{"id":2097,"date":"2020-04-09T11:39:50","date_gmt":"2020-04-09T11:39:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.spotlight.com\/?p=2097"},"modified":"2023-11-03T17:21:41","modified_gmt":"2023-11-03T17:21:41","slug":"books-to-read-about-acting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.spotlight.com\/news-and-advice\/the-industry\/books-to-read-about-acting\/","title":{"rendered":"Books about the Acting Industry to Add to Your Reading List"},"content":{"rendered":"

Books about acting and the industry recommended by Spotlight staff.<\/h3>\n

Time spent sitting with a book is\u00a0never\u00a0wasted. It\u2019s a chance to relax, contemplate, and absorb information entirely at your own pace.\u00a0When we have time on our hands it\u2019s also an opportunity to branch out and learn more about any number of topics.<\/p>\n

There is a vast array of fantastic stories to learn from, be they from fellow performers, teachers, theatre-makers or people who can shine a light on what happens behind the scenes.\u00a0We’ve read quite a few of them so we thought we’d share some of our book recommendations with you! Not only are these titles a\u00a0great read, but you may also learn something that could help your career too.<\/p>\n

Books by Performers<\/h4>\n

1.\u00a0Character Breakdown\u00a0<\/a>by Zawe Ashton<\/strong><\/p>\n

Beginning her career aged six, Zawe has become a successful actor, playwright and director. Raw, honest and witty.<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0Blowing the Bloody Doors Off: And Other Lessons in Life<\/a>\u00a0by Michael Caine<\/strong><\/p>\n

A funny, touching and very personal account of Caine’s life and career, from the lows to the highs. Success and failure are deftly treated with humour.<\/p>\n

3.\u00a0Life in Parts<\/a>\u00a0by Bryan Cranston<\/strong><\/p>\n

Inspirational and practical advice from Cranston, the Emmy award-winning lead actor in\u00a0Breaking Bad<\/em>.<\/p>\n

4.\u00a0Behind the Scenes\u00a0<\/a>by Judi Dench<\/strong><\/p>\n

A humorous and warm-hearted account of Dench’s long and hugely successful career.<\/p>\n

5.\u00a0What’s My Motivation?<\/a>\u00a0by\u00a0Michael Simkins<\/strong><\/p>\n

RADA trained actor, Michael Simkins\u2019 account of his stage and screen career. Lovely anecdotes and very accessible.<\/p>\n

6.\u00a0Bossypants\u00a0<\/a>by Tina Fey<\/strong><\/p>\n

Writer, actor and all-round funny woman, Fey shows how being a strong-minded person can get you results if you also put in the work.<\/p>\n

Behind the Scenes Books<\/h4>\n

1.\u00a0Balancing Acts: Behind the Scenes at the National Theatre<\/a>\u00a0by Nicholas Hytner<\/strong><\/p>\n

Running a theatre is not an easy task even when you have seemingly got all the requisite skills and adequate funding. A frank and inspiring story of how Nicholas Hytner and his team tried to broaden the appeal of theatre to new generations and audiences.<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0\u00a0Quentin Tarantino: Interviews<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

A fascinating collection of interviews with the colourful and provocative director of\u00a0Reservoir Dogs<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0Kill Bill<\/em>.<\/p>\n

3.\u00a0The True Adventures of the World’s Greatest Stuntman: My Life as Indiana Jones, James Bond, Superman and Other Movies<\/a>\u00a0by Vic Armstrong<\/strong><\/p>\n

Legendary stuntman and second unit director Vic Armstrong reveals fascinating stories of how he started out and his time on top film sets. His stories show that stunt work is as much of a craft as acting.<\/p>\n

Books about Acting Techniques and Tips<\/h4>\n

1.\u00a0Stella Adler: The Art of Acting<\/a>\u00a0by Howard Kissel<\/strong><\/p>\n

The queen of acting coaches experience and teaching in an easy to read digestible 22 lessons.<\/p>\n

2.\u00a0Presence: How to Use Positive Energy for Success in Every Situation<\/a>\u00a0by Patsy Rodenburg<\/strong><\/p>\n

Renowned acting teacher Patsy Rodenburg shows how to engage with others, listen, think, learn and do business.<\/p>\n

3.\u00a0Secrets of Performing Confidence: For Musicians, Singers, Actors and Dancers<\/a>\u00a0by Andrew Evans<\/strong><\/p>\n

A professional musician and psychologist with extensive experience of coaching performers and creative artists provides insight into an inner confidence to help you with your performing career.<\/p>\n

4.\u00a0A Life-coaching Approach to Screen Acting<\/a>\u00a0by Daniel Dresner<\/strong><\/p>\n

Life coach and acting tutor Daniel Dresner combines life-coaching techniques with screen acting tools in this vital handbook, enabling actors to approach their characters and work with self-confidence.<\/p>\n

5.\u00a0Surviving Hollywood: How to Ensure the Acting Industry Doesn’t Chew You Up and Spit You Out\u00a0<\/a>by Julia Farino<\/strong><\/p>\n

A personal story by performer Julia Farino about her professional life in Hollywood with tips and practical advice for actors considering a move to LA for work.<\/p>\n

Let us know what books have inspired you by getting in touch with us on Twitter\u00a0@SpotlightUK<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Books about acting and the industry recommended by Spotlight staff. Time spent sitting with a book is\u00a0never\u00a0wasted. It\u2019s a chance to relax, contemplate, and absorb information entirely at your own pace.\u00a0When we have time on our hands it\u2019s also an opportunity to branch out and learn more about any number of topics. There is a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3107,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[83,130,44],"class_list":["post-2097","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-industry","tag-acting","tag-coronavirus","tag-starting-out"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nBooks about the Acting Industry to Add to Your Reading List | Spotlight<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.spotlight.com\/news-and-advice\/the-industry\/books-to-read-about-acting\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Books about the Acting Industry to Add to Your Reading List | Spotlight\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Books about acting and the industry recommended by Spotlight staff. 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