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User Profile: Fxye
Fxye November 17th, 2022

Recently, we have a group project for roleplay and filmmaking. My groupmate picked me as the main character of the story, because they think I got the looks but deep down inside I know to myself that I'm not really a good actor..Acting is my weakness where I need to put myself out there and be watched by many people including my classmates. My social anxiety is triggered because of it. I don't really know how to act and I'm not confident when it comes to acting in front of people. I don't really like the spotlight because I was chosen as the main character. I'm not sure if I can execute the role well and I'm afraid if I make mistakes in front of others. This makes me feel pressured and anxious. What should I do?

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User Profile: Zevia1MM
Zevia1MM November 17th, 2022

@Fxye

Well for one thing restructuring your thought process to look at the whole picture. That is, keeping these things in mind

-The bad news is you won't be able to stop feeling anxiety completely. It's a natural emotional response. The good news however, is that you can make it more bearable.

First recognize what the underlying fear is. So your nervous about making mistakes, likely because your afraid of how people will react. Why? Do you have a fear of not meeting peoples expectations? Are you afraid that if you don't perform well that you aren't going to be worth anything? Are you afraid of letting yourself down? Or letting your friends down? Then recognize your having that fear and tell yourself the opposite story.

Say you have a fear of not meeting expectations. The better narrative would be that rather you meet them or not people are still going to have expectations of you, and they are always going to see your worth by rather you meet them or not. But your worth isn't defined by what other people think, or by rather or not your good at something.

Or alternately just let go of those anxious thoughts. You don't have to battle them. Just observe them as they pass and note that your just thinking. As far as thoughts are concerned, sometimes the best way to control something is to let it go.

-If people reject your performance your not as trapped as you think. This group project is only one aspect of your life, and eventually they'll move on and new things will enter your life.

-The performance is only one moment in time. It's a blink and then it's over.

-Remember, if your performance goes wrong no one will be as upset about it as you are.

-Your probably the only one who thinks your going to fail.

-Don't pressure yourself. If you try to hard, you will end up trying to hard and tripping over yourself.

Keeping those things in mind will help.

You might find your anxiety more manageable if, during the performance, you choose an object in the room to focus on, and whenever you look at it remind yourself of the above things.

If your worried about acting I do have a small amount of advice. Your acting will be improved if you remember these crucial things

-Act like your not acting.

-Know the character your playing inside out. What drives them? How do they interact with the world around them? What is there racial ethnicity? How has that shaped them? How did they grow up and how did that shape them? What culture did they grow up in?

-Don't just pretend to be your character be your character. In other words, believe you are your character.

-Be careful that your not overacting either. Carefully study each scene and consider what emotion should be portrayed and how. Also keep in mind your characters quirks. Is your character someone whose naturally neurotic and tends to be overly emotional? Or someone whose normally stoic? Are they in an environment or situation where it's dangerous to show emotion, or one where it's safe? Considering things like that will help you avoid overacting.

I hope this helps <3