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When I was younger, my mom told me that when actors needed to cry in a scene, they would stop recording and give them onions to make them cry. So, for many years that is how I thought actors cried during scenes!
Although that is true in some cases as there are powders and other techniques used for when a performer can't cry, most of the time those are real tears!
I was shocked when I found out they cried for real and wanted to try and see if I could do the same.
Considering I have always been someone who cries a lot, I was very frustrated when I couldn't do it.
I have always been a very emotional person, all of my family and friends know and are used to how easily I cry.
I am one of those people that can't watch certain movies because knows they won't be able to stop crying.
I am looking at you, "Marley and me".
However, when it came to crying on cue for some reason, I simply couldn't do it.
I would stare at the mirror for hours and hours, trying so hard to cry, and not a single tear would appear.
I couldn't even make my eyes watery it was that bad.
How could I cry watching a cute puppy play (yes, I have indeed cried because I saw a puppy play and it was too cute) but not while performing a scene where the character's friend died?
I kept trying and trying but couldn't do it.
And the whole situation was becoming extremely upsetting and frustrating because I couldn't do something that I am so used to doing.
How couldn't I do something so simple?
And that is when I realize the huge mistake I was making every time I tried to cry on cue, and that is the tip I will give you in this post.
But first, why is it important to have that skill?
The importance of being able to cry on cue
Crying is a huge part of being a performer, so it is crucial to have the ability to do so whenever necessary.
Although crying doesn't equate to feeling a certain way, it definitely helps you be a better actor and a more convincing one.
Even if we think about movies and tv shows we like, most of them require the actor or actress to cry on cue.
I can't think of a single one with no crying involved.
And especially with live theater, having said skill is crucial. You can't have a second take or try it again if it doesn't happen because it's all performed live.
Not crying on a scene can make your character seem not real, and your acting less natural.
Another benefit is that being able to cry on cue could also help you get a role, considering many auditions require you to cry.
Crying could also impress the panel at an audition and make you get in.
It is an extremely useful tool that is great to have in case you need it.
Posts you might me interested in:
How To Cry On Cue In Only Four Steps: https://lelegmorais.wixsite.com/mysite-2/post/how-to-cry-on-cue-in-only-four-steps
5 Tips That Will Make You A Better Actor: https://lelegmorais.wixsite.com/mysite-2/post/5-tips-that-will-make-you-a-better-actor
Why using personal reasons isn't a good idea
I would love to make a post about things to not do when trying to cry on cue but wanted to know if you guys would like it. So comment down below if that is something you would be interested in reading!
Before talking about the biggest mistake you can make, I just wanted to discuss why using personal reasons to cry on cue isn't a good idea. I just wanted to clarify this because it can be very dangerous to do so.
I used to do this all the time, whenever I had to cry on cue, I would think of something sad that happened to me or somebody I know.
However, doing it can be very harmful.
When you are in a show where crying is necessary, you may have to do it eight times a week. And if you do it by thinking about a tragic event that happened to you, that means you will have to be reminded and think about something unfortunate that happened to you multiple times a week.
Remembering a sad event that often could mentally exhausting. It can be extremely triggering and overall horrible for your mental health.
Using this method is also bad as it forces you to open yourself up in such a deep way in the workplace. You would have to cry in front of all your colleges about something that affects you, which can make the workplace a bit weird.
Overall it's not a good idea because it can damage your mental health and create an unhealthy workplace.
Again this is not the mistake I will talk about it is just something I would like to prefix to avoid you putting yourself in a bad situation!
The one mistake that makes it impossible to cry on cue
Finally, I will share the biggest mistake someone can make while trying to use this tool.
There are many mistakes that you can make while crying on cue, but I would say this one is the worst.
The mistake is focusing on crying and not on the scene.
Let me elaborate when I would try to cry on cue before I would simply focus on the act of crying.
I would keep thinking, "cry, cry, cry!" instead of focusing on the scene and the character's emotions.
If you keep thinking about how you need to cry and only focusing on that, you won't be able to do it.
Instead, try replacing those thoughts with thoughts about the scene.
Why is your character crying?
What emotions are they feeling? Are those happy tears? Sad tears? Angry tears?
What is the situation that brought them to express themselves through crying?
How is the environment they are in at the moment, is it a healthy one? Is the environment they are a good one for crying?
Let your body fully feel their emotions and keep thinking about the answers to the questions above.
Allow yourself to feel the pain, or joy, or anger, whatever your character is feeling.
And then release all of that through tears. Let them come naturally, softly and fluidly.
Tears are like small children, if you approach them fast and rushing with the only purpose being holding them and being around them, it won't work.
It is necessary to approach said beings slowly and kindly, allowing them to come to you when they trust being around you.
Crying is the same, attempting to do it in a rough and non-natural way won't work.
When you only give your body the signal to cry, it doesn't understand, because again, it is not a feeling.
Essentially, the best way to cry on cue is to convince yourself you are about to cry and not that you have to do so.
When I got my first job as an actress, there was a scene where crying was necessary. It consisted of a group of friends who just found out their other friend got hit by a car.
I remember looking around, and everyone was sobbing, and I wasn't.
I started to get stressed and focus more and more on the fact that I needed to cry and less on the actual scene.
One of my friends, who was also a part of the said scene was able to weep when I asked her how she just told me that she kept thinking about how her friend was dead. Nonstop, just constantly thinking about it.
Because that is how you cry on cue, focusing on the situation and what your character is going through.
Plus, only thinking about how you need to express yourself that way limits you from allowing yourself to express the emotions you must show.
Not exclusively focusing on sobbing leaves room in your head to focus on your character's environment.
Acting is not about faking but telling someone else's truth.
Besides, tackling in such a non-personal way affects your acting and is one of the things that can make you a bad actor.
Tears are a reaction, not an emotion, when a performer cries just because they have to, it is not convincing. While someone who is letting their body experience the same as their character is going to have a better performance.
A good performer can truly incorporate their role, including allowing the audience to know the reason why you are crying simply by looking at your face.
For example, in "Euphoria", Zendaya portrays Rue in such an amazing way that the audience can know what she is feeling simply by looking at her face. No wonder she won an Emmy for the role, which she completely deserved!
Or in the Jules special episode "F*ck Anyone Who's Not A Sea Blob", when Jules is asking Rue to open the door, we as the viewers are able to understand exactly what she is feeling.
Hunter Schaufer is one of the best actresses I have ever seen, and one of the main reasons is the way she can communicate without words.
In the door scene, Hunter's tears are ones of desperation. Her voice, her facial expressions all reveal the helplessness the character is feeling.
Picture crying as shoes, technically they are all the same, however, each type of shoe works best for an occasion. When an artist is simply crying but not thinking about their character's situation, those tears will be generic and may not fit that specific scenario.
I loved writing this post and hope it helps you in your acting journey! Remember that what works for one person doesn't work for everybody! This is just a mistake that took me a really long time to realize, and I hope it will make it easier for you to cry on cue.
Thank you so much for reading! If you know someone who would like to see this post make sure you share it with them! Remember, sharing is caring!
Do you have any post ideas or topics you are interested in reading? Comment down below! I would love to hear your suggestions.
Also, let me know if avoiding this mistake made it easier for you to cry on cue! Or if not, what usually helps you.
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Bye!