Film Form – Working with Actors
Film FormCatriona hosted a workshop on working with actors that I found to be very insightful as a writer-director. It was great hearing directly from actors about how they work best, what directing approaches do and don’t work, and the thought processes when undertaking a role.
From the Actors to Directors
Pose things as a question.
- “Let’s try this” or “Could we try this instead?”
- Don’t say: “Don’t do this/that”.
Give actors time to process any directorial notes after a take.
Remember that whatever you do as the director sets the tone for the entire set – this goes for your mood as well.
- Any emotion or tension – from the director or crew – will come into the scene.
How you solve issues – especially if done un-professionally – will distract the actors and make the crew feel uncomfortable and tense.
Have conversations about characters prior to rehearsals.
Say everything you want to say in pre-production.
Actors know you’re still learning. Be confident and strong. You’re not an aspiring writer or director. Take responsibility for the creative process. Make spectacular mistakes.
Actors want to accommodate. Don’t be afraid to ask for exactly what you want.
Younger directors tend to be end-result oriented. I want the scene to be bigger, the person to be angrier… You give a note that is the end result. Actors are process-oriented. Why am I angry? What is the impulse that is making me upset? Any time you give a note you need to think how your character is feeling/thinking in this moment?
Never give a line reading. Do not give an example of how you want it to be said.
Consider the setting and how that affects how actors move and operate within that space.
Consider the dramatic stakes – are they high, low, does it change throughout the scene?
More dramatic = higher stakes.
Less dramatic = lower stakes.
Use action/active verbs or words.
Think of the characters you’ve created and ask yourself these questions: What do they have to lose? How would they react in this situation?
What is an excerpt/side?
Sides are excerpts of the script. They are different sides of the script being brought together. Send them to the actors. Sides are not meant to be placed together in the story. Sides are intended to show a wider range of emotion.
Don’t expect people to have memorised the sides.
Ask for permission before recording any castings or auditions.
Actor will say name and representative for the casting tape.
Informal chat to put actor at ease.
Remind actors of the shoot dates.
Hot seat (for screen test) – ask actor questions about the character or story. They don’t need to respond verbally. Get a feel for their emotional embodiment or response to the questions. Pretend you’re a peripheral character or fictional character to ask these questions.
Give an actor actions to do if there’s physical requirements.
Improv and other exercises are better saved for recalls or rehearsals.
- Recall – invite an actor back, potentially with another actor. Functions as a second audition and do it before you offer people the part. Narrow down pool of applicants.
Never offer a role in the room.
Include casting dates on a casting call — but some actors will see that and not apply.
Wait a few days to a week to hear back from applicants.
Inform them whether or not you will be contacting all or only successful applicants.
Bring your most up-to-date draft.
Wait until your cast have accepted the roles before sending out rejections.
Template contract for actors.
Spend time acting yourself – challenges that actors face. Working in theatre helps directors fear the rehearsal less.
Be adaptable to your actors.