At our acting workshop in Manchester, we teach TV acting classes to students over the age of 16. With the quality and number of TV productions at an all time high thanks to streaming services such as Netflix, there are exciting opportunities for aspiring small screen actors. However, you might be wondering how the acting techniques differ from stage to screen.
While the two types of acting craft share similar key skills, they require different approaches. Here’s a brief look at the unique challenges of each to help you understand which one might suit you best, or if you just want to build good all-round experience as you train.
Acting for screen
When acting for screen, the camera can capture close-up shots from multiple angles, so there is scope to pick up more subtle facial expressions and nuanced emotions. It’s also possible to make multiple takes of the same screen, so there’s space to develop and refine your acting if necessary. However, a certain degree of consistency between takes is needed.
Screen acting requires a more naturalistic approach, and it’s possible to convey meaning and emotion through facial expressions and small gestures. This makes the performance convincing and engaging. The voice should have a relaxed and conversational tone. Technical awareness, such as understanding camera angles and lighting are also important.
Acting for stage
Acting for stage is much more physical, involving a more heightened performance with voice projection and exaggerated facial expressions and body language. It also requires strong mental focus because scenes can’t be reshot, so you’ll need to be well prepared and learn how to handle mistakes without losing momentum.
You’ll also need to work at engaging with the live audience, and respond to their reactions to hone your performance.
