“How do I become a better actor?” is one of the all-time classic questions we field here at StageMilk. Every one of our team members has a slightly different answer—and if I had a nickel for every time I replied “Do a warm-up!” I would be a wealthy man. However, it occurred to me on a late spring’s eve that a lot of our answers to this classic question tend to be self-centred: not in a selfish way, but in how they mostly offer advice and techniques that you’d use in isolation. Warm-ups, reading and seeing plays are all great. But they neglect one of the most useful tools for improvement actors have: other people, and what they have to say about our acting. Let’s talk about how to take constructive criticism.
Constructive criticism for actors connects critique of a performance, technique or process to an actionable recommendation for improvement. It is vital that actors learn to give and receive constructive criticism, as it is an invaluable tool for self-improvement. However, if communicated poorly, constructive criticism can be extremely hurtful and unhelpful to its recipient.
Actors who hate constructive criticism have usually had a bad experience with it. And it’s true that in the wrong hands it can be a real weapon of cruelty. So let’s break it down step by step and fold it into your process: I guarantee you’ll become a better actor for it.
What is Constructive Criticism?
Constructive criticism pairs an observation about something with a concrete suggestion on how to improve upon it. It’s not just the identification of something a person might be doing wrong, or is able to do better; it’s an offer that aims to improve that thing backed by third-party observation.
Sounds pretty reasonable when you put it that way, right? So why, you might be asking, do people get nervous around constructive criticism? A lot of people tend to focus on the “criticism” part of the concept, rather than the “constructive.” Society doesn’t exactly gear us to take criticism very well because, from the moment we start school, we’re taught about scores and marks. The higher they are, the better—and failure must be avoided.
This is complicated further when you think about how much of acting is about trying and failing and then doing better: scene studies, improv, rehearsals, doing takes on a film. And each of these, in turn, are met with constructive criticism from teachers, directors, casting directors, even your peers and colleagues.
As actors, we are taught to both fear criticism and rely upon it to get better. And that’s to say nothing of how sucky some people are at giving constructive criticism. But more on that later.
The Benefits of Constructive Criticism
Hopefully, you agree with me by now that constructive criticism is a good thing. Let’s get specific as to why it’s one of your best friends as an actor.
It’s helpful. Constructive criticism offers ideas for improvement from an outside perspective. The best kind is specific and precise, usually focusing on finer details rather than the big picture.
It’s actionable. You should be able to walk away with things you can do to make the suggested improvements. You couldn’t be heard from the back row? Great: so get thorough with your warm up, focusing on nasality and your upper resonators, and give some love to your articulators, too.
It’s positive. Most importantly, if someone is giving you constructive criticism in the truest sense of the word, they want you to improve. They’re not trying to shoot you down and make you quit acting–that’s called destructive criticism which is exceptionally unhelpful. They recognise your strengths and are trying to help identify which muscles need stretching.
It’s not personal. Well, it is to a point because it relates to you and something you’re doing. But constructive criticism is about your work, not who you are. And I’d argue if it’s not actionable, it’s not really constructive criticism.
Sounds pretty good, right? Now that we know what we’re looking for, let’s figure out where to look for it.
Where does Constructive Criticism come from?
Criticism comes from all over the place in many shapes and sizes. Constructive criticism comes from knowledgeable and trustworthy sources.
As a working actor, you’re probably used to getting all kinds of compliments and observations from friends and family after the show. “That was amazing! You’re amazing!” (- Mum.) “You’ve got quite the voice!” (- Dad) “You’re such a beast!” (- Friend.) “I could have done that.” (- Jealous co-worker.)
Whilst a lot of the stuff we hear in the foyer can be nice and some of it not so nice, it’s not often constructive if it’s coming from people who don’t have some level of experience themselves. For this reason, seek it out from directors, tutors/coaches, agents, colleagues and critics.
This isn’t applicable to absolutely everyone who falls into these categories, however. You should always consider the person’s experience when they’re giving you feedback. A first-time director might have some great nuggets of wisdom, but they may not have as much actionable advice or attention to detail as someone more experienced.
