Directing Actors

I've studied hell out of the visual, technical, financial aspects of being a director. I've also read on directing actors, but this I know can not be learned by reading a book.

There's a lot of acting classes near my area, and I've heard it be recommended to take lessons to understand what it is to act. Are there any other tips/suggestions as to how I can expand on this?
 
Hi there, usually I find it easier to work with a director that has done some acting previously. Perhaps besides acting workshops, you could try acting in some student films too?
 
The best thing you can do with your actors is to talk to them before hand to let them know what's expected of them and get them on the page as far as their character is concerned.

I'm very specific with my actors in telling them what I want fom them, but I also give them room to find and develop their own character. It's kind of a fine line, and your right; it can't be leaned from a book...
 
Yeah, most of everything I read or have watched on the topic says the best way to grasp directing actors is to understand what it means to be an actor, which means taking some classes. You don't have to take a lot of classes or try to master acting, but one or two classes will help you understand how to work with an actor - what it means when you ask them to do something, how to ask them to do something effectively and most importantly how to get the best performance out of them.

Remember, it is your vision but it is still a collaborative effort and you need to understand the skill set as to effectively communicate your vision, recognize the right performance that meets the needs of your scene(s) and understand how to get the best performance out of them.

I plan on taking a class or two myself but in the meantime I am making my way through a few DVDs - Uta Hagen's acting class and Sanford Meisner Master Class - and books on the topic.

I hope this was of some help on this topic. Good luck.
 
Besides classes, look at developing your communication and interpersonal skills. Learning how to work with different personality types will go along way as different people behave differently.

I'd also highly recommend doing a read through or ten with the cast before shooting.
 
Well there are many ways you could learn to do better with actors.

But it's just the same as managing a big company or store. No matter which type of "style" you learn, you can get people who work differently.

Many actors hail to a certain school of acting. And if you don't know that school, you can't do as well when talking to them, as if you did.

So i'd rather go broad, and try my hand at a bit of everything. Try being in a theather play, and then try acting on camera. Play with it a bit, perhaps take an acting course.

Or you could go the other way, and learn leadership and communication skills. This is also very helpful not only with the actors, but also with the crew at the same time. It's all about getting your point communicated well enough.

You can also hire your actors depending on how they work. Some actors want tons of input, others very little, and some don't even need any input.

Some of the great hollywood directors give constant directions, others admit they know nothing and let's the actors do their thing.

but as jmoschner said, it's all about communication. Develop these, become a salesman, and you are golden in my eyes.
 
You are right to inquire, because understanding the Actor/Director dynamic is often overlooked. Actors have a specific approach to their work, and very specific words they use when they talk about it. You need to learn this, ot they will immediately regard you as an outsider. I came from a stage acting BG so I was familiar with the concepts.

This was my path to understanding how to relate to film actors:

LEARN A LITTLE ACTING - Took some film acting classes (not stage, but film). Since I have not aspirations to be in front of the camera, there was no need to find the best Instructor, I was there to learn what an actor goes through on set ... get inside their world. - It's harder than it looks.

READ THESE BOOKS
The best books on relating with Actors that I've found. She speaks directly to the issue of how to give the Actor playable notes, as opposed to using words or requests that make them shut down.

TAKE THIS WORKSHOP
Reading one of Judith's books is a prerequisite of the workshop. She reviews the approach in her books, and then you apply them in real-life scenarios. WARNING: You will be doing a lot of acting in this workshop. I found it long and emotionally draining, but it's incredibly rewarding and by the end you are confident you can deal with actors on their terms. Expensive, and absolutely worth it.

I'm not stumping for Judith. I am merely a student of the craft.

ROK
 
At least take a few workshops. Even as a Sound Designer taking a few acting workshops (and directing and film editing workshops) made me a much better dialog (and other film audio) editor.
 
Thanks to everyone for the advice. I have a couple of friends who are in (TV and film) acting classes and will weasel my way into a couple of sessions.

I always have to keep in mind that part of what makes a good director great is their ability to direct actors. That's why Kubrick wasn't perfect- he barely got a performance out of a lot of his actors because of his obsession over the technical aspects! :O
 
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