Dangerous Factor #1: Point of View. Most actors think they have a strong point of view. But here’s the reality: if your family or best friends can’t do an impression of you, then your POV probably isn’t distinct enough. Why? Because imitation only works when there’s something specific to imitate, the tiny quirks, rhythms, and nuances that make you you. Those exact same nuances are what make a performance memorable. A Dangerous Actor doesn’t just get watched, they get felt. That’s the difference

Actors fear overacting, but the camera is not allergic to size, it is allergic to falseness. Laughter is a body event, not a sound effect. In the kitchen “scene” from The Bridges of Madison County, Meryl Streep lets Francesca’s laugh live in her whole body. She leans back, kicks a leg, lets breath escape in pulses. That is full commitment, not excess. From the Big Four Tool in my book, laughter is one of the states most actors half commit to. They paint a smile and push air, which reads reductiv