With acting classes, headshots, books, wardrobe, and more, it can feel like it always cost money to improve your skills. But practicing your craft does not have to be expensive. Here are a few ideas of how you can improve your acting skills without touching your wallet!
1. Tape yourself every day
Just like with any skill, practice is key. A soccer player trains every day, a musician practices every day, and a ballerina dances every day. Similarly, an actor has to practice every day too! Make sure that there is a camera recording you when you practice. Getting used to its presence will make it less intimidating on sets. Watch all your recordings to see what you need to improve.
2. Practice stand-up comedy
To be good at acting, you need to get out of your comfort zone. Stand-up is a very creative craft. You get to focus on who you are and write according to your strengths. You also go over your piece over and over again. There are open-mics all over the city where you can practice performing in front of a crowd for free! It is an amazing way to practice, become more confident, and gain exposure at the same time.
3. Organize a support group and meet weekly
Practice with others like you! Handpick other actors whose strengths you can learn from. Communicate your fears and joys with each other, read scripts aloud, practice improv, record each others work, and watch shows online.
4. Watch TV shows and YouTube videos
Stay up to date with the style of different TV shows and watch YouTube videos of actors that you aspire to be like. Analyze what it is that made you choose them. This will prepare you for auditions as you will understand what is expected of you.
MAX Agency is a successful Toronto acting agency representing men, women, and children. MAX Agency is involved in providing actors, models, and entertainers for the film, television, fashion, and advertising industries.
Sofia is a talent who was discovered by MAX Agency while she was at the mall and she has now been with the agency for 4 years! Born and raised in Toronto, she is a true city girl who loves all the excitement that it offers.
Modeling and acting is for her, a way to be creative and try new things. Sofia loves to sing and dance. She is currently taking ballet!
Shes an avid reader and devours novels in a few days – shes currently reading the Harry Potter series. She loves science and hopes to work in conservation when she grows up.
Sofia was selected for a kids toys photoshoot a few years ago, where she enjoyed the experience of being on set. She knows that there are a lot of talented people out there, so the advice that she shared with us is to try your best and not get discouraged.
MAX Agency is a successful Toronto acting agency representing men, women, and children. MAX Agency is involved in providing actors, models, and entertainers for the film, television, fashion, and advertising industries.
Do you dream of acting and modeling? Does your child have a natural talent in front of the camera? Apply now to be discovered!
For more daily content, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter! Never miss a moment with MAX Agency!
Max talent, Olivia O., has an impressive resume! As an ice skater and an ice dancer, she has participated in several championships. She is the Guinness World record holder for the fastest spin on ice skates and a Polish National Ice Dance Champion.
She spoke to us about her journey, her passion for ice dancing, her charity work, and her future goals.
Max: Tell us a bit about you and your background.
Olivia: I am18 years old. I was born in Warsaw, Poland and I came to Canada with my parents when I was 3 and we lived in Halifax, Nova Scotia. I didn’t speak any English when I arrived, but I now speak 3 languages.
Max:Your resume is impressive. How did you start this journey?
Olivia: When I was 5, my mom took me to the ice rink. She said that as we live in Canada, I have to learn to ice skate! I remember my first time on ice. I must have fallen 100 times but I kept getting back up until I could stand on my own. As soon as I could skate properly, I wanted to be a figure skater because you didn’t have to wear a helmet!
Max:You hold the world record for the fastest spinner on ice! How did this happen?
Olivia: I was on the ice every day and eventually started to do well. I had always loved spinning and my coach could see how fast I was. So we checked with Guinness World Records to see what the record for the fastest spinner on ice was and we thought I could beat it.
I practiced for nearly 2 years and in 2015, when I was 11 years old, I went to the National Stadium in Warsaw and broke the world record. My spin was digitally timed at 342 rpm which is 34 rpm faster than the previous record held by a Russian skater. There were thousands of people there and live TV. The event raised a lot of money to help make wishes come true for sick kids in Poland. My record still stands today.
