Directing Actors: Creating Memorable Performances for Film and Television

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Working with actors who have different acting styles can be rewarding, but it can also be a challenge. Here are a few tips:

Again, much of the casting process comes down to listening. “Part of this suggestion for running auditions is to let them come in and do it their way, the way they have in mind, their idea. It’s important to see that they have ideas, and then you can suggest a different objective.” The relationship between directors and actors will be a collaborative one from start to finish, so including them in the construction of the character early on will set a good foundation for both of you moving forward. “Actors love to feel that they have shown everything they have to give, and if they don’t get the job, they do not feel so bad and walk out and wonder what they did wrong.” Don’t panic if you end up with more questions than answers at this stage; at some point, your actors will step into the room with their own ideas/theories/questions and you can compare notes. But know that there is a difference between being undecided and unprepared. Most actors can sense it immediately—as we are sure you have with directors in the past… #2 Read With Your Actors Making actors feel comfortable is all about making the production as professional as possible. Take care of the logistics first

There are many ways that the director can create a positive environment on set: Be present – This may seem like a no-brainer, but many directors spend so much time working on the shot list, communicating with the crew and cast members, or staring at monitors, that they forget how important it is to be physically present with the actors during rehearsal and shooting. Have pre-production meetings : Before filming, make sure that everyone involved in the film knows their role and is well prepared for it. Pre-production meetings are really important. Every actor should try their hand at directing. Setting aside the discoveries you’ll make working with other actors and examining your craft from a fresh persepctive, being a director is extremely rewarding: it’s exciting, it’s challenging, and it’s up to you to shape the audience’s experience of a story as you exercise total creative control. Of course, this isn’t to say the job is an easy one. All too often, less experienced directors get so caught up in the multi-faceted nature of the role (liaising with department heads, making creative decisions, honing their “vision”), they can lose sight of the core skill set required: working with actors to bring a text to life. Offer more guidance to actors who are newer to the process. This might include breaking down the scene in more detail or offering a more specific direction.

Consider working with a dialogue coach or enlisting the help of a fellow actor to run lines with the struggling actor. For example, say you have a scene in which a character should display sadness. Your actor is struggling to present the emotion and you want to bring the sadness out of him. It would not be wise to say “try and look sadder”. Adrienne:I’m going to eat soup while we talk. Musicbed: Please do. So how did you end up becoming a director and a directing coach? Due to the intimate and emotional nature of the work, actors will have a relationship to one another different from any other relationships among the crew, and it will be important to be mindful of how they treat one another on set. “It’s very unprofessional for an actor to criticize another actor’s performance. You want to make sure it doesn’t happen in front of other people,” Weston warns, and it will be your job as the director to avoid such situations.

For many actors, it offers them an opportunity to meet the other cast for the first time. Thus it’s a great opportunity for them to build a rapport not only with the other actors but also characters.

Removing Redundancy: Cutting out repetitive scenes, dialogue, or descriptions that don't add to the story. Redundancies can slow down the pace and bore the audience. To equip you with the skills and techniques to elicit great performances. To teach you professional preparation techniques for great performances. To give you confidence to talk to your actors with knowledge and insight. Who should attend Directing actors can be a little scary, particularly if your only directing experience is in the theater and you’re stepping into an environment where the whole production is shut down just to capture your one shot. But, as with anything else in directing, you’ll find that you’ve been doing it all along. The best way to get started is to practice. Read books about movies and watch movies that you like and try to analyze them, think about what makes them good or bad, what you like or dislike about the director’s style. Don’t assume your actors are mind readers. Illustrate how you want your scenes to unfold because as director, you call the shots. Actors are expecting you to lead the way.Fall in love with your characters. When you judge or categorize a character, you are inviting stereotype and cliché. Many moons ago Lee Cohn decided to write a book with a few of our NYU classmates entitled A Practical Handbook for the Actor. Over the years I have either gifted or recommended said book to actors young and old.　Lee’s teachings have always been one of the sharpest and most necessary blades I carry as an actor. Mr. Cohn now gifts us with his solo effort. Read it and watch your talent grow before your eyes! Buy this book! If you can’t afford it, steal it!"

While communicating with the technical film crew members, these result-orientated directions can make total sense. If you say take it up a notch to the gaffer ( the person responsible for setting up the lights), they will know exactly what you mean. But for communicating with most actors, these directions are too vague for interpretation because they can mean too many things. Treat them like you understand that their time is valuable–because you do, even if it’s only a small amount of time. Treat them like they’re kings and queens, and they’ll repay that respect by giving you their best work. Dr. Michael Peter Bolus, PhD, Liberal Arts Department Chair, Los Angeles Film School; author; actor My Name is Dolomite Imprecise directing is a tell-tale sign of the inexperienced filmmaker. Imprecise filmmakers are usually the same directors who get enraged at actors who fail to hit their marks.

Know what you want

And then — secondly — that visceral, emotional energy needs to be directed toward achieving a goal. The actor needs to know her objective. One of the hallmarks of bad acting is self-consciousness, and the way you overcome self-consciousness is by putting the actor’s focus on what she is trying to accomplish in the scene. They have to get into character, and they have to be able to let go of their egos enough so they can fully inhabit their roles. When everyone around them is contentious, hostile or competitive, it makes it much harder for them to do their jobs well. Look at things from the actor’s point of view. If actors feel that you understand their problems, they will have fewer complaints about your direction. In my books I try to give directors guidance into the actor’s world and the actor’s tools. But a wise director will learn how actors work and feel by taking an acting class yourself.