Activations

Activations

by Mario A. Campanaro

1.

“The actor’s life is not an easy road to travel. You may have to walk through many peaks and valleys, surf many tumultuous waters, and inevitably weather many unexpected storms. But when your love for the dream outweighs the obstacles that come with it, you’ll know you’re on the right path.”

2.

“What’s your relationship to commitment? Do you wait, stall, or make excuses to avoid holding yourself accountable for what you say you want? You say you love this art form—so what could be better than committing fully to what you truly want? Too often, we sacrifice what we want most for the quick fix of what we want right now. But in acting, commitment isn’t optional—it’s essential. It’s the key to artistic excellence and lasting success. And it takes self-discipline to stay committed. Because if you don’t hold yourself accountable, I promise you—someone else will.”

3.

“You don’t need a paycheck to call yourself an actor. You need one to live—but that’s not what makes you an actor. Neither does a great headshot or top-tier representation. None of that defines the core. What does? Talent, imagination, skill, accountability, responsibility, vulnerability, bravery, insight, empathy, compassion, understanding, passion, perseverance, and an unshakable belief in your gifts. And above all, you act—no excuses, no matter what. You find a way. That’s what gives you the right to call yourself an actor.”

4.

“Acting is not for the faint of heart; it is for the full of heart. The art exists within a business, and the business exists because of the art. To survive this complex world, you must possess the skill of a technician to support your talent, the savvy of a CEO to manage yourself as a business, and the armor of a gladiator to endure the industry’s ups and downs — all while maintaining the vulnerability, imagination, and playfulness of a child to truly do the creative work.”

5.

“Before anything else, you have to wake up, look in the mirror, and love who you are and what you see—accept yourself fully, because you’re all you’ve got. You are the instrument; there’s nothing else to play. So love what you’ve labeled as ‘flaws’ and ‘imperfections’—and especially love that little child inside, still longing to be seen and heard. Stop trying to blend into the crowd—that’s the audience. The stage and screen crave the black sheep—the ones who own their uniqueness and inevitably stand out. That’s where the eye naturally goes. Embrace yourself—because that is a gift.”

6.

“Artists need to support artists. Period. In a world where we endlessly scroll through social media, mindlessly clicking ‘like’ on whatever catches our eye, it’s worth asking: how much of that support is directed toward your fellow creators, your artistic peers, and the community you belong to? If artists aren’t lifting each other up—especially now, when funding and support for the arts are more scarce than ever—what are we left with? It’s time to set aside competition and embrace a spirit of generosity. Start showing the same support you often seek for yourself. After all, birds of a feather flock together.“

7.

“You can never truly predict how you’ll feel in any given moment, so stop trying to preplan it. Let go of yourself. Don’t aim for a forced emotional outcome as your idea of success in a scene—that’s not truth; it’s simply bad acting, and it’s not how our emotional life naturally unfolds. Instead, actively and energetically listen through the filter of your character’s point of view on the circumstances, and stay open to what is. That’s how humans function. Allow yourself the chance to be surprised by the authenticity of the moment.”

8.

“Life isn’t a cartoon. You can’t simply wish upon a star and expect your dreams to come true; you have to put in the work. For an actor, much of that work is sweat equity, and you must have faith in your efforts until the fruits of your labor manifest. Don’t focus on how it happened for someone else or on when or how it will happen for you—you have no control over that. Focus on what you can control: your craft, your artistic growth, persevering, holding your work to the highest professional standard, and trusting that what you want is already unfolding for you in the way that’s right for you.”

9.

“An actor once asked me, ‘How do you know when the training is working?’ I told them that when you stop thinking about the training itself, that’s when you know it’s truly taking hold. It’s when you’ve let go of self-consciousness, thrown caution to the wind, and are genuinely listening—not just with your ears, but with your heart and soul. It’s when you take everything that comes at you, under the given circumstances, personally. It’s when you feel free, living instinctively and impulsively, moment to moment, without overthinking. That’s when you know—the training is no longer just training. It’s a craft you’ve owned, producing real, truthful acting.”

10.