COURCHEVEL, FRANCE – AUGUST 27: Olivia Oliver and Joshua Andari of Poland compete in the Junior Ice Dance Rhythm Dance during the ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating at Patinoire du Forum on August 27, 2021 in Courchevel, France. (Photo by Joosep Martinson – International Skating Union/International Skating Union via Getty Images)
Max: Tell us about your accomplishments
Olivia: I continued to progress with my skating and I won both the Juvenile Provincial and Atlantic Canada Championships. But I knew that what I really wanted was to become an ice dancer.
So, with my parents support, we moved to Barrie, Ontario, so that I could train full time at the Mariposa School of Skating. Within a year, I found an ice dance partner from Moscow, Russia, who came over to train with me and together we competed internationally. We qualified for the World Junior Championships.
To develop as an ice dancer I knew that I needed to work hard as a junior skater for the next three seasons and so I switched partners – and it paid off. We are the current Polish National Junior Ice Dance Champions, ranked #1 in Poland and we represent the country on the International circuit.
Max:You also volunteer for the youth community and sick kids. Tell me about that.
Olivia: Since my world record, I have always combined my love of skating with my passion for helping less-fortunate children. I have personally granted the wishes of 30 sick kids in Poland and through my cause “Skating for Young Heroes” I have helped organize and participate in major galas & virtual events for over 1000 children suffering from terminal illnesses or life-limiting conditions. I was recently appointed International Youth Ambassador of Wishsurfing.pl, which in its first 12 months has granted the wishes of 240 sick kids.
Max: Among all your accomplishments, which are you most proud of?
Olivia: I am proud of my skating achievements and charity work. I have been recognized in the House of Commons and I am listed in the Polish Consul’s list of “Notable Polish Canadians”, but I am most proud of my world record. I didn’t realize it at the time, but this gave me the media platform and recognition to be able to do everything I have achieved.
Max: You must spend a lot of time training and traveling. Yet, you are successful at school too. How do you balance everything?
Olivia: I have just graduated from Innisdale High School, Barrie, with a 90.5% average. Thanks to the school’s co-op program with Mariposa School of Skating I was able to schedule my studies to accommodate my training and travelling. Without this program it would not have been possible.
Max: What are your goals for the future?
Olivia: I have one year left on the junior circuit and I hope to reach next year’s World Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria. After that, my goal is to continue to improve and do well on the senior European and World circuits, hopefully representing Poland at the Olympic Games in the future. I will continue with my further education online and I will be expanding my charity work through a new platform which I will be launching later this year, “Start_2_Liv”. Using the life-lessons I have gained, this will be a dedicated site to help teenage girls, with daily posts & weekly podcasts on: diet & healthy eating; the importance of exercise; body wellness & mind techniques; confidence, leadership skills & giving back.
Max: All of what you do requires dedication and hard work. Do you have any tricks/tips to stay motivated and push yourself?
Olivia: When I was a younger teen I also suffered greatly from stress, anguish, torment, bullying and injury. I was so lucky to find my passion in life and the support I needed to help guide me through. I have had many coaches in my career but the most valuable has been my mental trainer. Without this I’m not sure I would have made it.
So my advice to all young people is to find a passion and a cause, no matter what it is, and make it the most important thing in your life.
Oliva O. and her dance partner representing Poland in the Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating in Courchevel, France.
Max: How do you connect your background with acting/modeling?
Olivia: As an ice dancer, I am acting, performing and dancing all at once. The difference is that I am doing this at high speed on blades just 1mm wide, with zero margin of error. As a high performance skater I am in front of a live audience and on TV and I have to conduct many media interviews which gives me the confidence and posture to act and/or model. Joining Max Agency seemed like a natural step in my career and Max’s acting classes have also really helped me with my performance on ice.
Max: What is your dream role?
Olivia: My dream role is to be cast in a television show/movie or be the face of a major international sports brand.
Max Agency is a successful Model and Talent Management agency in Toronto representing men, women, and children in providing models, actors, and entertainers for the film, television, fashion, and advertising industries.
