How can one practice/improve a serious face (lets say poker face) ?

Question

How can one practice/improve a serious face (lets say poker face) ?

Answer 1

unfortunately after professionally acting since 1999, i have yet to develop a serious poker face. now, that being said, if i'm acting i simply....act. i take on the what i think the attributes of my character are. if my character doesn't think things are funny, then that's what you do. example: let's say you have a deadpan character that is suppopsed to react to something that is humorously going on onstage. then find what is unfunny about the scene. or you can make the choice of taking yourself very seriously. you can do all the exercises you want, but that doesn't mean you're going to have control over it. you have to have a very specific, character thought process. if you stray from this, in the moment of the scene, your own thoughts/humor will rush right back (mainly because you've been keeping under control) and make you brake. whatever funny is happening around you, mentally break it down till it's not funny anymore.

Answer 2

having a poker face isnt about being serious or funny or sad or anything else.

a good poker face shows absolutely nothing. no emotion at all.

pro players spend years practicing and never get it 100%

good luck.

Answer 3

warning : this method will affect your psychological wellbeing!! but it does work!! find a really horrid memory, and remember how u felt (physically, emotionally) your surroundings (street etc), what did u want to do? run and hide? etc?  Then, summarise the situation into somehting simple and easy to remember;..... be careful please... i dont want u to end up like Heath Ledger!! (researching/playing the role of Joker.. he would deliberately deprive himslef of sleep/ go to a really dark place in his mind... it contributed to the need for drugs) See news article link below "Finest role yet, trumping Jack's Joker"

Answer 4

1. Do training intervals, just like athletes do. Sit through recordings of comedians, say a video or album with Bill Cosby or Daniel Tosh. Get a stopwatch go 5:00 minutes straightfaced, then 5:00 relaxed and laughing. This will give you a better on/off switch.

2. Sit in a chair. Have a little kid come kick you in the shin. Don't react.

3. Just kidding.

4. If you can get an electric shock machine (low voltage kits sold online) play with it for a few minutes every day and have a friend zap you without warning. Keep straightfaced.

5. Play poker and chess. If you play video games, make this practice time, too.

6. Give people compliments that they totally don't deserve. Keep straightfaced. Go to the mall and practice on strangers.

7. Get tickled. This is a good one.

8. Maintain more eye contact in everyday life. (This will force you to focus more on your facial expressions while communicating.)

9. Sadly, the advice above is true and the Heath Ledger route works. You have to change your way of thinking to change your reactions. To avoid pitfall, do this: create a separate identity. You have "Normal Me" and then you have "Serious Uncaring Me" hidden away. Then you can turn it on and off like a switch.