Directing Actors: Creating Memorable Performances for Film and Television

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A table read is the first type of rehearsal you should do with your actors. It consists of you sat around a table with your actors, reeling off lines. Here, you can figure out what works and what doesn’t in terms of delivery. 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. This will give you an idea of their comedic timing and what kind of things they can do well, which will allow you to make them look better as an actor on screen. This point is interlinked with the fourth consideration: casting relationships. There’s a reason many directors will work with the same actors again and again. With time comes a deeper relationship with shorthands that can be invaluable on set. Consider, too, the relationship the actor will need to have with other actors in other roles. Is there chemistry?

If you want people to open up for you in front of the camera, I believe you need to open up as the director to them.

DIRECTING WITH NEW EYES

I had a few bits of technique, but I didn’t really know how I was getting these good performances. It was mostly instinct. But as I started teaching, I became aware of the things I was doing over and over again that worked. Very gradually a method began to form. Now I have a very precise method that’s a distillation of almost 30 years of directing actors. Rehearsals are a critical time to continue building the connections you started in the casting process. At the start of the rehearsal period, it’s advisable to meet with each principal actor one-on-one and ask them some fundamental questions about the role: why did they take the job? How do they feel connected to the script or the character? What do they think the story is about? While asking these questions, don’t forget to open up about these things yourself; it’s important to tell them why you feel a connection to it and why you want to direct. “You will save time if the project is based on connection, so this is a really important thing to do,” says Weston. A good director will arrive at the beat through other indirect means. “Why don’t you try sitting down when he says that?” may result in an actor naturally playing a scene more dejectedly, for example. How to direct actors on set Directing actors in rehearsal This doesn’t work as well when you direct younger and less experienced actors. The trouble with younger actors is that they are actually looking for a strong direction. With them, you can act almost like a sculptor, molding their performances and eventually molding themselves as actors. It is important to be a resource for an actor and allow them to ask whatever questions they need to properly prepare for the role. Some directors go as far as providing music, historical letters, or characters within cinema for inspiration.

Paperwork: Prep all call-sheets and schedules well ahead of time. Actors hate last-minute arrangements because it leaves them unprepared. Set the stage for the actor to simply turn up and do their job. Dr. Michael Peter Bolus, PhD, Liberal Arts Department Chair, Los Angeles Film School; author; actor My Name is Dolomite

A MUCH BIGGER PICTURE

Get in the pool." Don't make your actors feel like they're performing for you. Instead, take part in the creative process together. 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.

Offer line reading suggestions or try breaking the scene down into smaller chunks to make it easier for the actor to remember. This can be a mental direction, like asking them to think about somebody they hate while playing the character in the scene.Or this can be a physical direction like doing 20 push-ups, going on a verbal rant about something that irritates them, screaming their lungs out for as long as possible, and then diving straight into the scene. 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. Give them ample space and more time. If they need an extra 10 minutes to work on their character in their dressing room, so be it. Make sure you spend time talking to them one-on-one a lot more than in a group. These are typically introverted actors that really become one with the characters. One of the most important components of great artistic collaboration is trust. And trust is a two-way street. This means that if you wish for your actors to trust you and your vision as a director, you must also trust them as an actor.

FULL PRODUCTION

Rehearsal is one of the most misunderstood and controversial steps in the acting/directing process. Some directors prefer not to rehearse at all. Steven Spielberg famously believes it kills spontaneity. Other directors, however, believe rehearsal is the lifeblood of a performance. So which is it?