Learn how to – Media Acting: New Reality With Portable Equipment

Learn how to – Media Acting: New Reality With Portable Equipment.

Acting is a form of performance art where an individual tells a story by adopting a character. Acting is, most of the time, pretending to be someone else. Art involves a broad range of skills, including a well-developed imagination, an excellent comprehension of other people’s behaviours, the ability to express oneself sufficiently, and clarity of speech. As technology continues to evolve, so does the equipment used in media and entertainment production. Thanks to digital media advances, anyone with a smartphone can create broadcast-worthy content.

What Is Media Acting?

Media acting is simply acting for the camera and other electronic media. Students would have to undergo a series of training that, if done right, will mould them into individuals who can reenact any character to the best of their abilities to learn acting for the media. They would also be able to convey emotions without necessarily speaking. 

Types of Acting

There are various types of acting, each with its own set of strengths and weaknesses. Here is a brief overview of some of the most popular types of acting.

Method Acting

Method acting requires the actor to fully immerse themselves in character by using personal experiences to connect with the character to be portrayed. In scenarios where an actor is unable to connect real-life experiences with the character, method acting requires them to live as the character for a few weeks or months before the shooting begins. For example: If an actor is to portray the character of a gambler, they will do things like go to some gambling areas with casino min deposit 3. Actors who undergo this can express their character in the rawest and most natural form.

Classical Acting

This form of acting was made in the 1800s due to the efforts of Konstantin Stanislavski and Michael Saint-Denis. This acting style sees a broad approach, and actors and actresses that use this style must undergo extensive study of the character to be portrayed, find or create connections between themselves and the character and interpret it by making exaggerated expressions to create engaging performances.

Classical acting was the norm before the advent of film, it was mainly used for on-stage performances, and the exaggerations were made and drawn out to ensure that everyone in the audience could fully understand the story they were trying to portray on stage. However, media acting applies a more natural approach to acting, mainly since actors and actresses do not need to make over-the-top gestures to be understood.

Modern Acting

On taking a closer look at classical acting, Stanislavski realised that it looked good on stage but on screen, the actors and actresses seemed like they were trying a bit too hard, and it also seemed over the top. To create an acting system that seemed more natural, he opted for a mixture of both classical acting and improvisational techniques to allow the actors fully understand the depth of the character to be portrayed and to interpret and play them in the most natural way possible. The system required actors to ask the following questions in a bid to understand the character:

• Who am I?
• Where am I?
• When is it?
• What do I want?
• Why do I want it?
• How do I get it?
• What do I need to overcome?

Equipment Used in Media Acting

There are a few pieces of equipment that media actors commonly use. This includes things like microphones, cameras, and even lights. Each piece of equipment has its purpose and can be vital to the success of media performance.

Video Camera 

No media act without cameras, as they are necessary to capture and record every moment while on set. The type of camera used is highly dependent on the budget and the shooting to be done. Before you purchase a camera, it is ideal that you read reviews on the cameras available in your budget range and look out for specs that meet your shooting needs. Additionally, if you cannot purchase a camera that meets your needs, you could opt for renting one.

Camera Light

This is usually attached to the camera, and it’s great if you cannot afford a complete lighting kit. Great lighting can make all the difference between grainy, dull recordings and sharp, clear recordings. The lighting might cost extra, but it is a must-have, mainly when shooting in locations devoid of sufficient lighting.

Tripod

A tripod is another essential tool as it stands for the video camera and makes for very steady and professional footage. A tripod can be especially useful in low-light situations or when you want to capture a long exposure. Many cameras have built-in image stabilisation (IS), but a tripod will always give you the best results.

Handling a tripod is pretty easy, but if you are not confident, you could always watch some tutorials and learn how to use them properly.

Microphone

A good microphone is very important in shooting, and it is an excellent long-term investment, mainly if it is a good one. Video cameras come with in-built recorders, but it’s recommended that you have a separate microphone as this makes a much bigger difference.

Computers

Computers are increasingly being used to create and edit films and television shows. This is because computers can help filmmakers achieve special effects that would be too expensive or time-consuming to create using traditional methods. For example, a computer can generate a realistic three-dimensional environment that would be impractical to film in the real world.

Computers can also be used to create animated characters that would be too difficult or expensive to film using live actors. For example, the famous movie “Shrek” features an animated character created using computer graphics.

Media Acting and Portable Equipment

The difficulty in transporting and using heavy-duty equipment or media acting is not lost on anyone. It is tiring and quite stressful. Thankfully, rapidly changing technology has paved the way for creating smaller equipment that is just as efficient as the larger ones. But, of course, not all equipment for media acting can be made into smaller versions.

Overall, portable equipment is something that can really help media actors to succeed in their careers. It gives them the ability to connect with their fans on a more personal level, and it also gives them the opportunity to work in a variety of different environments. 

Teaching Media Acting

Teaching media acting can be overwhelming with technical difficulties, especially in using equipment properly. Not many students can handle the media equipment properly, which results in friction during the teaching process. To combat this, a separate session should be held to educate students on the use of equipment. 

Is Voice Acting Considered a Part of Media Acting?

The answer is “yes”. Voice acting is an integral part of media acting. Although voice acting might not be the same as acting, which requires actors to express their feelings and emotions through voice, facial expressions and gestures, voice acting is still an essential part of acting. It requires the actors to convey so many emotions with only their voices.

Conclusion

Before venturing into any acting project, ensure you have checked all your boxes. Are your actors up to par? Do they understand the character to be portrayed? Is all the equipment working fine? Questions like these will test your readiness for the project at hand; always remember to take a break if things get too overwhelming for you.