Do me a favor. Think back to your fondest childhood memories of playtime. You’re running around completely carefree, perhaps holding a shiny light saber or donning a sparkling tiara. It’s all so real: Your swing set has transformed into a sprawling spaceship, your back deck is the balcony of a beautiful castle. You are whatever you desire to be. Now I want you to think really hard and decipher what your objective was. Do you remember?
That’s right. Simply “to have fun.”
As children we didn’t think; we just did. Of course, this isn’t always the best thing to do in life, but with acting the greatest performances can come from not thinking. As long as you are rooted in truth and believe you are the person you’re playing (as we all did running around our backyards), the rest will fall into place.
Here are some ways to slip back into the glory days and let your inner child help you succeed.
Entertain Yourself First
Putting “you” first sounds like a selfish concept, but in the acting world it can actually be quite vital. The truth of the matter is if you’re not entertained by the work you’re doing, than why should someone else be? As kids we didn’t care if anyone else was necessarily enjoying what we were doing (think about all those living room magic shows you put on and the recitals your parents sat through), we did it for our own enjoyment.
Ground Yourself in the Scene
The most intriguing work is always the most truthful. You cannot have entertainment without truth. Believe in yourself and your talent, and live in the role (remember when you thought that you could fly?). It is when your imagination takes flight that the possibilities become endless.
Let Your Personality Shine Through the Text
We’ve all been on auditions where we know we’re not necessarily right for the role, but why does it have to be that way? All you’re really doing is “pretending,” just like you did on that swing set. So try infusing yourself into the part and making the choices that you would in that specific situation. The casting director is going to see hundreds of people doing exactly what is on the page, but if you can bring yourself into the read you’re going to stand out. Be the singular you that you were born as.
Don’t Take It All So Seriously
We’re not curing cancer here. We’re entertaining. Your job is nothing more than to assist in telling an honest and wonderful story, so do it! Don’t get caught up in unnecessary worries. When we were little we were only concerned about playing. So just play.
I hope you take some of these suggestions to heart and can find it in yourself to have fun and let go. That’s when the true magic happens. If you still feel stumped, head to the nearest playground and watch the kids playing for a bit. I guarantee their freedom and bliss will not only put a smile on your face, but have you fully engrossed.
Robert Peterpaul is an actor, writer, and the owner of RPP, which aims to assist talent in the entertainment industry in “honing their craft.” His career highlights include working for NBC’s “Access Hollywood” and “America’s Got Talent” and currently for AOL Build, the Huffington Post, and his family's foundation, the Thomas Peterpaul Foundation. Peterpaul can be seen next in the upcoming feature film “What Happened Last Night.”
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