Acting for the Camera: Revised Edition

Features

• Cover Type: Paperback with 384 pages
• Published by: Harper Paperbacks; Rev Sub edition May 9, 1997
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0060928190
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0060928193
• Book Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.3 x 1 inches
• Weighs: 11.2 ounces

Product Review
"A first-class book for the beginner and refreshing review for any pro." -- --Los Angeles Times

"One of the most helpful, most outstanding books for actors." -- --Eva Marie SaintA

Product Description
Culled from Tony Barr's forty years' experience as a performer, director and acting teacher in Hollywood, this highly praised handbook provides readers with the practical knowledge they need when performing in front of the camera. This updated edition includes plenty of new exercises for honing on-camera skills; additional chapters on imagination and movement; and fresh material on character development, monologues, visual focus, playing comedy and working with directors. Inside tips on the studio system and acting guilds make it particularly helpful for people new to the business, and numerous anecdotes from actors such as Morgan Freeman and Anthony Hopkins and examples from current movies illustrate its many lessons. It is perfect for acting classes, workshops, all actors who work in front of the camera -- and all those who want to.



Reader Reviews
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!!