Dealing With Actors Who Don't Know Their Lines

J

JLV02

So this weekend I directed a script I wrote for a short film. Our crew was great and everything was looking really good. We only had one, MAJOR issue. Both lead actors didn't KNOW their lines! I don't mean like a flub here and a flub there kind of thing. They legitimately couldn't get through three lines in the scene without completely forgetting their lines. It was clear both of these guys probably looked over the script once or twice before coming on set. It was a 15 page script and they got the script about thirty days in advance. Both did a really good job when they actually got the words right, so I'd be interested in working with them again, IF they do their prep. Both of them got agitated when I was frustrated and clearly a tad upset with them regarding their lack of preparation. Was I in the wrong for being a bit upset? Also, I've known both of these guys for awhile and worked with them previously,( I saw this issue in very very small doses, but it never really became a problem before) would it be crossing the line if I spoke to them directly and privately about the issue to help them on future projects and hopefully make working with them in the future a real possibility? I can't stress how little they knew the script...We spent an hour and forty five minutes on ONE LINE.

Also, anyone been in a similar situation and have any comments/advice?

Thanks.
 
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JLV02 said:
a 15 page script and they got the script about thirty days in advance. (...) I'd be interested in working with them again
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Really? :hmm:

If what you say is accurate, these actor-wannabes have zero respect for what you are trying to create.

These knuckleheads have had their shot. There's no shortage of better & more well-prepared actors. You need to do what's best for your production.
 
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first; Welcome to indietalk.

No. I have never been in a similar situation.

I, too, have to ask why are you interested in working with them
again? These guys have no respect for you or the crew.

JLV02 said:
would it be crossing the line if I spoke to them directly and privately about the issue to help them on future projects and hopefully make working with them in the future a real possibility?
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I know you're emotional about this and I'm not - I don't know you
and I don't know these guys - but think about what you're asking
here. You're a director asking if it's crossing a line to expect actors
to do the one thing they are on set to do - say their lines while the
camera is running.

If it were me I would never work with either of them again. But
this isn't about me. You want to work with these guys again so
I think you may need to ask them (tell them) that on the next
movie you expect them to know their lines.
 
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One question -- did you explicitly state, or even imply, beforehand, that they were supposed to come to the set with lines memorized? It's not at all unusual, particularly on unpaid jobs, for actors to rehearse and memorize their lines on set, with the director.
 
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It was your point, CF. Many film actors do not memorize the entire script
before the shoot. Some memorize just the days pages. Some work scene
by scene

I'm thinking back to my first few movies - all amateurs, no one getting
paid - and I don't ever remember having the problems JLV had. Almost
two hours to remember one line? Give me one hour and I could memorize
Hamlet's famous Nunnery soliloquy. And I'm no actor.
 
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Right. I'm just saying that it's a poor reflection on them if they don't have them memorized by the time cameras roll. So, maybe it's not such a bad thing to show up for call time without having them memorized, but they better get to work as soon as they arrive.
 
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Both did a really good job when they actually got the words right, so I'd be interested in working with them again, IF they do their prep.
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I'm sure you've heard the saying: What's the definition of insanity? Doing the same thing, over and over again, expecting a different outcome.

Look at it like this. So this time it's your actors who come unprepared and hold up the production nearly 2 hours and you encourage that by hiring them again. Next time, your DOP comes without reading the shot list. The time after that, the First AD comes to set and starts to work out what we're doing for the day. Next time, everyone comes 3 hours late since nothing ever happens in the first 3 hours. Are these the kind of actions you want to reward (by hiring again)?

I had a DOP come unprepared once. It hurt the quality of our production and made almost everything take longer than it should have. Should I reward that kind of action by bringing them on again if I didn't believe there was a reasonable expectation it wouldn't happen again?

would it be crossing the line if I spoke to them directly and privately about the issue to help them on future projects and hopefully make working with them in the future a real possibility?
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Not really, but do you really see it as your job to educate the rest of the world? Wouldn't your time be better spent looking for a someone who is more professional.
 
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Took this dude two hours to say 3 lines in my first short.
And his performance was abysmal. Never using him again for a wide variety of reasons.

He was also sending video of himself masturbating to the women on set that I introduced him to.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbNsdDz4pFs

Anyway, the answer to your question is a simple one.
It's called a REHEARSAL.

I did not rehearse with this guy and I'm sure it would have made a big difference.

Edit: Having said all that, NEVER ONCE did I express frustration or being upset with anyone. Even when they showed up 2 or 3 hours late. I wasn't paying them, when it comes down to it they were doing ME the favor.
 
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I think we should have different expectations for actors who are legitimately actors, vs friends/family that we've coaxed to help us out.

The former are truly passionate about what they're doing, and have taken great lengths to improve their skills, whether through formal education or just a vast amount of experience.

The latter are being really nice by volunteering to help our fledgling projects, and we shouldn't expect them to be so natural at it. Acting is hard!

Either way, I'm definitely a fan of rehearsals. I know that some great filmmakers espouse the benefits of shooting without rehearsal, but I'm not them, and I don't have their budgets. Rehearse.
 
