You may think it’s quite obvious. If I can’t get to the audition, they can’t accept me, and if they can’t hear my voice they won’t know what I’m saying, right? Well, yes, but there is much more to it than that. HND acting and performance is about far more than turning up, mumbling a few lines and hoping for the best.
Although you feel incredibly passionate about acting - it runs through your veins; you live it and breathe it; you feel you might die if you don’t get onto your chosen acting course - no one is going to know this unless you can express it with your every word and movement.
Let’s look at movement first of all.
The human body is the product of millions of years of evolution; it can achieve and express so much with big dramatic movements, or small, almost imperceptible ones. Most of us bumble through life without really unlocking our body’s true potential - but if you are looking to go to acting school you will have exciting opportunities to develop an amazing relationship with your body. The smallest, subtlest movements can change the entire tone of a piece, as can large physical expressions, so it is important to utilise your body’s potential.
Being aware of your own body and how it works is a great first step, which will be unfolded more and more when you get to acting school. Every person on the planet has their own unique mannerisms and movements, so observation is a key part of working on your own movement - and it can be really fun to observe people and decide which person’s interesting foibles you are going to take on as your own!
The voice is also an extremely powerful tool in your arsenal.
If you are looking to enrol on an HND acting and performance course, your voice and how you project it is of massive importance. Obviously, if your end goal is Broadway musicals then you will already be aware that it is your voice which is your main ally, but a good range of vocals is equally important for any type of acting (with the possible exception of mime, of course).
Most of us mere mortals don’t ever use the full potential of our voices properly, due to years of not really breathing properly, and never having to project our voices over the head of an audience. A good acting course will help you unlock the true potential of your voice, and will help you be heard - in every senses of the word.
Voice and movement training has, in some places, slipped down the levels of importance in recent years, but it really is one of the best things you can do to improve your chances of being taken seriously as an actor.
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