The Art of Film Acting

Preface

Film acting, like all art, is a form of communication, a relationship with another human being on an emotional level. Vincent van Gogh’s art is an inspiration because he put the most meaningful of ingredients into his paintings—himself. Just as great artists define themselves by their art, so do brilliant film actors communicate through their quality, which is personality combined with talent.

Acting is probably the most competitive business in the world because, for one thing, everyone thinks they can act. If you want to paint, sculpt, or compose music, everyone accepts the necessity for talent and training. No one in their right mind would think of being a professional concert pianist without having started practice at age four or five. ...