Rehearsing

ussinners

ussinners

I worked in live theatre for ten years. Theatre is the complete opposite of film. So, rehearsing is different.

I did not rehearse for my first movie. Everyone had the script for at least a month (shooting took 5 months). I set up shooting days, told them what scenes we'd be shooting, and they came prepared. We blocked, and repeated takes till they were perfect.

THANK GOD I had a fabulous and talented cast. They were professional every second we were together. It was a joy to be around them.

But, we didn't rehearse. For this project, I wanted to hold a rehearsal because everyone (But me and Leslie) are new. I know how long it took to shoot, and I figured if we got together once or twice, we can work out emotions, meaning of the dialogue that might not be apparent (boy is it NOT apparent)... This would give everyone a chance to get a feel for their character.

I expected no one to be off script. But, if someone had the script for 2 - 4 weeks, am I expecting too much for them to know something? A line here or there. Perhaps a scene. Is that seriously asking too much?

Is it too much to ask a person who has had the script at least 2 weeks to have their dialogue highlighted?
 
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'Skype' is your friend!

Why not have a conversation with them individually prior to the actual rehearsal to see how they're getting on - any probs, can you enlighten them about subtext/emotion of particular scene etc.

So when you all get together, everyone has a better understanding and all can get the most from the rehearsal.

Then a couple of days after have more 'skype' meetings - repeat and rinse ;-)

All the very best with this, Jim.
 
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I, too, came from theater. I still direct theatre so I can relate.
The difference I have found is for the stage the actors need to
know the entire book at some point - on a movie they never
need to memorize the entire script.

I have found that actors with theatre experience have different
methods than actors with only movie experience.
ussinners said:
I expected no one to be off script. But, if someone had the script for 2 - 4 weeks, am I expecting too much for them to know something? A line here or there. Perhaps a scene. Is that seriously asking too much?

Is it too much to ask a person who has had the script at least 2 weeks to have their dialogue highlighted?
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This sounds like you have a specific issue with specific actors. Am I
reading too much into your question?

I have worked with actors who never highlight their dialogue. I have
worked with actors who don't begin to memorize lines until after
the blocking rehearsal. I have worked with an actor who writes out
his dialogue in a notebook and doesn't use the script at all. I worked
with a brilliant actor who told me she would come to one read through
but no more and that she wouldn't even look at the script again until
the shooting day.

Of course it depends on the director, but I think it is asking too much
to expect actors to prepare in one way. In my method of working with
actors all I expect is that they deliver. How they get there is up to them.
I do understand that if an actor is unprepared and slows down the
production there is an issue.
 
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directorik said:
This sounds like you have a specific issue with specific actors. Am I
reading too much into your question?
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I do. Unfortunately it's the leads. Which means starting over from practically scratch.

directorik said:
I have worked with actors who never highlight their dialogue.
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They highlighted while other scenes were being rehearsed. So, they highlight. Just not for the 3 weeks they had the script.

directorik said:
I worked with a brilliant actor who told me she would come to one read through
but no more and that she wouldn't even look at the script again until the shooting day.
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I'm guessing you're familiar with their work. Because if you knew absolutely nothing about them, and they said that, would you have kept them?

directorik said:
Of course it depends on the director, but I think it is asking too much to expect actors to prepare in one way.
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Everything screams laziness. I can put up with a lot. But, I despise laziness.

It was not a good night. I think the phrase "complete waste of my time" is appropriate.
 
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ussinners said:
I'm guessing you're familiar with their work. Because if you knew absolutely nothing about them, and they said that, would you have kept them?
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Nope. I had never met her before the audition. When she returned
for the call back she told me she didn't like read throughs but would
do one. And that she didn't like anything but blocking rehearsals. She
told me some directors didn't like her method and if I didn't she wouldn't
waste any of my time by going through the call back.

I had no problem with her method. She was a brilliant actor who I used
three times.

ussinners said:
It was not a good night. I think the phrase "complete waste of my time" is appropriate.
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Sorry to hear that. I guess you have a very specific method you expect
actors to follow. Are you going to recast them?
 
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ussinners said:
I worked in live theatre for ten years. Theatre is the complete opposite of film. So, rehearsing is different.

