Barbara A. Somervill - Actor

21ST CENTURY CONTENT

In the past 10 years, the popularity of video games has opened up new opportunities for actors. Many modern games include complex stories with many characters. Actors are called on to do voice-over work for the characters. It may take an actor less than an hour to read all the lines a character might say throughout a game, or it may take several days. Some actors create unique voices for several different characters. It is interesting work, and it pays well. It can also lead to more work if a new version of the game is made.

Gero pays attention to his makeup and costume. He runs through his lines in his head. He must become Scrooge. On stage, its all you, he says. The performance depends on you, and there are no second takes. Even though he has played Scrooge many times, Gero puts special care into every performance. He knows that people in todays audience may be seeing A Christmas Carol for the first time. They deserve his best work.

Kate Kiley adjusts her headphones and gets ready to begin recording. She is a professional actor who reads books for the Library of Congresss National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. Even though shes not onstage, she is still acting. When you read a book for the blind, your voice has to communicate everything. You have to create different roles, personalities, and emotions just with your voice, says Kiley. On one page, I might have to play a grandmother, a father, and a child. The people who listen to these books need to see the story through my reading.

Recording audiobooks is not easy. You learn as you go, Kiley explains. You do your homework, learn how to pronounce specific words or names, and you rehearse on your own. You cant waste recording time with rereads of the same material. Kiley reads both adult and childrens books. She enjoys the challenge and variety of her job.

Hank Stone is on his way to a night shoot near Tampa, Florida. Stone teaches speech and theater at Seminole State College of Florida and schedules movie roles in between his teaching duties. After driving nearly 2 hours, he gets to the location in time for makeup, costuming, and instructions from the director. The shoot runs all night, and Stone heads back to school in the early hours of the morning.

He teaches his morning classes and heads home for a nap. By 6:00 p.m., hell be on the road back to the shoots location. Stone believes the long travel times and lack of sleep are worth the reward. Everything is about a brilliant performance, he says. You must really have the spirit of creative energy and enthusiasm, or you wont go far in acting.

LIFE & CAREER SKILLS

Many people continue their education even after they have become successful at their jobs. Actors are no different. Even experienced actors go back to school. Many actors take master classes in stage fighting, movement, voice, and other important skills. These classes are not usually open to the public. Actors may have to audition for a place in a class, and serious actors always do their homework.

CHAPTER TWO

LEARNING TO PERFORM

The best place to start an acting career is in school. Become involved with your schools drama program. Audition for every play. If you dont get a role, work backstage painting sets or doing lighting. Every production depends on teamwork, and every production you work on increases your knowledge of acting.

Working backstage helps actors learn their craft. When I was in high school, I played an assortment of roles in plays and musicals, but I also worked backstage and observed everything, says Kiley. How did that actor move across the stage, engage the audience? Every play was a chance to learn something new.