are auditioning for and be well prepared to perform infront of others. A good short term memory is generally to make it easier to learn lines and someone who is quite forgetful wouldn't be too successful. They should be able to learn new lines and be able to adapt to changes to a script or characters quickly. Sometimes an actor will have to look a certain way in order to play a specific character, this may require a character to bulk up or lose weight in order to be the correct size. For example, Tom Hardy had to bulk up quite dramatically to take the role of Bane in The Dark Knight Rises. For some productions, singing and/or dancing skills will be required, particularly for musicals. They should be able to deliver lines at a specific pace and with the correct tone to fit the character and to make a scene run as the director had planned. Their body language must constantly be monitored to make sure they are making other believe that they are a certain character. They must be aware of how their performance may change based on where certain equipment is positioned, they may have to speak louder or look in a certain direction. One of the main skills required is to be able to deal with the press, to deal with rumours, to be enthusiastic in interviews and make sure they appreciate their fans. Most actors in the film industry have been trained, there are academies and classes all across the UK to help people improve their acting skills, also actors can learn from others actors, ones they have been in a production with or even famous actors. Training is more or less essential for somebody who wants to far in their acting career but as a part time hobby they may not require training.