Actress Responsibilities

While watching a Broadway play or a motion picture, you might assume that the actress responsibilities are to perform acts and entertain the audiences. Well, in a way it is, but to limit the responsibilities of an actress here would be an injustice to this profession that is not just rewarding but challenging to the core.

Actresses work in a variety of mediums such as films, theater plays, and television programs. They may also host awards function or other events. Across the different mediums, an actress is expected to look and perform her best in order to deliver a long lasting performance that the audiences would cherish to watch more than just once.

Actresses are not born overnight. Acting is a profession where the artists have to portray a fictional or real life character through gestures, dialogues, expressions and other physical movements. It involves a lot of hard work and practice because it is practically impossible to act totally different from what you are in personal life. An actress has to indulge herself in endless research and rehearsal to get into the character before performing it in front of the camera or on stage.

Actresses' responsibilities may vary slightly depending on what medium they choose to work for. It may also happen that an actress may work for all the mediums simultaneously; however it will occur in her life only when she can prove her versatility in a couple of projects and is acclaimed by a large number of people.

We have elaborated on the most common actress responsibilities that will enlighten your vision and help you to prepare for this profession.

• Read scripts: An actress, whether established or newcomer may be offered a lot of scripts by producers and directors. She has to read and decide whether the script suits her choice of work and also whether it will be accepted by the audiences. She has to understand the character offered to her. In case there is a real life character, then the actress must research about the history and background of that character so that it becomes easy for her to portray the character onscreen or on stage.

• Rehearse and improve performance: An actress has to participate in the rehearsals so that she can easily get into the character. This is the stage when an actress can improve her performance and may also suggest any changes in a particular sequence. Sometimes, an actress is also required to loose or gain weight in order to get closer to the physical appearance of a character.

• Assist costars: An actress has to coordinate with her costars and also help them if they are not able to perform a particular sequence or deliver a dialogue. An actress is also expected to act friendly with her costars to make them comfortable. It will help the costars to deliver a better performance that ultimately adds to the visual and aesthetic appeal of a film.

• Follow schedule: An actress must compulsorily follow the shoot schedule to avoid any inconvenience and financial losses. She must contribute her best efforts in order to complete the shoot on schedule, even if it means working for irregular hours.

• Participate in promotional activities: An actress is expected to be present at all events of film promotion in order to connect with the audiences.

• Lend voice for audiovisual production: An actress may also narrate stories, events or chapters in animated films, e-books and for radio advertisements or other media productions.

Apart from the work responsibilities, actresses are expected to be responsible in real life too, as fans try to follow the footsteps of their favorite artists. Actresses also associate with nonprofit organizations and participate in events aimed for the betterment of society.

Skills of an Actress

An actress needs to be highly creative and versatile in order to deliver long remembered performances. She should be able to work for hours at a stretch. During the initial stage, you may have to face rejection and do cameos rather than playing a substantial character. You need to be highly patient in order to face these situations so that you can create a portfolio.

Becoming an Actress

You can opt for a Bachelor's or Master's Degree in Fine Arts with acting as a specialization. Prior experience of acting in college and community plays will be helpful.

Career Scope for Actress

Actresses can enjoy a bright future as the demand for talented actresses has been rising, thanks to the boom in the entertainment industry. Pay scale for an actress varies according to the medium you opt for and also on the budget of a production.