Acting in Film: An Actor's Take on Movie Making

If you need sound advice, this is the place to go. Veteran actor Michael Caine illustrates his principles with amusing anecdotes. Even if you're not interested in film acting, this is a delightful read filled with interesting tidbits about stars like Stallone ... who apparently cared more about writing the screenplay to his Rocky sequels than acting. My only quibble is I wish it were twice as long.

In one night I read this book wanting to put myself in the shoes of Michael Caine and seeing his perspective on movie making. Many times I have sat with other actors and filmmakers to gain an insight and to know their passion as a thespian. Michael Caine is a talented individual and what an experience it must have been for the people who had a chance to be part of this two-day class which was transcribed in this book. Thank you Michael Caine and Maria Aitken for releasing this book.If you are a passionate, disciplined actor who would like to learn several pointers from this professional, buy this book. Look at this as an inexpensive tool to improve yourself as a thespian. Wonderful reading! Highly recommended!

If you like movies, this book is a great read. If you're interested in acting in movies, it's an essential read. If you're interested in moviemaking (behind the camera), it's still an essential read: buy extra copies to pass around on the set, especially if you're a struggling filmmaker and you have a cast of friends who've never acted before.As a teacher, Caine is as straightforward as he is as an actor. You watch his performances and you're seeing an actor who understands that less is more. You read this book and you're listening to an instructor who understands the same thing. Every anecdote he tells about films he's been in and stars he's worked with is not just namedropping, it's ALWAYS relevant to whatever helpful point he's making about the craft of film acting. And to him it is very much a craft, not an art. The art takes care of itself; it happens mysteriously, but it can only happen if you nail the craft first. No arty-flighty book about acting theory or the Method, this is a working-class, meat-and-potatoes manual that anyone can relate to, much like its author.

Michael Caine delivers a direct and useful how-to book for aspiring film actors. He doesn't delve into the psychological underpinnings of acting-there are hundreds of books that already do that. He assumes that you've taken classes, appeared in plays, and understand the artistic aspects of creating a character. He also understands the psychological leap required for the actor to learn how to deal with the camera, and the complex interrelationship between actor, director, and crew. For the performer about to step onto a soundstage for the first time, this volume is a must. The book could have been subtitled, "Film Acting: the First Hundred Mistakes and How To Avoid Them."

Often when studying acting, you get tied up with all the aesthetics. And when you take your grasp at acting, you're lost. You focus on the aesthetics, but when you TRY TO ACT it's a different story. Thank God for this book! Filled with practical suggestions that help A LOT. It tells you what to do and how to do it without confusing you. For instance, Caine writes about how powerful the expressionless face is. I remember when I rehearsed for a monologue written by David Mamet, I video taped myself doing it with an expressional face and without it. Surely enough, the latter was better. Thanks Michael Caine, you're a great help!