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Question: What makes a good acting performance!?
I'm constantly reading about how this or that actor delivered an amazing performance in some movie or another, but I myself would never be able to tell, so what is it about an acting performance that makes it outstanding!? Examples!?Www@QuestionHome@Com


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
if you are believable
in the dark knight heath ledger was amazing he was chilling and like a sociopath schizophrenic!.

In pirates of the Caribbean Johnny depp kept u guessing is he smart or just lucky!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Clare is right, but not for this question!. There are 5 observable qualities of good acting!. 1!. it is believable, the actor seems to be the character and believe everything he says and does, 2 Skill, the actor makes no observable errors, 3!. Communication, the actor can be heard and understood, his Performance makes you have an emotional response, 4, Ease, everything the actor does seems like it was easy for him to do!. 5!. Charisma, the actor has personal magnetism that makes you want to see him again or hang out with him!. That is how you know if an actor is any good!. Most of the writers don't really know this, but just like the performance and generalize about it!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I think what makes a good actor(ess) is being believable and really BECOMING the character, not just memorizing lines!. The best actors are the ones who sound like they really mean it!. A bad actor sounds like they are reading lines of a sheet of paper!. I think an amazing actress is Laura Bell Bundy in "Legally Blonde: The Musical"!. Here's a link:
http://www!.youtube!.com/watch!?v=pXPkF5HxH!.!.!.
(Elle is the one in the bunny suit)Www@QuestionHome@Com

The best way to make a good acting performance in my opinion is to follow the ways of Uta Hagen!.

Uta Hagen came up with 9 questions on how to become the character in which you are portraying!. They are listed here:

1!. WHO AM I!? (All the details about your character including name, age, address, relatives, likes, dislikes, hobbies, career, description of physical traits, opinions, beliefs, religion, education, origins, enemies, loved ones, sociological influences, etc!.)

2!. WHAT TIME IS IT!? (Century, season, year, day, minute, significance of time)

3!. WHERE AM I!? (Country, city, neighborhood, home, room, area of room)

4!. WHAT SURROUNDS ME!? (Animate and inanimate objects-complete details of environment)

5!. WHAT ARE THE GIVEN CIRCUMSTANCES!? (Past, present, future and all of the events)

6!. WHAT IS MY RELATIONSHIP!? (Relation to total events, other characters, and to things)

7!. WHAT DO I WANT!? (Character's need!. The immediate and main objective)

8!. WHAT IS IN MY WAY!? (The obstacles which prevent character from getting his/her need)

9!. WHAT DO I DO TO GET WHAT I WANT!? (The action: physical and verbal, also-action verbs)

Basically, if you actually believe that they are that character, and not just "John Smith playing Prince Charming" then they are following most, if not all of these techniques!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

In my opinion what makes a good performance!.!.!.there are quite a few things!.
1: The plot/storyline has to be good and make sense!.
2: The writing has to be good!. (Who wants to watch a movie or a play with lame lines!?)
3: The acting has to be descent!.
It's a mix of a lot of things that make it successful!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Well!.!.!.it takes so much more than acting!. it takes heart-that's why not everyone can do it!. You have to LOVE what your doing, and put all your heart into it!. Be really enthusiastic, and also pretend your aren't acting!.!.!.pretend your just!.!.overexcited!. lolWww@QuestionHome@Com

1!. Acting is simply reacting!. Whenever I am acting I always remember that quote!.

2!. Let the audience believe you, whatever you are doing!. If you are being sad, show that emotion in your eyes!. Your eyes are extremely important in acting!.

I hope that helps!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Being believable is the key!.
Pauses, emphasis, tone, speed, movement, expression, body language!.!.!.
Everything combines into the character, whom the actor has to become!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

- knowing your character
- placement of the voice (ex-straining it so you sound like your character)
- rating the emotions 1-10 (example someone being sad for loosing a book is a 3!.!.!.someone being sad for having their dad die is a 10)
good acting is more than just memorizing lines
you should try to re create life!.

CONNECT with other actors!. Dont just deliver your lines!.

-use breath control (ex, if your mad, take quick and furious short breaths)

USE THESE EYE TRICKS:
~ looking down when sad
~ looking up when remembering
~looking at the "same plane" when in the 'present time' youre playing in!.
~slightly squint when you are showing a lot of emotion

Good acting is neither overacting nor underacting; the actions and reactions are appropriate to the circumstances; the emotions are believable!. When we see good acting we BELIEVE what is happening, it touches us emotionally, it makes our heart race, makes us laugh and cry - and not just on the surface because it's silly or startling, but because we really feel for these people and find ourselves involved with and connected to them!.

VOICE CONTROL
~raise your voice to power, *fear, anger, !.!.etc!.
~lower your voice to weakness *fear, saddness, love, !.!.!.etc!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

a god performance is, to me, something that can make me laugh and cry in the movie!. something that i can relate to or feel sympathetic for the a character for!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

becoming that character so the audience sees the character not the actorWww@QuestionHome@Com

Making it seem real like you are watching real life & not some movie or TV show with actors/actresses!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Being realistic!.Www@QuestionHome@Com