11 Tips To Defeat No.1 Actor's Enemy of Anxiety Tension

The Enemy of Performance Anxiety And Tension

If you fear the thought of getting up in front of a group of people and performing, you are not alone. Millions of people suffer from performance anxiety, commonly called "stage or camera fright."
 In fact, most people would rather get the flu than perform. Actors, musicians, athletes, people appearing for an interview and public speakers often get performance anxiety.
Performance anxiety can prevent you from doing what you enjoy and can affect your career.
Worst of all, performance anxiety can negatively affect your self-esteem and self-confidence. Although it may be impossible to totally overcome performance anxiety, there are many things you can do to control your emotions and reduce anxiety.

1. What are the causes of performance anxiety and tension?

Being the center of attention and having all eyes on you can be stressful. This is more prominent when you are facing the strangers as in auditions, during a film or TV shoot where dozens of strange looking people and their prying eyes are watching you with their serious faces.

• Your body reacts to this situation in much the same way as it would if you were being "Attacked!". Your body's "fight-or-flight" mechanism kicks in, which is why symptoms of stage or camera fright are similar to symptoms that occur when you are in "Real danger".
• Confronting your fears and vulnerabilities (weaknesses), accepting yourself for who you are, and not feeling like you have to prove yourself to others, is the first step toward overcoming performance anxiety. Keep in mind that nobody is perfect, nobody expects you to be perfect, and it is OK to make mistakes.
• The second step is learning how to redirect your negative thoughts, beliefs, images, and predictions about performing in public. Doing this is not as difficult as you might think.

How Do You Know When An Actor's Worry Turns To Anxiety That Needs A Sure Remedy?

There is nothing wrong if you worry about your performance. As a matter of fact, it would help an actor or any other performer to focus on his/her preparation seriously. The problem comes when it turns into anxiety tension and nervousness

What are the symptoms of when a worry turns into a performance anxiety?

• Racing pulse and rapid breathing
• Dry mouth and tight throat
• Trembling hands, knees, lips, and voice
• Sweaty and cold hands
• Nausea and an uneasy feeling in your stomach
• Vision changes
• And the worst! Forgetting your lines and being in a "character"

How to Defeat Performance Anxiety And Tension?

Here are 10 tips to help you overcome your fears and be a star on auditions, camera on shoot, stage, on the field, or at the podium:

1. Be prepared: practice, practice, practice.
2. Limit caffeine and sugar intake the day of the performance. Eat a sensible meal a few hours before you are to perform so that you have energy and don't get hungry. A low-fat meal including complex carbohydrates -- whole-grain pasta, lentil soup, yogurt, or a bean and rice burrito -- is a good choice.
3. Shift the focus off of yourself and your fear to the enjoyment you are providing to the spectators. Close your eyes and imagine the audience laughing and cheering, and you feeling good.
4. Don't focus on what could go wrong. Instead, focus on the positive. Visualize your success.
5. Avoid thoughts that produce self-doubt.
6. Practice controlled breathing, meditation, biofeedback, and other strategies to help you relax and redirect your thoughts when they turn negative. It is best to practice some type of relaxation technique every day, regardless of whether you have a performance, so that the skill is there for you when you need it.
7. Take a walk, jump up and down, shake out your muscles, or do whatever feels right to ease your anxious feelings before the performance.
8. Connect with your audience -- smile, make eye contact and think of them as friends.
9. Act natural and be yourself.
10. Exercise, eat a healthy diet, get adequate sleep, and live a healthy lifestyle.
11. Keep in mind that stage fright is usually worse before the performance and often goes away once you get started.

Most Widely Reviewed And Chosen Acting Schools and A Coach

Here is the list of top acting institutes in India. You can visit their website and get the details. The fee for the courses are  high, but these schools seem reliable, as per my knowledge on the date.

Warning!

Disclaimer

However, please note that the situation may change in a school in the context of the present faculty, standard of training etc. Therefore, please check carefully by visiting personally and doing some research. 

