Metacognition for Actors

I love to think of myself as a two-headed person. Seriously! Hear me out:

1) One part that observes my everyday life enough so it can plan ahead strategically;

2) another part that follows me around long after all those details are forgotten - just in case there was something left worth remembering.

Then I write those things down and look for patterns. (more on the importance of journalling next month)

Metacognition is the science of self-awareness. It is the ability to be able to look within and think about your thinking.

How does Metacognition help you as an actor? It is the ultimate superpower of self-awareness. Self-awareness is one of the key aspects of emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence is a characteristic shared by 90% of famous actors.

Metacognitive abilities allow you to step back from your life with perspective on yourself and it enables insight into why you do what you do--both personally and professionally as an actor!

Metacognition is the most important tool you have for understanding your own mind. It enables self-awareness and it is what lets you think about how other people's minds work as well. It is what allows you to empathize with your characters.

Rather than mindlessly scribbling down a made-up back story for a character, metacognition allows you to live and be as that character. It allows you to empathize with the emotions as they are being played out.

Metacognition is a process in which an actor can enter an entirely new reality by tapping into the brainwaves of another human being. In this way, it also provides insight on how they think so you can more effectively communicate as that character.

At Communication Method for Actors, I help you to use “Acting Science” to get inside your character’s head like never before - literally to hack your own brain to believe that you are this person while you are performing and how to effortlessly release that character after you have finished. Use it when you need it, then switch it off.

My method doesn’t provide backstory for your characters but instead immerses you fully into your character through simple, yet highly effective scientific principles until you are able to experience what they would be experiencing.

I don’t teach you how to act! I teach you to lie like your life depends on it.

All of us lie every day of our lives. The average person lies 81 times per day. Most of those lies are "self-lies" but as you use metacognition to reflect on your thoughts and become more honest with yourself, you will become more honest with your characters as well. Best of all, it will feel natural as well.

As a casting director for over 20 years for film & television and a former deception detection expert, I can help you create and become the most believable and authentic actor imaginable.

Want to learn more? You can read more about it with this fascinating book "Know Thyself" on Amazon.

My favorite recommendation for self-discovery and peace of mind replaces 4 hours of meditation with just 24 minutes. It is an app that I use every day and with this link, I am going to gift you free meditations. Next time that I see you, you are going to rave about how well it works!!!!

How about trying it in your acting career? I am going to take you to another page on this site to show you the workshops I offer that can help you use "acting science" in your next audition. Let's go!

By: Faith Hibbs-Clark

Founder of the Communication Method for Actors

Casting director for film & television for over 20 years

Former communications expert specializing in deception detection