The Differences between On-Camera and Stage Acting

by Thomas Augusto

Image Credit - photographer Roy Cox

Good acting can be very personal and subjective, especially when comparing stage performances with film and television, since these forms of art are so different. I believe every actor should be classically trained in theatre and study Shakespeare, just like musicians should be classically trained in their instruments and learn Mozart. However, learning how to act for the screen is an important tool I believe all performers should have. There is a specific type of class for that called On-Camera Acting. Many aspects make stage and screen acting so distinguished, and they are related to the audience’s senses.

First, the vision. Live acting brings more possibilities to the public. There are seats close to the stage where actors perform, in the back of the room, and sometimes all the way up at the mezzanine. Because of that, in a theatre venue, actors need more movement and physicality in their performances, so spectators from a further distance can still see the action. Theatre acting is known as more “exaggerated”, but the reason is exactly to allow the public watching from multiple locations to follow the story being told on stage. When it comes to film and television, the camera is going to choose what the audience will see.

Camera angles are important to focus on specific moments that will evoke emotions and reactions from watchers. A close-up of a sad scene, where you can see the actor’s eyes getting watery and tears coming down is a powerful image to tell a story. At the same time, seeing the frame of a couple going on opposite ways after breaking up brings the idea and shows the distance between them increasing as they walk away from one another. The camera work and creative choices are unique to film and TV, and they bring unique reactions from the public. That is why, from such a close distance, the acting needs to be so natural and subtle, more conversational, and sometimes with less movement, especially for a close-up.

Another difference is the voice projection. Theatre actors project a lot more because live performances must affect all the audience, from the closer to the further ones, even though the experiences from different seats are unique. For film and television, there is no need to project like in theatre. The actors will be with their microphones, or the boom operator will be there to capture the sound of the scenes. Scenes with more intimacy, like two lovers talking to one another on their bed, don’t need a lot of talking. In a scenario like this, in real life, there is no need to project like in theatre, where we would see the couple from a distance. On camera, the audience is inside the bedroom with that couple, listening to their most intimate thoughts.

The audience’s proximity to the actors and the relationship between them determines a lot of the differences between stage and screen acting. At a theatre venue there is more distance between the performers and the spectators. The actors’ facial expressions and nuances cannot be completely seen during a play. On screen, acting is different because the actors are inside our houses, in a much more intimate environment, and we can focus on each individual performance, especially with close-ups of each one of the actors. Live and screen acting are amazing and unique forms of art in their own ways. Performers should be ready to work on both, which is why taking theatre and On-Camera classes is so important. By doing that, actors are prepared to accept and do any work that comes their way. 

Follow Thomas Augusto at: https://linktr.ee/thomasaugusto