My Pick and Preferred 12 Acting Schools and An Acting Coach In India

My Pick (Where I was trained but in New York, U.S.)
New York Film Academy | Mumbai, India

(Though a bit expensive, it's for those who want to be an international star and not only in Bollywood)
Address: 1103 Regus Office, Level 11, Tower B, Peninsula Business Park, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400013
Phone: 022 6687 9386
https://www.nyfa.edu/mumbai/

The Other Top Acting Schools

1. *FTII, Pune Film and Television Institute of India or FTII is located in Pune. The Institute offers 2 year PG Diploma in Acting. Expensive: 2 Lakhs?
http://www.ftiindia.com/

2. *The Barry John Acting studio
The Barry John Acting studio is in Mumbai and offers various courses including the Diploma and Certificate courses in acting. Expensive: 2 Lakhs?
http://www.bjas.in/

3. *National School of Drama (NSD), Delhi
NSD offers a 3-year course which leads to a PG diploma in Dramatic Arts.
http://nsd.gov.in/

4. Anupan Kher’s, Actor Prepares
The institute offers full time and part time course in acting.The institute has branches in Mumbai,Ahmedabad and Chandigarh.
http://www.actorprepares.net/

5. *Subhash Ghai’s, Whistling Woods International
Subhash Ghai is the chairman of Whistling Woods International, Mumbai. The courses include a 2-year course in acting. Expensive: 9 Lakhs?
http://www.whistlingwoods.net/

6. Roshan Taneja Acting Studio
Roshan Taneja Acting Studio in Mumbai offers 6 months course in acting.
http://www.roshantaneja.com/

7. AAFT, Noida 
Asian Academy of Film and Television is located in Noida,UP. AAFT offers 3 months and 1 year programs in acting.
http://www.aaft.com/

8. *Kishore Namit Kapoor Acting Institute
Kishore Namit Kapoor Acting Institute in Mumbai offers 3 months course in acting.
http://www.knkactinginstitute.com/

9. Delhi Film Institute
The Delhi Film Institute is located in South Extension, Delhi. The institute offers 2 months acting course in acting.
http://www.delhifilminstitute.com/

9. ZIMA
Zee academy of media arts is located in Mumbai and it offers a 3- month course in acting.
http://zimainstitute.com/

10. Digital Film School, Mumbai
http://www.dafilmschool.com/

11. Kreating Charakters Pvt. Ltd
Established in 2005, they claim to be the best acting training institute in Mumbai.
Website:http://www.kreatingcharakters.in/
Contact Phone:
+91 98924 56347 | +91 98210 18560

12. Grace Acting Academy
* Weekend courses are economical (Rs. 15,000). The rest is from Rs. 30,000 to Rs.1,50,000
301, 3rd Flr, Trans Avenue, before Ganesh Acharya Hall.
Above VLCC, Behind MTNL Tel Exchange
Mahada, 4 Bungalow, Andheri West, Mumbai -400053
Website:http://www.graceacting.com/

Personal Acting Coach

13. * Kiran Pande
Top Professional Acting Coach
For adults and kids
An Acting coach, Audition doctor, Filmmaker, Film Story Writer and Actor
Personalized courses designed for each individual
Ghatkopar East, Mumbai 400089
For details, visit:http://topactingcoach.weebly.com
Email: kiran.aged@gmail.com
Source

16 Tips To Improve Voice To Impress Casting Directors

Bollywood stars with their good voice as one of the success factors
(Clockwise: Amitabh Bachchan, Amrish Puri, Arjun Rampal and Om Puri)

Do you recollect the voice quality of successful Bollywood actors like Amitabh Bachchan, Late Amrish Puri, Om Puri or Arjun Rampal?
One of the success factors in their career had been "An excellent voice". However, remember that though they had some quality in their voice, they got trained in the "voice culture" and practiced the recommended steps regularly

Casting director: "What an impressive personality! Great acting techniques! But, unfortunately, the moment he opened his mouth… I’m sorry Kiran, well… he has a weak voice which clouded all his other strong points. The character in the story required a strong voice as well..” And the casting director looked at me with his raised eyebrows!
This happened long back at the beginning of my career as an acting coach. The day taught me a lesson which I don’t think I will ever forget. I now make a point in my training lessons to devote sufficient time to voice development

Voice is God Gifted. Yes, it's true and a fact, but it can be trained. This also is a fact. 