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sfoster said:
Took this dude two hours to say 3 lines in my first short.
And his performance was abysmal. Never using him again for a wide variety of reasons.

He was also sending video of himself masturbating to the women on set that I introduced him to.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbNsdDz4pFs

Anyway, the answer to your question is a simple one.
It's called a REHEARSAL.

I did not rehearse with this guy and I'm sure it would have made a big difference.

Edit: Having said all that, NEVER ONCE did I express frustration or being upset with anyone. Even when they showed up 2 or 3 hours late. I wasn't paying them, when it comes down to it they were doing ME the favor.
Click to expand...


This is kind of harsh posting this. It's like a public shaming of someone who worked on your short for free. Not very cool. Regardless if this guy was being a douche or not... morally you owe this guy...he worked for you...most likely for free. Your job as a director is to make the film look good and if the actors aren't great then your job is to make them look better than they are because you hired them. You could have gone with anyone else. If actors catch that you're releasing this kind of stuff they'd never work for you. I wouldn't. I do a ton of improv and am a comic. I say shit on a set for a scene or just in jest that I don't mean and out of context could make me look like an ass. Knowing that you'd do this would be an immediate reason for me not to work on your project.

That said....if you were to hire professional actors...you wouldn't have this problem. All you gotta do is do a sag new media contract and hire some folks that you've auditioned that are union. I go in to reading for series regulars with 2 days of notice. 2 to 3 scenes and about 15 pages of dialogue and I'll have coached with a private coach for one to two hours, and spent the entire 2 days prepping. I'm off book when I go into the room for the 1st audition even if its a preread. By the time I get to a callback...forget it...I am the character. Chemistry read...bam. That said I've spent the last 6 years doing this professionally day in and day out. I'm not saying to expect this...but I would almost be willing to bet that you didn't audition this guy, right?

To the OP....same goes with you. Hire people that know what they are doing. I've done a lot of indie stuff...and each set is very different. Some have rehearsals...some have one rehearsal and you shoot. Dialogue on indie isn't always great...making it even more difficult to memorize. Having worked on TV....you can have legit rehearsal days (depending on the type of show) but if you're a guest star or co star on that show you'll already have been 99.999 percent off book already.

If this situation comes up again stop the scene. Don't get angry...because it will show in the actors work. They'll be nervous or annoyed...etc. Have the actors pick up their scripts and run it 3 or 4 times until they are feeling it. Don't start filming until the guys off book and comfortable off book.
 
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Bez that guy was a complete tool and tried to derail the entire film halfway through production. Also he was the one actor that I gave money for being in the film.

If I really wanted to shame him I would post the video of him masturbating that was forwarded to me.
Don't be a total creep and embarrass the hell out of me for introducing you to my friends, don't turn on the entire production and try to screw over every single actor and crew involved in the project.. and you will get nothing but respect from me. I don't owe him anything :)

What started this whole falling out between the two of us. I tagged a mutual acquaintance on Facebook for being a rapist. The acquaintance has raped at least 5 people that I know of. Friends of mine. And then this douche 'actor' started defending him, blocked me on Facebook, and went to war against the film. What the fuck!! yes siding with a rapist.

If an actor has a problem with me posting this, I will explain to them.. do not publicly defend someone who has raped friends of mine, and you won't have a problem with me.. if they can't understand that, then I don't want them in my film anyway. Because they are not someone I can relate to. and they're most likely a huge douche themselves for perpetuating rape culture
 
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keep-ye-pimp-hand-strong-l1.gif
 
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Thanks for the advice, everyone.


We had one rehearsal and after the rehearsal, which went fine with our scripts in hand at all times, I informed both of them that they needed to have their lines down by the shoot date. They were unpaid, but both have acted in several short films and one is pursuing acting, while the other is semi-interested in pursuing it. Also, seeing how I specifically asked them to know their lines by production, it still sort of ticks me off. The main reason I still showed interest in working with them is for two reasons. The first being I worked with both of them on a short film last summer that did very well in a few festivals and would hope to duplicate that success sometime. Two, as I edit the footage, their performances are pretty strong once they get the lines down. However, as I've thought about it and taken many advice(including some here) in to consideration, I am not planning on working with these guys again at least in the near future, maybe never. It's just not fair to my crew and everyone else involved and it's honestly too big of a risk when I can find other actors just as good who will take it more seriously.
 
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You're almost inevitability going to find people that do things that annoy you, so in the future, let people know whether or not lines need to be memorized. If someone delivers a good performance and doesn't become too much of an issue for production, then go for it! But if they are complicating the production, worsening the quality of the film, or risking the film not getting made, then you should either A) have a serious talk with them or B) just find someone else. If you let actors know that they should have their lines down by once the camera starts rolling and they don't, they're both disrespecting you and the film. They are actors and that is their job. And like most jobs, you have to complete the tasks that your boss sets in front of you. Unless you are working with family or friends (which you're not in this case), don't go forward working with these people.
 
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