Directing Actors: Creating Memorable Performances for Film and Television

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The more specific the actors are, then the more real and interesting the performance will be for the audience. If it’s not clear who the characters are, then what they want and why will not be clear either. Whether it’s the telling of stories, or the working with great people, or the alluring power of the position: you’re likely to want to direct again after your first try. And you should. It’s a lot of fun! Each time you direct something, challenge yourself with a more difficult task. Find other scenes from unfamiliar work, or a scene from something you’ve always hated. If you’ve worked with a larger number of actors, consider a two-hander or even a monologue. If you’re very courageous: direct yourself (of course, that is its own article and then some…) Other times, you may learn something about yourself as a director. Either way, it’s a good experience overall. There are a few things you must do if you want to be a good listener: Pay attention: Keep your eyes on the actor and listen to every word they say! Don’t get distracted by other things going on around you.

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. No one likes to be compared to anyone, so don't tell your actors to "act like" or "be like" a certain actor, or give a performance similar to one of theirs, because you're not inspiring them, you're actually just insulting them. When I started transitioning from theater into film, I saw this firsthand. Filmmakers would work so hard to get everything together for their films, and then it would come to the moment when they had to direct the actor on set, and it wouldn’t work out. There was a serious problem there. Set boundaries. When it comes to communication, I believe there are two golden rules. The first is to take no shit but do no harm. And the second is to treat people the way you want to be treated yourself. Communicating clear boundaries and expectations at the start with all of your actors in a firm but fair way will help you set the boudaries. Then start making your own short films, because only then will the whole process become more clear to you and you’ll learn that by doing. But if you want to start right now, then pay close attention to the below tips on how to be a better director:

A FULL RANGE

This leads us to our next tip which is effective at creating authentic performance — building the circumstances around them. How to Direct Actors for Film 6. Establish the circumstance of a scene

I was listening to Alex Ferrari’s Indie Film Hustle podcast where he spoke about a filmmaker who hired John Malcovich for his first film. Read through the previous and current scene you are about to film before you start filming. Make notes on the characters emotions. Remember to keep the emotions consistent. 3. Have some time alone with the actors With non-actors, it’s best to keep them in a comfortable role and again, establish a trusting relationship. “Even for professional actors, sets are intimidating. For non-actors, can you imagine how intimidating that is?” says Weston. Additionally, it’s best to avoid over-complicating the role. “Sometimes people say they want to be in a movie but they don’t know what’s involved. It’s better for non-actors to be in smaller roles without too many lines.” 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 attendIn this article, we are going to discuss the process of directing a single scene—film, television, theatre, any medium you can conjure. If you’ve grand designs for the director’s chair, we guarantee that this is the best place for you to start. Start with a scene, make it sing. The rest will fall into place from there. #1 Know The Material

Weston advises directors to be as up front as possible and let actors know, “You can say anything you want to me. You can be mad at me, you can complain about any member of the team, as long as you do it privately to me alone. In return, I will listen to anything you have to say, even if it seems unfair… and I will fix it if I can.” According to Weston, the key to this conversation is adding, “As long as nobody else can hear. We have to make sure there’s no criticism or yelling in front of anybody.” Determine how much direction (if any) they need from you as a director so that you can get what you want from them in the final product. The next thing is to make sure that every actor knows exactly what’s going on in the script and what their character wants. This can be done by discussing it with them individually or in group meetings, depending on how many actors are in the production. F ocusing on Key Themes: Economy in storytelling is also about ensuring that the central themes and messages of the story are clear and not diluted by too many diverging ideas or motifs.First and foremost, let the actor know exactly how they should feel with every direction that you give them. If the scene is supposed to be funny, then make sure they know it’s supposed to be funny. If it’s supposed to be sad, make sure they know that too. If it’s supposed to be dramatic…you get the picture. This is where you run into a problem because asking an actor to do what you would do in a scene is not always the best way for them to perform their best. Coaching an actor to “be angrier” is not helpful. Try, instead, asking the actor what’s going on for him or her and use that information to help them tell the story. If you’re working with anger, your job as a director is to help the actor find his or her inner anger so it feels real.