I did not rehearse for my first movie. Everyone had the script for at least a month (shooting took 5 months). I set up shooting days, told them what scenes we'd be shooting, and they came prepared. We blocked, and repeated takes till they were perfect.

THANK GOD I had a fabulous and talented cast. They were professional every second we were together. It was a joy to be around them.

But, we didn't rehearse. For this project, I wanted to hold a rehearsal because everyone (But me and Leslie) are new. I know how long it took to shoot, and I figured if we got together once or twice, we can work out emotions, meaning of the dialogue that might not be apparent (boy is it NOT apparent)... This would give everyone a chance to get a feel for their character.

I expected no one to be off script. But, if someone had the script for 2 - 4 weeks, am I expecting too much for them to know something? A line here or there. Perhaps a scene. Is that seriously asking too much?

Is it too much to ask a person who has had the script at least 2 weeks to have their dialogue highlighted?
Click to expand...

Every actor works differently. Some actors get very familiar with the scenes, but don't commit the future shooting days to memory. Only a day or two before an actual shoot day for a scene will an actor commit them to memory. This is what I do. Sometimes scenes commit to memory very easily, others do not. But a good actor will always come prepared no matter what method they use.

I don't hi-lite my lines all the time. This does not mean I'm not memorizing or workshopping.

Typically a rehearsal does not mean an actor should be off book. They should, however, have already made choices with the character (and hopefully have read the whole script), as well as have little notes and/or questions to ask the director. Just remember, the look of a script does not typically tell you an actors style, method, or preparedness.

It doesn't take you long to recognize an actors merit...and you'll know right away if they are someone you can work with or can not. You might have an actor that hi-lites their lines, scribbles all over the script...coffee stains...worn...but on the shoot day they are less prepared and comfortable with their character than an actor with a spotless script.
 
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I have found that many times my "Talent" does not come prepared. I have had some luck w/ improv based on the big picture.. I quite often see that the people who are part of my low - no budget productions are flat if left to their own devices and I must work with them to get something usable. I have to read them and see what methods I can use to get them to get what I can out of them right now Im working on a surreal dreamy project and w/o improv and quick decisions I would not be getting anything good. We shall see if I have a clue when this puppy is in the can.

I often employ rolling rehearsal / crash writing as we go. My methods are not for everyone. I was shocked to see a behind the scenes of one of my fav directors, David Lynch and he was working the same way on Inland Empire.
 
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IndieBudget said:
I have found that many times my "Talent" does not come prepared. I have had some luck w/ improv based on the big picture.. I quite often see that the people who are part of my low - no budget productions are flat if left to their own devices and I must work with them to get something usable. I have to read them and see what methods I can use to get them to get what I can out of them right now Im working on a surreal dreamy project and w/o improv and quick decisions I would not be getting anything good. We shall see if I have a clue when this puppy is in the can.

I often employ rolling rehearsal / crash writing as we go. My methods are not for everyone. I was shocked to see a behind the scenes of one of my fav directors, David Lynch and he was working the same way on Inland Empire.
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People sometimes say, 'everyone is directable.' Well, I'm not quite sure about that. There are a few questions you should ask yourself about your actors, 1. Can they act...really act? 2. Are they professional? 3. Do they come prepared?

If you can't answer those few questions, your project will suffer, and so will the final product. It's so important to hire 'real' actors who breath life into the character from day one.
 
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I know some directors rehearse more in advance, but I kinda thought it was the norm to do the bulk of your rehearsing (and line-memorization) in-between blocking and shooting. Of course, everyone will prefer different methods, but for me this works just dandy. In this method, only one read-through is required in advance, so that the actors know the overrall story, and can always relate to where they are in the script. Nothing more is required of them, until shooting day.

That being said, I could tell that on my feature, one of my actors was definitely using the night before his shoots to look over the scenes we were shooting, exploring the scene and the character in his head, and he consistently Wow'ed me with his performance. So, I do see the value in this type of preparation (though, he was never off-book until just before shooting).
 
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I can't recast them. Because as I said, I've never rehearsed a movie scene before. So, I honestly didn't know what to expect. I know what first rehearsal for theatre is like, and it's usually boring and awful.

While many of the actors last night put their best foot forward. Some didn't, and it was obvious.

Luckily the way the script is constructed, I'll know within the first two days of shooting if I have to recast.

