As I said above, directing is 80% casting. When I say this, I don't just mean the 'type' or 'look' or 'personality'...I mainly am talking about straight-up talent...skill. If you cast a GOOD actor, more than half the battle with character, blocking, action, reaction, and overall choices are already brought to the table when shooting begins. The difference between casting an experienced actor and a random friend is night and day. And really, the goal of independent filmmakers is to befriend the talented actors, and keep them coming back.
When you hire a bad actor, you just have to understand that most of this bad performance will be handled in the editing room (you can also use reaction shots more often if the other actor is decent enough). There are so many techniques to directing, it’s really hard to create a definitive guide…at least not in a single post.
As an actor who has worked in the craft for over 15 years, I’ve had the chance to work on many stage productions, and dozens of shorts and features. Every now and then you'll run into a real bastard of a director...these are the ones I personally avoid, no matter how good the production...don't get me wrong, it's good to have a LITTLE bit of bastard in a director...for the most part though, most directors are harmless, safe, and easy to get along with. These are usually the ones that don’t try and mold an insanely complicated character from an actor…especially an actor that simply can’t absorb ideas and direction and realistically, lucidly play these ideas and concepts. Most indie, unknown directors don’t want to over-step their bounds…whatever that means—they know no one is being paid, and they feel ‘lucky’ to have their entire production cast. Personally…I think this attitude is bollocks. Directors should take responsibility for who they cast, and how they massage out of the script, the character they envision.
First thing you want to do is cast someone you trust…someone you’re confident will bring to the production something fresh, highly workable, and interesting. You have to trust they will ‘understand’ where the script is coming from. And if you don’t know this, at least know that they will be mold-able.
A director can gently nudge an actor during takes to get what they want. This may mean telling them a story, giving a backstory, explaining to the actor what just came previously, or in the best cases the director will tell the actor an action or emotion they want them to play that does NOT relate directly to what the director wants. This technique is usually employed by veteran directors, but is also being taught at a handful of schools around the world. What this technique does is get the actor to move, feel, and play to the camera the way the audience is meant to see it, without clogging up the actor’s processes. Instead of saying, “You’re so in love with her. You’ve realized you want to be with her forever, and you don’t know how to handle that. You’ve just made love for the first time and you’re so emotional you’re almost in shock” OK OK…instead of throwing all of that to the actor, why not say, “You’ve just made love to the women you want to marry, and you’ve suddenly become very cold, and begin to shake.”
Directors have to be creative about how they pull performances from actors. You can’t always just tell them what you want…you have to understand how actors think, as well as how the audience will perceive an action. Crafting what you want can be as easy as breaking it down into movements and blocking…tone…however you want to get that tonality is up to you. Have the actor play something entirely different, as long as it PLAYS appropriately to the camera and audience.
I could write a book on this, but I’ll save you the painful read. I’ll end by telling you what I like in a director…I like a director that trust what they cast for one…second, I like a director that gives a breakdown of the character, and then allows an actor to play with what they feel is right—either at rehearsal or during actual takes. If the director then sees that they want something different, I like a director that feels free to express what they want, and if they aren’t getting what they want, they can creatively bring the performance out of the actor. Thirdly, I like a director that will pull aside an actor if they just can’t get what they are looking for…no need to make an actor feel incompetent in front of the entire cast and crew. Fourthly, I like a director that says ‘Nice job, looking good. Good take’ after a take…I don’t need high praise…but I do want to know if that’s a good direction I’m going with the scene. Saying nothing after a take is brutal for actors. Know that. Remember that. You don’t have to stroke our egos…you simply have to approve or disapprove. Anything. And lastly, please don’t give a line reading, unless you’ve tried all other methods. Make sure you exhaust all your techniques before you give that wonderful line reading some of you love to give…trust me, a good actor will ASK for a line reading before you have to force it. :
Thanks everyone for reading.
