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Big acting is high in energy, with clearly marked facial expressions, inflections and gestures. Although some roles may call for big performances, big acting leads easily to overacting. A performance that is too big is sometimes called over the top (OTT).
Acting on stage, because of the need to be seen and heard throughout a large space, often needs to be bigger than acting for the camera, in which close-ups and boom mikes can reveal subtle expression. Therefore, film and TV directors may ask an actor to "make it smaller" or "less theatrical."
An actor whose performance is not big at all is sometimes described as underacting. Unlike "overacting," this term is often used in a complimentary sense.
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