So, I'm going to take everyone's advice and allow them this suckiness. But, if it don't work out, I'm holding everyone here responsible.

This is the first thing that put me off just a bit: My poster idea was rows of actresses headshots. So, I have about 8 or 10. You know whose headshots I don't have? The two lead actresses. I've asked over the past weeks at least 4 times for a high resolution jpg or tiff... I have it... I'll get it to you tonight... Sorry... Don't worry you'll get it... I just have to find it...

There will be no headshots on the poster.

Come on I want a defense for this behavior.

They don't own the rights won't work. They do.
 
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I've found rehearsals is a good thing for actors to work out their performances together. One actor has to trigger off of cues from another actor at times on when to do what.

If they have stunts to do, the stunt coordinator will be all over you if you don't rehearse the cast. Did you guys see me BTS clip of The Matrix on the other thread? Actors rehearse for a good six months. On studio sets with stunts, they even have personal stunt coordinators training them for months and they all have to work with the rest of the cast in the same room.

I'm already hearing from my stunt coordinator we should consider more than a week of rehearsals for stunts alone.
 
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Modern Day Myth Prod. LLC said:
I've found rehearsals is a good thing for actors to work out their performances together. One actor has to trigger off of cues from another actor at times on when to do what.

If they have stunts to do, the stunt coordinator will be all over you if you don't rehearse the cast. Did you guys see me BTS clip of The Matrix on the other thread? Actors rehearse for a good six months. On studio sets with stunts, they even have personal stunt coordinators training them for months and they all have to work with the rest of the cast in the same room.

I'm already hearing from my stunt coordinator we should consider more than a week of rehearsals for stunts alone.
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When you have stunts, immense rehearsal is required. It would be difficult to shoot a stunt without knowing every exact detail.

Leslie the actress from my first movie, just got her long scene last Monday, and she partially read from the script. But, her reactions to the actor's lines were incredible. She reacted perfectly to the different ways he'd say his lines each run through. It wasn't planned, it was beautifully natural. But, I already knew how extremely talented she is.

If anyone is in NY or likes "awful" reality tv. She's on Doggie Moms. Leslie Hughes is her name. A magnificent talent and wonderful human being.

DIRECTORIK: That person. What was their demeanor like? What made you think, okay I'll go for this? There had to be something that told you that this person as strange as their personal traits are, were going to be incredible.
 
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ussinners said:
DIRECTORIK: That person. What was their demeanor like? What made you think, okay I'll go for this? There had to be something that told you that this person as strange as their personal traits are, were going to be incredible.
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Her audition was amazing. She just just simply blew all of us away. I
didn't find her method strange at all. She delivered. Sure, she didn't
highlight her lines, she didn't rehearse lines with the other actors, she
seemed to never even look at the script; but she was always prepared
and very spontaneous. She never seems to be acting at all.

Anyway, I love the challenge of working with actors. I don't expect each
actor to behave in a specific way. I enjoy the different methods they use.
For me that's what makes the process exciting. If every actor prepared
the same way I would get bored.
 
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M1chae1 said:
People sometimes say, 'everyone is directable.' Well, I'm not quite sure about that. There are a few questions you should ask yourself about your actors, 1. Can they act...really act? 2. Are they professional? 3. Do they come prepared?

If you can't answer those few questions, your project will suffer, and so will the final product. It's so important to hire 'real' actors who breath life into the character from day one.
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YES, I agree 10000000% But what if one relies more on visual aspects and relies on the skills of the cam operator and the director ?

I have had little luck to get my hands on exceptional talent in my low budget world. I am striving to nurture relationships with the talented and network, which is critical. It f I waited till I got gems for every character..I think it would take me two years to cast and by then, the first ones would have burned off. I am still learning and the only way for me to learn is to do.. not sit and wait till I get the cream of the crop. Im hoping as I rise in my skills, I will attract the funding and developed the networking I need to get talent onboard.

Hitchcock once said actors should be treated like cattle... I think there is something to that. Some styles of filmmaking can get by with the vision of the director being the major element of a production. A story that is told more visually can get by with less "talent" and depend on the fillmmaker for the spark. Whereas a story with heavy dialog obviously needs experienced, skilled acting
 
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