Acting is a big industry. There are actors everywhere from the theatre to films, from TV to radio, and even on the street in the form of mime. Yet acting is not easy in fact, like playing music, it is almost impossible to master.
To be a good actor, you have to be able to get inside a character and literally live as them to convince your audience, and, for a moment, even yourself, that the character is who you are. Given that all you will probably have to work with is a few written words, perhaps costumes and a set, and your imagination, its a difficult undertaking.
The range of skills that an actor must have to be effective is very wide. You need to have a mastery of your body for movement that can include fighting, dancing, or evocative expressions. Your voice, too, must be clear enough to be understood from a distance, and you might also need some talent in singing or putting on accents. The most difficult aspect by far, though, is the emotional one, as you must be able to assume different emotions at will crying on demand, for example, or being able to give an effective illusion of happiness or excitement.
One of the most widely-used means of...