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| Karan Johar-"Great film producers love actors who impress them instantly"! |
How To Become A Successful Actor In 5 Minutes With 9 Punches
“I’ve never told in my school"~ Marlon Brando ( Hollywood Legend)
As for communication is concerned, we’re taught the basics of communication early in the classroom. To be able to read, write, and speak effectively, we had to learn vocabulary, grammar, spelling, handwriting, and pronunciation.
Today, especially in cine industry, how to deal and talk goes much further than school education of the written or spoken word. The purpose of communication is to build and grow connections with others at better than just contacting and talking. It is at an emotional level.
Therefore if you want to build up contacts with casting director, coordinators, producers, directors, TV channels and film production houses, the earlier you master communication skills, the better for you.
So, are you really serious to fulfill your dreams of becoming a successful actor, better read and practice the cheat-sheet to the 9 essential communication skills your school and parents missed:
1. Showing warmth | sympathy
People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.
Empathy makes us human. You connect with others much better when you show understanding, appreciation, sympathy, and compassion in your communication.
How-to do it:
Be present with the person and feel what he feels. When someone opens up with his problems, see it from his point of view. Suspend your own judgment of what’s right or wrong. Listen to his emotions. Reflect back his susceptibility by sharing yours. Ask questions to go deeper into his world. Give encouragement. Offer to help if possible. Show the kindness and compassion you would hope to receive from someone else when in a similar situation.
2. Resolving conflict
This is the
"how to defuse a bomb" under top communication skills. Left unchecked, conflict can leave contacts, communication, relationships constantly turbulent and painful. Avoiding conflict altogether isn’t a solution either, as you’ll often be simmering with restrained frustration and resentment. Conflict often happens as a result of poor communication. To resolve such conflict, you’d need better communication skills.
How-to do it:
Respond, but never react. When you react to a conflict situation, you allow emotions to lead your words and actions. Responding to the situation means you keep emotions in check and focus on the problem, not the person. Let the other party know your intention to work out a mutually acceptable solution. Clearly and calmly communicate what you want from the situation and listen to the other party’s views.
Understand what counts as a
‘win’? winning the argument or winning the other person over?. The two are very different.
3. Asking great questions
To be a better communicator, don’t try to be the person with all the right answers. Instead, be the one who asks all the right questions, but not one to embarrass anyone. When you ask great questions, you show that you’re eager to engage and open to exploring more into the topic. They encourage the other party to share more of his opinions, stimulate discussion, and even create new ideas. He won’t forget you in a hurry.
How-to do it:
Ask questions that could lead to interesting answers. To do that, keep your questions open-ended, that is, they cannot be answered with a simple “yes” or “no”. Let your questions come from a place of genuine curiosity. Consider how others can benefit from the answers. When you practice good listening skills, thoughtful questions will suggest themselves to you.
4. Being an intelligent and a good listener
This is the most underrated skill that can instantly make you a better communicator. Ever notice that when someone is a good talker, there is a possibility of something doubtful or untrustworthy about him? But when a person is a good listener, we see him as someone who is patient, trusted, and generous.
Why be a good listener?
When a person speaks, he believes he has something of value to share and wants to be heard. If he is not listened to, his self-esteem or ego takes a hit. By listening to him intently, you immediately build a bond by validating his importance as a person or professional.
How-to do it:
Listen to the other party like he’s the most important person in the world at that moment. Be fully engaged and present with her. Block off your all judgment of what she says or what that says about him. Keep your mind from thinking of what you’re going to say. Listen to not just her words, but also his emotions. The tone of voice, pace of speech, and shift in energy can tell you much more about her. This makes it easier for you to respond in the most appropriate way.
5. Using body language
You should know that almost 97% of all human communication is non-verbal (without words). It’s not about what you say, but the overall experience people take away from their meeting with you. The message you send out without even saying a word is the impression others have of you. As humans, we are conditioned to
"observe" people and make snap decisions if a person is a friend, foe, or lover.
How-to do it:
Work on the three basics of good body language
- Smile
- Eye contact
- The handshake
Smile at someone from the heart when you meet them. Look the person in the eye when you speak to them, or when they speak to you. Combine smiling and eye contact with a good, firm handshake. Always keep your body relaxed and posture confident. Observe the body language of others to gather important information. Is he engaged? Impatient? Defensive? You can tailor your response for a the outcome you want.
6. Perfecting your introduction
In the busy world, it is important to be concise (short)"some thi yet memorable in the begining of our communication. An introduction is a very short presentation of yourself or your proposal to someone who has no more than 30 seconds. Whether you’re presenting a slating at audition, video introductio or just calling on people, this is one communication skill that will set you apart from the competiton.
How-to do it:
Prepare and cut your thoughts in one to three sentences. It’s not always easy, but put come up with something simple and memorable. For example to a casting director, Sir, I'm a versatile and an imaginative acror. Give the other person a reason to consider you and care. Show him how you can benefit him in a way nothing else can. Then end with a clear call-to-action, this is what you want him to do after your interoduction, isn't it?
Remember, be confident. When you’re confident, they will so be too.
7. Accepting others and acknowledging what they talk
Acknowledging someone is the act of letting the person know you agree and know something great about him or her. It is different from complimenting or flattering. The difference lies in projecting your intent about the person.
How-to do it:
Look for the good in someone, and tell her how great it is. When we compliment someone, we can be indirectly flattering ourselves. For example, when you say, “I really like your script” or when a director is correcting you in a shot or rehearsals " Aaah! this is better than the way I said the lines". This way in few words and in a subtle way, you are acknowledging the person self which definitely be appreciated
8. Confidence while performing
Performance phobia for actors is one of the biggest all-time fears people have. Be audition or on camera or on a stage.
Yet with its ability to influence the audition, a scene and inspire many individuals at once, it’s one of the most powerful forms of communication.
How-to do it:
Prepare well
Think and give 4 auto-suggestions repeatedly to self
- I'm good
- I'm better
- I will do good
- I'm gonna have fun
Then focus on a single object or a person
9. Truthfulness
While there are many best practices in communication, here is one rule above all: Be True To Yourself. People will only trust you if they feel you’re a real person who stands for something worthwhile. Without trust, there can be no quality communication and connection.
How-to do it:
Keep it real. Never try to be someone you’re not. Don’t “fake it” if you haven’t made it, work on getting better until “it” becomes you. You’ll earn people’s respect that way. Be honest with your shortcomings, share inspiring personal experiences, hold yourself accountable to your words, and speak with conviction. Communicating with others will come naturally to you.
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