Contributor Sigi Foppen spoke on a video call with Acting Muscle student Wael Kreiker about his personal journey and his evolution as an actor.
It was the opportunity of a lifetime. Just 18 years old, starring in a television film shot and co-produced in Australia. Her school wasn’t as thrilled as she was, as her grades spiraled. But Amira Dimikiran understood the stakes and stayed focused, spending five weeks for the shoot in Australia, and then finishing out her school year on time. “It was tough but definitely worth it all, she says with a sly grin.
Her talent was spotted early. At six, Amira was attending music classes with her sister, dancing, singing, and playing around like a regular kid. “Two agents approached me and my sister, from one of those modeling agencies,” she recalls. After going on a few shoots, she made the transition into acting, enrolling in an acting school for kids and performing in plays and musicals. Eventually she joined the Junges Ensemble Friedrichstadt-Palast. At age 15 she signed with the Neidig agency, and since then has appeared in a number of films and television series.
Every time you get rejected again, you get more insecure, but that doesn't mean you should quit.
This year she will start at Babelsberg Filmuniversität in Potsdam, in an acting program that connects theater and film acting. “It's 50/50, and that’s great for someone like me,” says Amira. “I love theater, but film is often left out at other schools.” Even though she thinks that being in front of the lens is her place, the techniques she learns on stage are very important to her. That’s part of the reason she enrolled in the advanced Creating Character course at The Acting Muscle in 2020. In particular, the physical and vocal exercises helped her explore her range. “Especially that exercise where you connect your voice to where you find emotion in your body,” she says. This helped her approach roles that were very new to her. “For example, I had to play a 30-year-old pregnant woman, and of course I didn't know how to do that at first,” she admits. “Adam showed us exercises where you can feel something for example in your chest or your belly, and connect that feeling with images, colors, and voice,” she says. “I still use these exercises when I go on auditions.”
Unfortunately, those auditions can be incredibly draining. It's not an endless stream of offers to shoot films in Australia. Most of the time, you don’t get the part. But Amira tries to stay positive. “Every time you get rejected again, you become more insecure,” she reflects. “But that doesn't mean you should stop.” In addition to techniques and exercises that help her stay focused, for important auditions she turns to her coach Claudia Lietz, an accomplished actor with an impressive list of credits in German film and television.
Those people who have pursued their dreams no matter what, I get so much strength from that.
When she finishes the program at Babelsberg, she will be in her early twenties. Despite her extensive experience on stage and screen, she will still be at the start of her acting career. She can envision the opportunities that could open up, but wants to keep a wider view of the world and what she might do in it. Aside from other actors who inspire her, she’s motivated by people who have had to overcome a major obstacle in their lives, whether psychological or physical. “Those people who have pursued their dreams no matter what, I get so much strength from that,” she says. Her best friends are also a source of inspiration, which has made the Corona lockdown particularly stressful. She hasn't been able to see many friends lately, and she's feeling increasingly socially awkward. “Not getting booked doesn't help either.” But Amira knows she has a lot to look forward to, in spite of the obstacles. She’ll be able to see her friends again, and there will be plenty of roles to book. It’s just a matter of time.
Sigi Foppen is a journalist who concentrates on arts and culture with lots of passion. Originally from Amsterdam, she is now in Berlin looking for new challenges, new people, and the right peanut butter.