“Acting isn’t about competition; it’s about collaboration. You’re not up against anyone. Either the role is meant for you, or it’s not. When the time is right, what’s meant for you will come. If you want competition, pursue a sport. If you seek collaboration, pursue acting. Neither is better than the other. Both beautifully rely on teamwork. One aims to win by defeating the opposing team, while the other comes together to overcome silence, invisibility, oppression, and suffering by revealing the vast stories of the collective human experience.”

11.

“The actor must first approach the character as a psychiatrist, delving deeply into the character’s psyche and then fully embody their life as the patient. The psychiatrist’s role is to explore the histrionic background that shapes the character’s motivations, seeking to understand the ‘why’ behind their perspective and actions. Simultaneously, the actor must fully internalize that character’s point of view, owning it in the depths of their soul, so that they are driven to act behaviorally in alignment with that unique lens on life.”

12.

“The actor is like a lantern. As long as the flame burns, light will radiate. The intensity of that light depends on how much the flame is stoked and tended to. As an actor, whatever lives within you—all of those delicious givens—will be revealed only to the extent that they are truly endowed and alive within your being. You don’t need to ‘show’ anything; it all simply needs to be present, vibrant, and alive within your soul.”

13.

“The greatest success an actor, or any artist for that matter, can ever experience comes from the trustworthy ally within— that part of you, deep in your heart and soul, that knows exactly who you are, what gifts you have been blessed with, and what you were meant to do with those gifts. You are an actor, an artist. Know this now and always, and never, ever let anyone or anything steal that knowing away from you.”

14.

“The craft of acting takes work—discipline, commitment, accountability, consistency, dedication, and devotion. It cannot remain theoretical; it must be humanized. Our craft can only support us to the extent that it becomes part of who we are—sophisticated yet instinctive, ready yet impulsive, and accessible yet adaptable to meet the vast and often complex demands of our work.”

15.

“If a violin is out of tune, you simply tune it up—you don’t beat it up, or it won’t be able to make music. The same goes for you, the actor. If you’re ‘out of tune,’ just tune yourself up. Don’t beat yourself up, or you won’t be able to use your instrument to play the life within the circumstances.”

16.

“Your acting teacher is not your mom, dad, best friend, or therapist. Your acting teacher is your acting teacher, there to help cultivate your craft while nurturing and bringing forth the best of your innate talent. It is crucial to always take your notes as your professional actor self, not your child self. Take the note, but do not hold onto it.”

17.

“Everyone talks about listening in acting, but do you truly grasp it on a visceral, human level? To truly listen, you must do more than just hear—you must physically and energetically take in the world around you with your whole being, filtered through your point of view, wants, and needs, shaped by the circumstances, relationships, and environment you’re in. When you truly listen, you will be changed.”

18.

“All characters function from a place of love received, love unreceived, and survival, and many branches grow from these roots, shaping how one perceives and responds—behaviorally, mentally, and emotionally—to their world, circumstances, relationships, environment, wants, needs, and obstacles.”

19.

“Casting directors, directors, producers, and audiences don’t care about your little blue checkmark— they care about your talent. If you’re spending more time on social media than honing your craft, ask yourself: Do you want to be an influencer or an actor? If it’s acting you want, commit to it—hone your craft and approach it like a professional.”

20.

“All human beings are doing what they can, moment to moment, to improve their present situation. When you understand this fundamental truth, you can adopt the characters, filtered, listening, shaped by their point of view on circumstances, and the justification behind their wants, needs, and actions.“

21.

“Your technique is not your acting; it is a set of reliable tools that consistently enable you to do your best and most truthful work. It marries your innate talent with skill, rather than relying on ‘hope’ or ‘luck’ for it to go well. True technique liberates the actor—it does not stifle them.”

22.

“One of the best-kept secrets an actor holds is the lifelong journey of embracing ‘mistakes’, learning from ‘failures’, and investing all the sweat-equity to create work that is truthful, compelling, subtle, simple, and effortless.“

23.

“All the homework you do as an actor is only as good as it works for you to do the actual work of living, truthfully, moment to unknown moment, within the circumstances. What do you use for that creative process is deeply personal and no one‘s damn business!“

24.

“As long as we are alive, we will continue studying our craft, for life is an endless, unpredictable lesson – just like every text we encounter. Approach the work as a professional actor and artist, not as an academic student.”

