directing Advice on directing actors between takes?

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r_z_

I'm directing my first short soon. After watching a few videos, and reading a few directing books, I'm seeing that it's a good idea to pull an actor aside to give them notes, instead of in front of the other cast and crew.

I’ve seen many posts, videos, essays, etc. on using the right words, and speaking the actors’ language, but I'm trying to figure out the actual mechanics of it. It feels like pulling someone aside between **every** take draws as much attention as just giving quick direction from where I am; especially if there isn't a lot of resetting for the rest of the crew to do.

Can someone go into the nuts and bolts of how they give or have been given notes from directors they’ve enjoyed working with? I’m looking for things like:

Are actors pulled aside after every take?

If only one actor is getting notes for that scene, are they separated from their scene partner? Or are they given the notes together?

What are the words used? Is it something like: “Cut! Good, thank you. Everyone take a minute. John/Jane can I get a second over here?” > Walks to side area to give notes.

Basically, what does giving notes "look like" after saying ”Cut”?

Thanks!
 
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Depends. Each actor's different, the notes they require are different, and each Director is different. I've worked with Directors who scream at the actor from video village, including in the middle of a take, and I've worked with Directors who will walk over and quietly speak with an actor in between takes, whilst resetting. I've worked with Directors who don't watch the monitor, and stand near camera watching the actors. I've worked with Directors who yell cut and then turn to an actor and simply say 'more' or 'bigger'.

I think it will mostly depend on what you're after and what your actor responds best to. One of my favourite Directors to work with is softly-spoken and very chill, and will quietly and quickly speak to an actor between takes if needed. Or they'll have them do an exercise. Or breath. Or we'll do something funky to get something out of the performance - this can be done as a rehearsal, or while the camera's rolling.

It doesn't have to be anything structured, and keeping in mind that actors will generally respond better to as few words as possible in the middle of giving a performance (they've got enough to think about as is), it doesn't seem necessary to pull people to a 'side area' to chat at length about the scene, unless you're really struggling to get what you need.
 
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Jax already wrote a lot of what I came here to say. The above is excellent advice. I'll reinforce one thing. Focus on keeping it minimal. I've made the error of giving too many notes at once, and usually that results in a deer in headlights look on screen, as the actor tries to parse and balance the 3 seperate notes I gave them. Figure out what's MOST important, tell them that, and trust them to figure out the rest. If that doesn't work, your issue may be a casting thing, rather than a note quality thing.
 
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