ON ACTING: Film Acting; The Good News and the Bad News

To stage actors who also want to act before the camera, there is good news and bad news. The good news is that whatever truth the actor creates, whatever the size or subtlety of performance, the camera and microphone can and will pick it up and enhance it. No need to worry about projection. The bad news is: all false acting will be picked up also. “The camera never lies." (Which means the actor better not lie; give a false, fake, unreal performance or it will be discovered). Film is rigorously revealing. Stage actors should remember: you may get away with lying on stage, but in film tell the truth. The audience is right in your face. (I lie better on the phone--at a distance--than I do in person.)