Customer Reviews

Acting for the Camera: Revised Edition

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The first two sections of the book alone increased my abilities in front of the camera 100%. It became that I would read it over each week on my way to acting class. Tony Barr examines all areas of acting, tools, preparation, working on set and putting what you have learned into practice. It is to the point, intelligent and easy to read. It is a book to be studied, underlined and reread. I really feel it is a must for anyone wanting to act in front of a camera, regardless of your talent level.

Well, got a camcorder? I'm not being funny. The Eric Kline exercises at the end of the book will teach you things, with the aid of a camcorder that no amount of talking or reading can. But first, read the book.

Economy is its keyword. Tony Barr gleans, from years of teaching since he founded The Film Actors Workshop in 1960, the most effective and easiest techniques for both the novice and the pro to truthfully "communicate ideas and emotions" through the camera.

Correctly relegating exercises to exercises rather than as a response to the director's shout for "action," Barr recounts the need for listening, sensing and learning to respond to stimuli moment to moment. He divides the book into sections. The first two, "Acting" and "Working on the Role", he tells us are enough for anyone to create a strong performance. The next, "Tools," he warns are extras, only to be approached after you have mastered the first. The last part of the book gives the never-been-on-a-set-before actor everything he/she needs for that first role, the understanding of the mechanics of movie making that directors expect from actors.

Want to be in pictures? This is a must-read for you.

I obtained this book to read while taking an "Audition For Camera" class at my acting school. I'm a relative novice, but had read some books on general acting before, such as Uta Hagen's "A Challenge For The Actor," and really wanted a book that talked about specific aspects of acting in front of a camera.

This book, Tony Barr's "Acting For The Camera," is a little different from what I was initially hoping it would be, in that it basically is a book about general acting, with more than the entire first half of the book devoted to that. I remember often thinking "when are we going to get to the part about camera work?"

Mr. Barr's general thoughts on acting are actually quite good, though, which encouraged me to read through the whole of the first section, and I would say that there are many excellent insights there. It's also a relatively quick read, as opposed to Uta Hagen's book, for example, and many things are presented in ways I hadn't read in other books before.

When I finally got to the "camera" section of the book, I sort of realized that the reason he probably spent so much time with the "general acting" stuff is because ... well, the most important part of "acting for the camera" is the ACTING, not the CAMERA! Of course there are many specifics that he addresses, but all the specifics and terminology etc. aren't going to help you if you can't act.

Plus, the section on "exercises" at the end of the book was helpful to read, even though I haven't tried any of them myself yet ... they seem like well-thought out exercises to improve ones' camera work.

The groundwork and advice on acting that he gives, though, is excellent all-around and seems appropriate to apply to ANY type of acting, not just camera acting.

So, all in all, I'd say that the book would more accurately be titled "ACTING, with a special section on Acting For The Camera!" That isn't quite as marketable though, I suppose!!

Overall, this is a good purchase. I got this a while ago because of my interest in branching out in my acting. I will admit that the first few chapters were slow, and I stopped reading for a while. However, after the first 1/4 I really got into it. There are excellent tips in there on how to go from theatre acting to film acting. There were also some good ideas on acting in general--from reacting to stimuli during a scene or dealing with unruly directors. It also had a few addresses for unions, which is always nice to have. There were also definitions of jobs related to film and the equipment used in film. The last chapter of the book is a compilation of exercises to practice in front of a camera. These are exercises that you will need about 2 or 3 other people for, and you will either have to improvise a scene, write a scene, or find a scene to perform while doing the exercises.
This is a very good book that gives you the basics. It can be used as an introduction or as a refresher, and it is generally an enjoyable read--Tony Barr writes with humor but also gets the point across. After the first few chapters, I devoured this book. This is definitely a good book to have for reference, one that I will have around for a while...

This is, by far, the best guide I've ever read of acting for film and television as it compares to acting for the stage -- for the dollar, a Barr-gain of anything taught in acting school! A very descriptive reference manual to read again and again throughout one's acting career, it examines the correlation between theatrical and film acting, a principal that's often disregarded by many modern actors to the detriment of their skill. This book is a thorough technical manual for those never before the camera as well as for experts in the field. Victoria Ward, Artistic Director, Stage Forward

I very much agree with philosophy of this text. I think it did a good job of gathering the most important points of acting for film.

It's a short, easy, read, but I think it teaches all the right things.

I found this book to be extremely assistive to me, as an actress. Obviously, the author understands the fundamentals of acting, and illustrated them beautifully in this book. I recommend it to anyone who wants to learn how to act.

I thought this book was very valuable.
It had really great tips. If your into proactive books that give you hands on advivce you should also check out Twelve Step Plan To Becoming An Actor In LA. It gives not only good audition and in front of the camera tips. It teaches you how to survive emotionally and spiritually as an actor. Imperative, if your going to put yourself out there day after day.

Sylvia Lord

NYC

This book is exceptional. I've worked on stage and on film. The first time I saw myself on film, I realize I was still trying to reach the back row of the theater. The trasition to film is described so effortlessly through out this book that It has helped me revisit my own experiences. The stories, the insights and experiences roll off the page. I keep it in my back pack to refer to. To keep it fresh.

First, I would like to admit that I am not much of a reader...
With that said, I must say that once I picked up this book, I didn't put it down until the last page. Then I flipped back to the first page and read it all over again. I gained a new outlook on the whole science of acting within the first few chapters and the exercises were marvelous!
Mr. Barr did an amazing job of helping me to understand the necessary techniques to be an effective actor. I would definetely recommend this book for beginners trying to figure out exactly what acting is AND for anyone who may need a refresher.