Acting in Film: An Actor's Take on Moviemaking (The Applause Acting Series)

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If the leading actor is talented and has great presence, if he can immerse himself into the skin of the character and use his unique acting skills and methods to engage you, you will believe in the character he plays. Caine describes the vast differences between theatre acting and film acting, and the importance of the close-up camera. So naturally there is bound to be a mixture of chatty personal anecdotes and old Hollywood rubrics hashed together --yet the proportion of all this is not greater in comparison to a very useful litany of concrete, technical, 'insider tips' for actors. Caine talks about being given the part for Zulu stating that the director's wanted a posh actor, someone that spoke very upper class for the role. Professionalism and personal advice is covered, as well as more technical advice in acting before the camera, and the differences between acting on stage and acting on camera.

This book also shows you how acting worked in the 1960's,1970's and beyond, the differences in the way that staff behind the scenes worked, even gender differences and technical advances which changed the way actors worked in the film world. This is definitely invaluable material for anyone who wants to go into film (and in some ways theatre) from all aspects or anyone who’s every wanted a detailed idea of what a makes a film actor a professional.It’s a strange situation, but in film a person is a person, not an actor; and yet you need an actor to play the person.

Nevertheless, the spectator will still react to what is on the screen emotionally, though, for films like this, it is less of an escape from reality, more a learning experience. Sir Michael Caine, CBE was born Maurice Joseph Micklewaite near Elephant and Castle in South London. So many things kept in the dark brought to light I never thought about in film acting and Caine’s stories, analogies, etc. Five stars for Gary at Quantum Leap for solving my compatibility issue and teaching me a new trick with my player.Acting students attending auditions now might face a completely different landscape when it comes to auditions and getting parts. He is a major Hollywood film star and two-time Academy Award winner with a career spanning over sixty years. Caine dismisses the idea of the 'movie star' and instead talks about the techniques and art of acting. Please, if you are thinking about starting an acting career or are simply looking for a book to expand your knowledge about the business, then DO consider adding this one to your list.

Caine teaches you how to properly prepare for a shoot, focus on your performance and not others', how to act on and off set, becoming another character, how to deal with directors, and how to invent yourself as an actor.The film may ignite a strong emotional response, you may even lose yourself in the story and feel the turmoil, the thrills and the fear of a character, much more than even a book, as it’s a visual and auditory soundscape. Four stars for the DVD because it does feel dated and just suddenly ends with a very 80s video advert for other films in the series.

All this plus an awareness of breath, relaxation, and human psychology will help turn a stumbling film and television actor in a great one. Concise and clear writing, this is a relatively short read expounding on Michael Caine's experiences with acting on film v. I was hoping for more insight on techniques in front of the camera - similar to Michael Caine's great acting masterclass from 1987 (I believe), which can be found on YouTube. Again, "Acting In Film: An Actor's Take On Movie Making" felt more like an extended pamphlet rather than an actual book, yet Michael Caine's advice to the actor, however brief it may be, holds enough merit to make the tome not a complete waste of time.This book is particularly helpful to actors who are crossing over from theater acting to film acting. An instalment of the six-part BBC Acting series, this drama masterclass led by Michael Caine looks at the art of acting for the big screen. Then word spread that I was quite amenable, so I became “that easy-to-work-with working-class actor who wears glasses and smokes a cigar.