Actors do much more than step on stage or in front of a camera and emote. There’s a lot of training, research, and background skills that go into acting.
Talent like Cherie Johnson can act, write, and even deliver a keynote speech, all different skills that can be beneficial to your project.
When looking for an actor, find one with a background in writing.
But, what does it mean? We all know that writing and acting are both creative processes, that require talents and skills not many people have. We often hear people saying how those who are talented and creative can be anything covered with creative jobs.
For example, if you are watching TV shows, you will always see the lead actors directing or writing some of the episodes. Sometimes, they are even the executive producers and screenwriters for the whole show. That means they are really creative in what they do.
If someone is capable to write a show and act in it, we can say that they are doing a great job.
It’s the same with the popular writers who decide to get some TV or movie role. Many of them usually act all the time, because the creative process requires an imagination that can’t be compared to anything known to ordinary people.
But, let’s see why it’s like that, and how they can act and write, and be great in both of the things they do.
It starts on the page.
How do you think the character got there? The way they act, how they look, and their internal and external conflicts are all created by someone who first put it down in written form.
Writers put it on the page and actors bring it to life. They know the character intimately, and so would be well equipped to take that next step and make the character a reality.
So, you see the exceptional connection between them and the characters they create. Many writers are living the life of their character until they finish the book or novel. That’s raw proof of exceptional acting skills, even though they don’t really work in front of the camera, or conquer the theater scene.
They are of a creative mind.
It takes a particular type of thinking to be a part of show business, no matter what role you take on.
A writer is a creative person, as is an actor. They simply deliver their craft in different ways.
This type of thinking can help a writer embody a character and translate it to an audience.
You may think, how is acting related to the creative mind? But, do you know that many great actors come up with exceptional ideas on the sets? Many of the greatest scenes of all time aren’t even mentioned in the scenario. Many actors improvise and add some spice to what they were practicing for maybe weeks or months. And they are doing it great – just the same as writers, when they get a better idea, and rework the whole chapter if needed.
They can play the game.
Writers on set or backstage know how the entire production works because they have been an integral part of it.
They are familiar with the other people in play and the processes in place that make the project run. That’s why you often see the writers get into some of the characters, and show the actors how they should represent that particular character on the screen. It’s a pretty normal process when the job is creative enough to allow that.
Making the transition from one role to another is much easier when you have the full knowledge and background of what you’re working on.
They can sympathize with other actors.
An actor coming from a writing standpoint can be much more sympathetic to co-stars because they are seeing both sides of the coin.
They know what it feels like to be behind the camera and looking at a character. They can bring that empathy to their role and in turn use that knowledge to guide a fellow actor who may be struggling.
Do you know why? Because they have already done that many times by now. They are doing that on every set, with every actor they meet. The goal is to tell the story just how the writer has imagined it. And probably you know that no one can ever retell the story better than the writers themselves. That’s why many productions choose to work together with the writers during the whole process.
Writers are often acting without even knowing it.
Any writer will tell you that they may not only act a scene they are writing out in their head but physically.
Writers must often get up and move around, and test out facial expressions and body movements. This is to ensure that who and what they are writing is authentic.
They can go with the flow.
Someone who is skilled at writing may also have the skill it takes to ad lib in a scene, be it dialogue or otherwise.
They may be able to better grasp the direction a story is going and adhere to it to stay true to a character, even if it doesn’t exactly follow the script.
They know what it’s like to interact with roles directly responsible for an actor.
Writers are often close with directors and producers as they are the ones to provide the source material. They can carry that relationship forward while in an acting role.
Conclusion
Writers are an integral part of every movie or theater scene, and also TV shows. What we can learn from this article is that these people are often very talented in creative work. That’s why it’s so easy for them to take any role they want, and become every character that comes to their mind.
These skills can improve the overall performance of the production. Sometimes, it may even land the writer a role in the show or movie – if they want to accept that. But, what we can conclude is that it all lies in the creative process.
Neither actors nor writers can be good enough if they are not creative at all.
