ABSTRACT
Compelling acting involves constant balancing of technique and spontaneity, and it is in the realm of performance – both on stage and screen – that the dual consciousness necessary for that balance really comes into play. Dual consciousness is in many ways a very natural state for actors. Since the actors are all so contradictory as human beings, it is important to find those contradictions in the real person whom the actor is incarnating. Whether it is live theatre or television and film, fact-based dramas have burgeoned in popularity over recent years. Actors have won all sorts of accolades and awards for their real-life incarnations. The celebrity of the person can be a double-edged sword: some actors say that the more famous the subject the less need to resemble them absolutely, as the audience already feel as though they are in the presence of the icon. Camera acting is the ultimate in combining technique and art.