25.

“This isn’t just about technique; it’s about humanity – our humanity. It is not meaningless. Every human story holds within it the inherent worth to be witnessed because we are all part of the essential fabric woven together. In this thing we call ‘Life’.“

26.

"Do not mistake technique, tools, or the craft of acting for the truth within acting itself. How you get there is personal—and all that matters is that your process gets you there, aligns fully with the givens, and allows the work to be truthful, convincing, and alive. Your technique, and all essential aspects of the craft, are the artist’s GPS: an ever-evolving, uniquely endowed creative process that guides you, the actor, toward living fully, freely, and truthfully within the gap of each and every circumstantial moment of the work."

27.

“Your director is not your acting teacher. They are not there to teach you how to do your job. Auditioning for a role is one thing; being able to truly deliver if you book it is another. If hired, it’s assumed you already have the talent, skill, consistency, and stamina to do the work. That’s why we continue to study and train—to work those muscles so that when the opportunity comes, we’re not relying on luck or hope, but on our talent and skill, knowing we can deliver. A practiced actor is a prepared actor, and preparation meets opportunity with professional reliability and a solid, trustworthy reputation.”

28.

"The actor is a creative warrior—one who chooses perseverance, even when it may seem easier to give up and crumble. The creative warrior does not think or exclaim, ‘I can’t!’ The creative warrior simply states, with unwavering resolve: ‘I will find a way.’"

29.

"At the end of each day, check your screen time—then compare it to how much time you actually spent on the thing you say you want to do: 'act.' 'To act' means 'to do,' not 'to scroll.' You won’t get there by swiping through an endless stream of acting tip reels, no matter how insightful they may be. As actors, this hypnotic social media state isn’t just stealing your time—it’s chipping away at your ability to concentrate, dulling your imagination, and pulling you further from real human connection. You’ve got to get up, get in the space, and do the work. Actively. Consistently. It’s the only way. If you really want it, don’t make excuses. Do it!"

30.

“You’ll know your creative tribe when you can live your authentic self in each other’s presence. You’ll never walk away feeling lonely. There will always be a deep connection, generosity of spirit, and shared inspiration to create meaningful artistic endeavors. Seek those who lift you up and ignite your curiosity, imagination, and creativity. Run like hell from those who try to cut your wings and hold you down. Fly free with your flock. Just like a seed thrives in the right soil, your growth depends on the environment that nurtures you to become what you’re meant to be.”

31.

"We often hear there is no "right or wrong way" in acting—and to a point, that’s true. However, one thing must always be remembered: the given circumstances. They are non-negotiables. Your work means nothing without fully honoring what is in the text. It doesn’t matter how impulsive or instinctive a moment feels unless it aligns with those givens. Your civilian, everyday life is not the character’s life—that is your life. You must comb through the text, breathe life into the givens, and channel them through your instrument. Once those circumstances live in your bones, only then will your instincts and impulses be justified, motivated, and truly alive—moment to moment—through your active, filtered listening."

32.

“If you keep hiding from yourself, how will you ever discover the truth of the character within you? It’s time to take off not just the many masks you wear for the external world, but the ones you wear within. Only from the treasures of your truth can you express the truth. Don’t you see? You are the gift. Take that gift, run with it, and live it—without apology. After all, your truth is your perfection. And nothing is worth hiding that. If others say, 'you’re just too much,' maybe it’s only because they were never enough."

33.

"Acting without a sense of joy is like climbing a mountain without energy—it leads to burnout and makes it impossible to continue. Joy is an essential ingredient for creativity. If you find yourself lacking joy and enthusiasm for the work, don’t blame the work itself; instead, examine your relationship to it."

34.

"If you want to achieve something—anything at all—you must first develop your WILL. Cultivate it, strengthen it, and let nothing mitigate it. Your WILL is a creative fire, and it’s your responsibility to keep it fueled. Then, use the power of your IMAGINATION—that movie projector in your mind—with vivid detail and specificity. See exactly what you want, what it looks like, and what it feels like, as if it has already materialized. Keep it to yourself, hold it close, and stay focused. Don’t try to force when or how it will happen—just trust that it WILL. Like planting a seed, do the work, water it, nurture it, and allow the unseen to bring it to life. Have faith. Trust. Dreams are meant to be realized, not left in the dream-state. You are not as powerless as you’ve been led to believe."