Likewise for critics: just because they write in a paper, or have 100k followers on Instagram, doesn’t mean they actually know what they’re talking about. Their work is also extremely biased to taste and opinion. If they have a reputation of slamming actors in every review, consider whether or not they’re concerned with the growth of the artists or if they’re just trying to get clicks.
Your best bet for constructive criticism are teachers and tutors. These are people who are trained—and have extensive experience—in delivering feedback to actors in hopes of improving them. Failing that, seek somebody you trust and that you know wants you to succeed. Your agent, your tutors and your colleagues all have your interests at heart.
Using Constructive Criticism
Now that you’ve established the importance of constructive criticism and where to find it, we can talk about how to put it to good use in your own practice:
Seek it out. Ask and you shall receive. Seek experienced people you trust and make a point of asking them for their feedback. Good constructive criticism is never unwarranted; sometimes, you have to be the one who makes the first move.
Don’t take it personally. Constructive criticism isn’t useful to us if we take it to heart. Remember that it’s about your performance, not you.
Listen before you speak. If you feel the need to jump in and defend yourself, you’re not learning. And if you need to explain your acting choices, you’ve already failed: they clearly weren’t strong enough in the scene.
Clarify. Remember our definition: constructive criticism should be clear and actionable. If something doesn’t make sense after they’ve finished explaining it, ask for clarity. If something doesn’t have an obvious and actionable means of improving it, ask for one.
Be thankful. This is a note on professionalism: always thank the person. It can be tricky receiving feedback and it can be tricky giving feedback. Let them know you appreciate their time and effort and they’ll be inclined to give more feedback next time.
Action the note. Take the advice. Don’t ask for it, receive it and then forget about it a week later. Take action and make improvements.
Finally, practice. Taking constructive criticism is a skill. The more you do it, the better you’ll get at taking and implementing the feedback. It will eventually become a source of confidence, knowing that you’re surrounded by people who are invested in your development.
What if the Constructive Criticism is wrong?
“I thought your dramatic monologue could have used more excitement. Maybe you could add some juggling to the part where you talk about your father’s funeral?”
Sometimes, people get it wrong. Sometimes, everybody gets it wrong. It’s infuriating: it’s like some damn Twilight Zone episode because you feel like the only normal person left in the room. So what do you do when your constructive criticism is clearly not going to solve your problem?
I like to ask myself this: what prompted this note? They might be totally wrong with their suggestion, but if my work was absolutely perfect … there wouldn’t be a note to begin with. Don’t think of bad constructive criticism as a dead end. Consider it the call to adventure for your very own investigation.
At the end of the day, trust your instincts. There is a certain level of intuition and introspection needed to discern what is useful and what isn’t. But you gain nothing from rejecting feedback, so try to make this a rare occurrence.
How Do I Give Constructive Criticism?
Drunk on power, eh? Just kidding: it’s great that you want to provide feedback and support to your industry peers.
Honestly, if you’ve ever received constructive criticism, think about what was most helpful for you. After that, follow the same tips we outlined above: be concise, focus on the performance, suggest a course of action and be kind.
Giving feedback is its own art. My StageMilk colleague Alex penned an article on the subject titled “How to tell your Friend their Script is Terrible.” I promise it’s not as mean as it sounds.
Wrapping Up
Every little bit of feedback we get is valuable. It can serve as a stepping stone towards a successful and fulfilling career as an actor. Coming to understand and seeking out constructive criticism won’t just enhance your abilities, it will help build resilience and momentum in the industry.
Finally, I’ll leave you with this: there’s nothing wrong with a bit of praise to build you up. Remember to take those lovely compliments from mum and dad after your shows: don’t turn around and say: “Sure I was amazing, but I don’t find those comments constructive so they’re of no use to me.” That would break their hearts. Affirmation is just as important as constructive criticism.
Hope this helped. See you around the traps!
