Acting in Film by Michael Caine
The 20th Anniversary of An Actor's Take on Movie Making
Jul 31, 2007
Michael Caine’s book Acting in Film: An Actor’s Take on Movie Making, is broken down into nine practical lessons that every actor should read before stepping in front of the camera.
It was originally transcribed in part from a two-day class filmed in conjunction with the BBC in 1987. Acting in Film (the video) is just one of a series of master classes on acting technique. Since that time the book has been revised and expanded, but the original recording of the class is still available for sale. Twenty years later the lessons in both the book and the documentary are just as valuable today as they were when originally conceived.
Caine's experience counts
The two-time Academy Award winner covers everything that the aspiring actor may come across on his or her journey to stardom. Using the experience he has accumulated from over one hundred films, Caine begins with an overview of what it takes to make it in the business, walks you through role preparation, behavioral recommendations for on and off the set, and why professionalism is so important. There is even a section on how to position yourself as a movie star once you have established yourself in the industry.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Caine's book works because it's based on his own personal, and successful, experiences. In many cases a lesson is accompanied by a little anecdote that illuminates the subject better while providing context. “Learn your lines for the whole film before you start shooting” is one of the many pieces of advice in chapter 2 (preparation). He then explains that while on the set of Kidnapped the director asked him to shoot the last scene of the film early because of weather conditions. He managed to get through the scene but insists he could have saved himself a lot of sweat if he had just learned all of his lines in the first place.
Film basics
The Take (chapter 5), is the largest and most useful chapter. This is where you are given the real nuts and bolts of film acting. Caine talks about the three basic camera shots that are likely to be used and stresses the importance of the eyes in the close up. He champions continuity in performance without discounting spontaneity. The chapter covers the use of your voice as well as sound, lighting and movement. The no-nonsense practical advice in this chapter alone makes Acting in Film a worthwhile read.
The relevance of the lessons hasn’t diminished even though there have been tremendous technological advancements in the industry over the last twenty years. Almost all of the improvements have been behind the camera; none of them affect an actor’s performance. For example, the importance of an actor hitting his mark precisely is just the same as it was back then. If you miss your mark you will be out of focus, not lit correctly and you could even end up off camera. Caine’s simple solution of starting at the mark and walking backwards while saying your line ensures you will begin your line at the right place and end your line at the right place.
Universal appeal
The book isn’t necessarily just for actors though; a critic or the average moviegoer can gain useful insight on what an actor is trying to do in a scene. With stills from many of Michael Caine’s films including Dressed to Kill, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Death Trap and Noises Off as well as a biography and filmography, Acting in Film can be read and enjoyed by a wide variety of fans.
