Why Professionals Need Actor Coaching Too
1) When you are successful who else will challenge and push you?
Just like in sport, to really grow, you need to be continually reaching. Since most people only train at the beginning of their career, they only engage in any deep practice during their early years of training. We do not get better at something just because we do it a lot, (how many times have you tied your shoelaces? Mine are constantly undone!) we get better at something when we are challenged through deep practice.
A good professional acting coach will not just have a good career history, but they will also understand a lot about skill acquisition, development and deep practice. They will set you challenges that make you reach and push you to be the best you can be.
2) When you are successful who will tell you the truth?
The more successful you are, the more ass kissing you will receive. The director, your family, the other actors will not tell you if you sucked, they have a vested interest in keeping you happy. A professional acting coach is paid to be honest with you about where you’re at and how to get to a better place.
3) When the script is weak but you need to find something in it, who will you trust to help?
Even some of the biggest movies (Olympus Has Fallen) have a very weak script. If you want to make it work for you, without sounding like you’re dropping a clanger every line, then working alongside an acting coach will really help you to bring out the most. Professional actor coaching can save you from a weak script.
4) When your career is stalling and you need to pull off a performance to get attention?
Most successful actors get more and more conservative about the choices they make over time because they do not want endanger their reputation. Eventually you end up starring in Righteous Kill. Professional actor coaching will keep your acting skills razor sharp and give you the confidence to keep pushing and reaching as you get more successful.
5) When the only training you had was 30 years ago, who will help?
Many professional actors refuse to get further coaching. It’s as if professional actors do not need to continue to get better if they are working. I’ve seen plenty of working actors deliver awful performances. It doesn’t matter when you trained, or if you didn’t train. You can pick up some new skills and start delivering the kind of performances you dream the critics write about. This is why professional actor coaching is an advantage.