35.

"The imagination is the actor’s limitless creative power. It knows no boundaries other than those you place upon yourself, preventing you from exploring the unexperienced. Do not limit yourself to personal experience. Go beyond, and use questions and curiosity as tools for questing into the unknown. Inevitably, you will be there—because you will always live within your imagination. Everything you feel you’re missing can be found within the limitless storehouse of your internal universe—that movie in your mind. It may be buried deep beneath many accumulated layers, but if you keep mining your soul, you will uncover the unspoken treasure you’ve been looking for."

36.

"You must have a more intimate, committed relationship with your work than you do with your cell phone and all the apps on it. The actor must train their mind to leave their personal life at the stage door. Much like a surgeon, the actor’s job requires full commitment and concentration—professional work you are being paid to do. Everything else can be dealt with once the day’s work is done and you leave the work environment. Love the work, commit to it, show up early, stay responsible and accountable for it, always uphold a high artistic standard, and leave everything else at the door."

37.

“The actor must see, hear, taste, feel, and say what others may not be willing to. This lies at the heart of our art: truthfully bringing life to circumstances often far removed from our everyday experience. To do this, you must embark on a quest—one that may require unlearning what you've been taught in order to approach a character with understanding and empathy, not judgment. This process can be uncomfortable, as it asks you to shed conditioned beliefs and remain open to new perspectives, rather than clinging to what others have told you to think, feel, or express. Ultimately, this work evolves us not just as artists, but as human beings.”

38.

“One of the greatest tragedies an actor can face is the desperate, unrelenting search for that special something they’ve always had within them. It’s you! The answer has always been you! You are the magic, the magnificent, the remarkable, the intriguing, the one of a kind—you are the worthy, the deserving—you! It’s you! You are the ‘blue checkmark’ you’ve been searching for!”

40.

“No one ever said it was going to be easy. There are going to be seasons of strife and struggle. But it is from those accumulated moments that your greatest creative inspirations will arise. No matter what life may throw at you… no matter how many times life may knock you down… no matter how often life may cause you to fall or fail… I urge you to use every ounce of passion burning within your life force and get up! Keep getting up until you can no longer get up. If you keep persevering, if you keep believing in what you are doing, if you simply do not give up, you will find that all that hardship will pay it forward by bringing something inexplicably magical into your life. Every hardship plants the seed for a transformative victory.”

41.

“When we are truly seen and heard, we often begin to hide—whether consciously or unconsciously. Our defense mechanisms kick in to shield us from the discomfort of having our authenticity witnessed. We start presenting only the parts we want the world to see, rather than revealing what’s really going on inside. That inner voice—the conditioned habit of ‘should be,’ ‘needs to be,’ ‘has to be’—wants to protect us. But if it wins, the real you disappears. Often, just as we try to let go, the part of us that wants to control, plan, or predict slips in. But you must choose to let it go. When the controlling part of you takes over, emotional spontaneity dies. But when you surrender, something more honest, raw, and alive—something deeply human—emerges.”

42.

“This business isn’t one big cold read—maybe at an audition, but not on the job. In 99.9% of professional acting jobs, you're expected to show up prepared and ready to deliver what you were hired and paid to do. So why in the world would any serious actor train with anything less than the same level of commitment and accountability the industry demands? Don’t be lazy. Train like you already have the job. Take it seriously. If you want to be an actor, you have to love the work of being an actor, because you’ll never not have to do it. Read the text, break it down, do your research, build the life, learn your lines, show up on time, and do whatever it takes to live fully, freely, and truthfully with your scene partner(s) in the world of the givens. In short: do the work for what you say you want.”

43.

