Actors often pass up improv training thinking that it’s not for them, but improv should be in the toolbox of every actor. While comic actors know that improv is necessary training for them, many dramatic actors don’t think they need it. That’s where you are wrong, and there are some compelling reasons why you need to understand the importance of improv for your acting career.
The benefits of improv are many, because it opens you up to a creative skill set that allows you to think on your feet. It gives you that additional element you need to enhance your performance. That’s why actors with improv training often have that extra edge at auditions.
Here’s how improv can help you as an actor:
Helps with Auditioning
Improv training can be integrated into auditioning, especially in cases where the audition has no dialogue. This applies across all acting genres – commercial acting, as well as theatre, film, and television.
Very often when you attend a commercial audition, you are only given a short explanation of what’s expected, and therefore have a limited time to connect. Improv training helps you understand how to approach the scene, so that you can nail the audition.
Improves acting skills
Improv training boosts your overall confidence as an actor. If you happen to forget a line you don’t need to panic, because knowing improv gives you the freedom to create changes and make the scene even better. It also helps you to listen well and communicate clearly, and improves your awareness of the other actors in the scene.
If you’d like to learn more about improv, contact Carolyne Barry Creative Ent, Los Angeles, about improv workshops. Give her a call today at (323) 654-2212, or email her at carolyne@carolynebarry.com.