Stillness.

You have to learn how to be still on camera. 

Observe how you’re still in life. 

Often, while acting your moving because you’re resetting or dropping out. It’s you, the actor, and not the character who’s moving - a movement of self-consciousness. 

Observe when you’re doing that.

Movement can be distracting. It can dissipate your energy. When you listen you’re usually still. Half of screen time is the reverse—where the other actor is listening. 

The listening actor is us, the audience, listening. She’s looking at the speaking actor, listening and so are we.

The young football (soccer) player can run at great speed. He can go. But to become excellent he must learn to stop. Once he’s stopped then he can start again. 

The lion as it waits for its prey is stock still yet alert mentally, breathing fully and calm. That belly going in and out seems contradictory to not moving.

Take that image back to your acting. 

Stillness doesn’t mean locked. The lion is still yet breathing fully and its brain alert. 

Find your stillness by being on your breath and having space in your mind and if your physiology needs movement there’s the useful tic or twitch.

Watch you don’t succumb to that actor’s voice ‘I should be doing more.’ and start movements to try and be interesting or good. If you’re in the situation, in the space, time moving forward, plot moving forward – that’s enough.

You’ve power to release and stillness is a state to do that from.