Differences Between Film and Stage Acting

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Differences Between Film and Stage Acting Whether it be a grand theatre filled with equally as grand of an audience, or a movie theater filled with eager fans, one thing is undeniably common about both audiences: they are there to see actors perform. These two audiences, however, will be seeing to very different types of acting, for performing on the stage differs from acting behind a camera. Whether it is the rehearsal schedule, the order, or the use of body and facial expressions, there is no denying that film and stage acting vary greatly. Rehearsing for an on stage production is a given, without it the show is merely improv. Weeks, months, and sometimes even years go into the acting that is to be performed live. Actors memorize their lines, prepare their actions, and learn their blocking all over a longer period of time. This is so, when performing in front of an audience in real time, what is to be done is almost instinct. It helps prevent something from going wrong and throwing off the whole show because in live theatre you can’t do retakes; there is no pausing to readjust anything. The show must go on. With screen acting, however, rehearsing (or the lack thereof) runs in a completely different way. Many times when an actor shows up for a shoot they may never have rehearsed with, or even met, the actors with whom they are going to play the scene. Because of this, film acting does not possess the same comradory as live performing does. Actors prepare their lines before arriving at the shoot where most of the critiquing and direction is given. Film actors must be able to adapt easily due to the lack of rehearsals so that they can help the director and screenwriter fulfill their visions. Secondly, the order in which film and stage acting take place is widely varied. For example, in live performance everything is in a set order. Everything happens in
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