“If we plant a seed in the ground with the intention of it growing into a majestic oak, we must nurture and water that seedling for it to thrive. Without that care, nothing happens. A doctor who stops learning will struggle to keep up with the ever-changing health challenges and complexities humanity faces. Similarly, an actor who stops learning, refining, practicing, and nurturing their craft is sabotaging their own potential, halting their growth. A professional actor never stops learning. A professional actor never stops growing. A professional actor never stops exploring, seeking, evolving, and expanding. Our craft requires constant cultivation in response to the ever-evolving circumstances and challenges that arise in life—and, by extension, in the stories we share through our chosen art form."

44.

“Beneath our many masks, the bumps and bruises of the human condition take refuge—yet paradoxically, what we try to hide is often revealed by the very mask we believe conceals it. Artists have always been lighthouses in humanity’s storms, illuminating our wounds and broken hearts. As actors, we reveal the full color wheel of the human condition through story(living)telling. Our medium entertains, yes—but more importantly, it reflects. It holds up a mirror that can help humanity move beyond what keeps it bound, constricted, and stagnant. Actors are the brave souls—the creative warriors—who willingly step into emotional warfare for the sake of mankind. No matter what the world throws at you, or how hard it tries to silence your voice, never—ever—let the artist within you die. The world needs you! You deeply matter! Blaze like the sun!”

45.

“Acting is like riding a rollercoaster. First, whether we realize it or not, we trust the ride is built on a solid foundation, with strong engineering, the best materials, and no loose screws—meaning we trust it’s safe to ride consistently and that we won’t fly off the tracks. Second, we consciously ride for the thrill—the euphoric excitement we get from the experience. In acting, the text is the track, the foundation, and your craft—all the preparation and tools you use—are the solid engineering and structure that keep you from flying off course. This allows you, the actor, to consistently ride the rollercoaster of extraordinary given circumstances, not gripping the safety bar in fear, uncertainty, or distrust, but with your hands held high, fully and freely embracing the moment-to-unknown moment thrill of the ride.”

46.

“When you are overly aware of your body, feel physically stuck, unrelaxed, or unsure how to behave in a space or scene, it’s often because you don’t truly know where you are. When we observe ourselves in life, we instinctively know how to exist within a specific environment—even an unfamiliar one—because our physical and energetic relationship to it is clear and specific. That’s why one of the most important questions you must ask yourself is: Where am I? Do not answer this generally. Generality is kryptonite for the actor. Explore it. Particularize it. Endow it. Form a clear relationship to it—even if the environment is unfamiliar to the character, it must not be unfamiliar to the actor. Understand that where you are informs who you are, shaping how you instinctively behave—and why.”

47.

"Laser-focus your attention on what you truly want. Actively pursue it with inspired action. Apply unrelenting will, no matter what challenges or obstacles arise. Believe beyond any doubt that you can—and will—and are—achieving it. Use the power of your imagination to create what you want to see outpictured before you. Transform your inner world so your outer world can transform. Don’t worry about how it will happen or when—just live each day with the feeling as if it has already been fulfilled in your life. The Universe is listening. It’s waiting to meet you right there on the path of every single one of your creative endeavors."

48.

“Studying the craft of acting—no matter where you are on your artistic journey—doesn’t make you a beginner; it keeps you from ever being one. Our art form is cumulative. It evolves endlessly, just as life does. There will always be the confrontation of the unknown. That’s why you must bring unwavering commitment and deep devotion to your craft—because the learning never ends. Ever. And yet, what so often holds us back are the self-sabotaging reasons behind our ‘I can’t’: the excuses we keep making, the ones we tell ourselves and believe, the ones we offer to others, and ultimately, the quiet truth those excuses reveal—that maybe we never truly wanted it. In the end, only you know the truth. Only you know the actor you want to be."

49.

“The actor must find and own their light—not just the spotlight, but that inner, passionate, creative fire—and never let it dim. Like a lantern, the strength of the flame within determines the brightness of the light that shines outward. The world has always been drawn to the magnificence of the fire, not the smoke left in its wake. Be the flame, not the smoke. Never question your worth or your right to be here. Own your presence. You are meant to be seen, to be heard, to be witnessed. Stop waiting for permission. Claim your birthright. Be the artist you were born to be. Step into your light—and let the world witness the artistic illumination that shines brightly from your soul. Be the artist you know you are, and never settle for anything less.”

Copyright © 2025 Mario A. Campanaro, All rights reserved."