Albert Einstein had a point when he said, “If I had an hour to solve a problem I’d spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem and five minutes thinking about solutions.” The point being that being aware of the problem will help you solve it.
When you decided to become an actor, did you realize you would run into several problems? Hmm, let’s see: memorizing lines, taking direction without resisting the Director, working with actors who show up late and who are in a daze… I’m sure you can exhaust yourself thinking about different problems you’ve run into on and off set.
The Three Critical Steps to Problem Solving
Preparation – The state of being ready to act when the need arises
There are many preparations needed to fulfill your job as an actor. Notably, you should prepare yourself emotionally, physically and mentally. Acting is a very demanding career so being ready to do your job is key.
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Waking up at 3am to be in hair and make-up by 5am. Or on the flip side, working through the night. Getting rest and eating the proper nutritional food will help you prepare for your long hours.
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Memorizing your lines to the point where you can recite them forward, backwards and in your sleep is a difficult task. What could be worse, in that moment, than playing against someone who doesn’t know their lines?
Actually Being on Set or Stage – Doing the act itself
Since you’re fully prepared, you’re ready to shine. You’re doing what you dreamed of doing. What could possibly go wrong? So many things, right? But because you’re prepared, you’re able to assess and solve the problem before it becomes a monster.
Your scene partner is late. No problem, because you know your lines and their lines! It’s quite likely that someone will step in during rehearsal and read from the script. You, having memorized the lines, will be able to properly do your job as a professional because you won’t be thrown off from someone else reading.- You’re doing your stunts, you’re moving to the proper X’s for the best angles, you’re taking direction. All of this, plus more, without having to worry about your lines, since you prepared earlier.
Recapping Your Return – Gathering your thoughts
This is one of the most forgotten steps when solving a problem. Very often we’re so happy that we overcame the problem and taped a great show, we forget to reflect on what we had to do to get to this stage. Also, you can learn from the problem at hand to help with future issues. You can also share your insight with others when the same problem arises again. Your wisdom can go a long way.
Recognition
Once you’ve mastered the above three steps for solving problems, you’ll be able to smoothly overcome obstacles at a faster pace, therefore making your day more productive and less stressful. You can also use these steps to help you through challenges that pertain to every day life. You’ll grow as a person.
ACTORS — What are some of the problems you’ve encountered while working and how did you solve them? Leave a comment for us on Twitter!