• Nobody is a born singer or narrator or voice artist. He/she may have a sweet, melodious voice inherited from birth, but still, his/her voice needs to be trained enough to modulate, varied and able to perform professionally for required time
• Speech is a very powerful tool and it can assist an actor in achieving objectives in a scene or the whole production. Think about some of the great actors of the time like Late Raj Kumar, Late Murad and his son RazaRurad, Nana Patekar, Late Amrish Puri to name few of Indian Actors blessed with a golden voice.
• Today, a Bollywood or a TV serial casting director is an extremely busy and  tired guy on a typical audition day where he has to audition hundreds of actors for a character. Obviously, he/she further may get put off with many of the poor performances. Actors can get stuck with emotions and actions, but they forget that our voice is so important. A good voice is one of the dominant factors, plays a significant role in getting yourself registered in a casting director’s mind and may keep you ahead in getting the dream role.

Do you have a thin, shrill, faint, low or muffled voice? Do you mix words or speak too fast?

Here are exercises which will do wonders to your voice.

Like what a singer does every morning called "Riyaaz" (practice) you should do these exercises every morning or evening before dinner.

1. Keep your thumbs on your chin. Open mouth. Stretch your tongue out and massage your tongue with both index fingers making loud sound (3 minutes)
2. Keep your index fingers in front and close to your ears and open and close your mouth, making a loud sound (3 minutes)
3. Make loud funny sounds shaking your head
4. Yawn repeatedly making a sound
3. Make loud funny sounds shaking your head
4. Yawn repeatedly making a sound
4. Yawn repeatedly making a sound
5. Say “HUM” from a lower to a higher pitch. Try 8 different pitches
6. Make "Burr" sound repeatedly at different sound levels
7. You can take "Sa" only of Sa Re Ga Ma and then take a deep breath by mouth, not the nose, and start reciting "Sa" with your full bass voice (the lowest vocal range of all voice types.) till your quality breath comes to a low level. Stop deliberately. There is no use of unnecessary stretching of breath. Keep in mind you have to inhale from the mouth, fully and should go on saying "Sa" till the end of your breath in a continuous pitch without any breaks, variation or modulation of your voice. This will not only help you in having a good base, but also, voice, but also increase your voicing stamina. Also, while speaking,  stretch the word “OM” into 2 parts “O” and “M” spreading the word “OM” till your breath ends.
8. Breathing: Inhale deeply,to  hold your breath and exhale very slowly (10 times). If possible, try to do this lying on a bed before sleep, keeping a book on your belly.
7. You can take "Sa" only of Sa Re Ga Ma and then take a deep breath by mouth, not the nose, and start reciting "Sa" with your full bass voice (the lowest vocal range of all voice types.) till your quality breath comes to a low level. Stop deliberately. There is no use of unnecessary stretching of breath. Keep in mind you have to inhale from your mouth, fully and should go on saying "Sa" till the end of your breath in a continuous pitch without any breaks, variation or modulation of your voice. This will not only help you in having a good base, but also,voice. It will also increase your voicing stamina. Also, while speaking,  stretch the word “OM” into 2 parts with a gap in between “O” and “M” spreading the word “OM” till your breath ends.
8. Breathing: Inhale deeply, then hold the breath and exhale very slowly (10 times). If possible, try to do this lying on a bed before sleep, keeping a book on your belly.

Versatility, range and volume improvement exercises

9. Breathing: Inhale deeply, then hold the breath and exhale very slowly (10 times) making a “hissing” sound. If possible, try to do this lying on a bed before sleep, keeping a book on your belly.

10. Say or sing each below-mentioned word randomly with a different pitch as shown with a size below. Repeat different sound level for different words in the next. Continue (10 times).

“Sa  Re  Ga Ma  Pa  Dha  Nee  Sa”
“Sa  Re  Ga  Ma  Pa  Dha  Nee  Sa”

11. Make Cracky door opening sound. Pitch differently (As in a horror movie where a door in an old castle opens slowly)

12. You should everyday practice at least one full-length script with proper Hindi diction, pronunciation, modulation (as & when).  If you do not have the stamina you may lose your voice in a long script. Your voice may be bold, enthusiastic, and fresh in the first quarter of the script and may get tired or becomes low in the end. This is called the stamina of Voice, and it must remain uniform in quality (one) till the end.

13. Watch and listen carefully Hindi news with high volume on TV channels. Speak along with news anchor. Practice at least for 30 minutes, with different anchors.

14. Listen to carefully voice artists (background voices) in different commercial ads on TV. Speak along with them by  following  their spoken lines, focusing on the quality of voice.

15. Watch and listen carefully Hindi news with high volume on TV channels. Speak along with news anchor. Practice at least for 30 minutes, with different anchors.

