You are not alone in thinking that you feel like you are faking it on your self-tape. Many new actors overdo it on screen. They strain the emotion, thrust the faces, and turn each line into a speech. The result is overacting.
I am Mitch the actor, and I will be speaking to you as a friend. No complicated acting terms. Just mere, common-sense tricks that can make TV Show actors look natural in front of the camera. This is important, should you wish the casting to take you seriously. This is even more important if producers who need actors to hire can trust you.
The Intrigue: Camera Sees Too Much
There is no difference between stage acting and on-camera acting. On stage, you need to be bigger so people at the back can experience the story. On camera, the lens is closed. It catches every small move. It can notice your eyes, your breathing, and even that you are tense.
This is why most TV Show actors appear relaxed even at the most dramatic moments. They are not doing less because they do not care. They are doing less since the camera is already witnessing everything.
My advice, as Mitch the actor, is this: when you can sense that you are performing, withdraw.
Types of overacting that you should be aware of (Be Honest)
Let’s do a quick check. You might be overacting if:
- Your eyebrows are jerking all around.
- Every line is a dramatic change of voice.
- You keep putting on additional gestures.
- You are attempting to express it rather than experience it.
- You hurry, you are afraid the scene is dull.
Such habits do not make you appear passionate. They will make you appear as if you want to prove you can act. The real TV Show actors do not prove it. They live it.
And, by the way, when one needs Actors to hire, these habits can make them pass over you.
Fix 1: Quit Acting and Start Listening
And here is the quickest way to sound natural: it is important that the other person listens.
Overacting occurs when you pay attention to your lines in most cases. You strategize the emotions in your mind. You hold back until it’s your turn to speak. That’s not real life.
Try this instead:
- Look at your scene partner and listen to them.
- Let their words affect you
- Take a break when you must, just as a human being would.
- React before you speak.
This is among the reasons for the books in TV Show actors. Their responses are those of humans, not actors.
Fix #2: Calm Your Face, Work Your Eyes
According to new actors, emotions require large facial expressions. Not true. Your eyes do the majority of the work on camera. When your face is overdoing it, it appears artificial.
One of my rudimentary tricks as Mitch the actor:
- Keep your mouth relaxed
- Keep your forehead relaxed
- Keep the feeling at the back of your eyes.
- Change can only be expressed in the moment it changes.
This is not about being blank. It’s about being controlled. In the process of dominating your face, listeners trust you more.
Fix 3: Get Your Voice Under Control, Not the Words
Overacting isn’t only facial. It’s also in the voice. People can hear the voice when it is acting. Real talk sounds simple.
Here’s what helps:
- Talk to one person, not a host of people.
- Hit not every word as though it were significant.
- Don’t rush to sound intense
- Let silence work for you
The actors of the best TV Shows can utter a line and make it happen. It is a skill that can only be acquired through practice and not talent.
Fix #4: One Choice At A Time, Not Five
Too many choices are too much overacting. Too many movements. Too many moods. Too many “moments.”
Pick one clear intention:
- What do you expect of the other party?
- Do you want to convince them, hide something, or find consolation?
- How can one prove that it is the easiest?
When you have a clear mind about your decisions, your performance seems clean. Your acting is loud when your choices are sloppy.
And when a client is seeking Actors to be hired, clean acting is the thing that makes them have faith in you.
What You Find Arriving When You Work With Mitch
When you hire Mitch the Actor in Hollywood, you are not using someone who reads from the paper. You are getting a guy who knows how to create a believable performance in a flash.
The following are the skills that I would bring to a project:
Character Development
- My characters are not arbitrary, but they are real and consistent.
Script Interpretation
- I divide scenes into basic objectives and feelings to make the performance logical.
Voice and Movement Control
- My voice is steady, and my movements are not accidental, which allows the camera to read the story clearly.
On-Camera Awareness
- I know framing, pacing, and stillness. Most TV Show actors are enhanced immediately after learning this.
That is why actors hired by producers tend to select those who can deliver clean takes quickly. But here is one more thing that any New Year or any reference won’t fix your acting career, your habits will. My weekly system (train, tape, get feedback, network) builds real on-camera skill through honest diagnosis and consistent reps.
Add This to Your Schedule This Week
In case you feel like having a quick routine, then:
- Record a 30-second scene
- Watch it without sound (check your body and face)
- Watch it without voice (check your voice)
- Record again, but do 20% less
- Retain the one that appears more realistic.
That is the way TV Show actors prepare. Simple reps.
Conclusion: Natural Beats Loud Every Time
If you want to quit overacting, do not make a big deal of it. Chase “real.” Be a better listener, a less talker, and make choices. That is the manner in which you appear credible. That is how you end up being the type of actor whom directors put their trust in.
And when they go out to hire Actors, they do not want any additional drama. They also desire someone capable of providing good, natural acting on camera.
That is what I do as Mitch the actor.
“To shine in front of the camera, you need to quit working on how to make an impression but work on making a real one.”