In my opinion, you can't train them. Unless you happen to be an experienced acting coach, and have a great deal of time on your hands (like, a year or more, just to start).
I was kind of thinking of coaches as a given. I mean that in the theoretical sense, btw. This is all just me wondering about this and that, I won't be making any movies for a long time yet.
Unfortunately, when pooling your resources from "real" people, casting isn't so much who is right for the role, but who is nice enough and excited enough to want to take part (and actually show up when they say they will). "Real" people have "real" jobs, so you kinda just gotta count your blessings, and role with what you've got.
Again, good advice no doubt, but I'm talking theory atm. E.g., assume you can pay people, even better than their "real" jobs, if that helps.
Some people have a natural charisma that comes to life when they're in front of a camera; others turn into cardboard robots instantly.
At the risk of just going on my own intuition and speculation, I agree. And most are the latter. I don't really believe in EQ as a rival to IQ but you have to admit some people just have that "something," a personality where they could probably just walk on and start acting (competently, again, not necessarily academy award material), especially once you get them used enough to performing for the camera that they're totally comfortable (I come from a family full of hams and soapbox-standers). I suppose that's kinda what I'm wondering about here - how far a few weeks or months of training can take people like that, assuming some natural talent, some motivation, and a good director.
You'll find yourself feeding them lines, telling them exactly what to say and how to say it (an extremely bad habit that does not bode well when working with experienced actors).
So you're saying a director in this position should be careful not to apply his experience in this regard to experienced actors?
It can be a frustrating endeavor; it'll require patience and a whole lot of moxy. But I believe it's how almost all of us start out. So, best of luck, and have fun!
Frustrating is another of those things I was wondering about. If you have these goals, how to cut one's losses sooner rather than later? I guess experience is the best guide?
Thanks for the luck but it's all theoretical for me at this point. Just thinking out loud.
Call it the speculative psychometrics of acting.