15. Listen to carefully voice artists (background voices) in different commercial ads on TV. Speak along with them follow their spoken lines, overall quality

Yoga plays a very important role in improving voice quality

16. One Yoga asana which is the most effective is “Ujjayi Pranayama“

Ujjayi Pranayama for voice improvements

It's very simple to practice:
1. Sit in a comfortable position on a mat on a floor, preferably legs crossed
2. Breath in and out in while contracting your throat, which will produce a sort of hissing sound in a rhythmic fashion
3. However, while breathing do not extra strain to contract your throat
4. Continue for 15 minutes

Don’ts

1. Stay away from alcohol and smoking, very cold ice creams, beverages, aerated waters, chocolates or pickles, chilies and anything very sour.
2. If you eat occasionally do try to clear your throat and brush your teeth before sleeping.
3. Gargle your throat with salted warm water. This is a must for an actor
4. Do not shout that make your vocal chords vibrate so harshly that can be damaged.

4 Steps On How To Set A Strong Foundation To Be A Top Star

Laying A Strong Foundation of House Of Being A Best Bollywood Actor

The competition in Bollywood is brutal. Thousands are arriving every month in Mumbai with their dreams to be an actor in Bollywood, TV serials or to be a model. It's a total imbalance between a demand for actors and the supply which is frighteningly more that a demand for an actor. The result is frustration, stress, mental depression, losing money, time and maybe future leading to suicides, drug or alcohol addiction, prostitution or undertaking some menial jobs.
So, is there no hope? Wrong!
The other side of the coin is the history of successful actors from the past struggling aspiring actors like Shah Rukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar, Nawazuddin Siddique and many others.

Obviously, the next question crops up is how to be a successful actor in such a scenario?

To answer this question and to have an action plan, you got to have a totally professional approach:

• What are the requirements to be a Bollywood Actor?
• ave you analyzed yourself whether you meet these requirements?
• Analyze yourself: Your strengths, weaknesses, threats to you and opportunities for you (called as s.w.o.t. analysis) 

After you have done this, start preparing yourself for the battle:

• You must have good looks and a hot body. This will definitely help you (especially in films and TV serials) 

How to have good looks and a hot body?

Steps

1. Focus on externals:

*Free Home Exercises to develop looks and body (Read this post)

2. Free physical workouts at home to be developed for creating excellence in your acting craft

To work on every part of your body to become useful in creating physical gestures while performing. This is necessary to create a versatile character

• Develop varied movements of your eyebrows, eyes, mouth, face, neck, shoulders, hands waist, legs, walk etc.

For an excellent dialog delivery:

• Develop Quality of voice: breath control, range from bass to higher octaves, diction, accent (a perfect quality of spoken Hindi and its pronunciation), speed, modulation, etc 

How to develop into a great actor by mastering acting as a fine creative art

Good acting abilities 

Basics 

3. Develop Mind

Observation

Power of imagination: 
Ability to dream, visualize and recreate, developing emotional sensibility and responsiveness, perception, human warmth, dramatic sense, the sense of conflict and how to build it, courage, ability to analyze own self psychologically and finally "Intellect" (knowledge of world, men and their different manifestations in life)

How to develop your mental energy by relieving  tension and remain relaxed in interviews, auditions, during a shoot while filming a scene on camera or on a stage

Observation ability and how it helps in acting

• Different types of people, animals, trees, nature, any other item (may be lifeless like a house, furniture etc. around you
• Ability to remain focused and note each minute detail
• Ability to concentrate on your observed thing for a considerable period without distraction

The second step under developing mind is:

4. . Exercises to develop the mind and especially the power of imagination

• Recollecting your memories from the past: incidents you remember fro your childhood onwards of great happiness, laughter, sadness, death, worst crying, your childhood house, friends, happenings with relatives and other memorable incidences
• Make a definite schedule (minimum 1 hour daily) to visit parks, railway stations, bus stops, market, zoo, museums etc. to "Observe" "Concentrate" and remain :Focused". Then, create a backstory and a new story being self as one of the characters in such created story and practice
• Write any unrelated 10 words of places, nature or anything on a paper. Close your eyes and put your finger on any word. Open your eyes, look at the word and create a story

To Get Trained Step by Step Personally 'One on One" by World's Top Acting Coach, Visit This Site For Details

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