Studio shoot - Directing Actors

Introduction 

When working on a production, it's vital that the communication between the crew is fluent and open. This is especially key for the director and AD when it comes to their relationships with the actors, the director and AD needs to be able to direct actors with both respect and clarity. 

This is immediately easier when you have a personal relationship with the actor, it means you can get away with being more demanding or blunt, as there is already a pre-existing knowledge of your personality. However, with a professional actor it's far more challenging to form a strong and respectful line of communication that keeps the production efficient. I decided to research into ways to properly direct actors on a shoot and how to get into the mindset of a director. 

How to direct actors: 

Firstly the director needs to understand their vision and story inside and out, to be able to direct others, the director needs to have a very clear idea of what the plot is and the characters personality and motivations. Each scene needs to be thought out and understood by the director (and AD) in order to efficiently direct actors and crew. This is also especially important when shooting out of order. If your actor is someone with little to no experience on a film set, they may not understand/be used to shooting scenes out of chronological order. Shooting out of order is very common practice and can help when booking out equipment and space, however, an actor may expect to come on set and shoot the scenes as they have been scripted out. It's important to make the actor aware of what scenes you will be shooting on which days, giving them an opportunity to prepare. 

Its vital that the set is made into a positive environment for the whole crew, especially the actors, having a positive environment helps prevent the stress and pressure that working on a busy set can bring. You have to trust in the actors ability to perform and deliver a believable performance, if you start to question their performance in front of crew, it could just make the process more grinding. Instead when making adjustments, highlight the positive aspects of their previous performance and then give constructive guidance on how to improve. 

Part of this positivity is also organisation, giving the actors a timetable to work within can alleviate the stress and give guidelines. 

The actors and crew should know:

• When their lunch is scheduled (this can be subject to change but an outline is key)
• What scenes they will be working on that day & how long do you hope to have it finished in
• What is their character's motivation for the scenes scheduled 
• if they're getting paid, when are they getting paid

Another important thing for the director is clarity in their instructions to the actors, instructions should be clear and concise, working alongside what the actors have already learned about their character/ the story prior to being on set. 

My resources: 

.15 PHRASES EVERY ACTOR SHOULD KNOW BEFORE GOING TO SET

In-text: (Backstage.com, 2017)

Your Bibliography: Backstage.com. (2017). 15 Phrases Every Actor Should Know Before Going to Set. [online] Available at: https://www.backstage.com/advice-for-actors/casting-director-note/15-phrases-every-actor-should-know-going-set/ [Accessed 18 Nov. 2017].

10 TECHNIQUES FOR DIRECTING ACTORS FOR THE FIRST TIME

In-text: (Indie Film Academy, 2017)

Your Bibliography: Indie Film Academy. (2017). 10 Techniques for Directing Actors For The First Time. [online] Available at: http://www.indiefilmacademy.com/10techniquesactors/ [Accessed 18 Nov. 2017].

SELLARS, R.

Getting Better as a Director: Learning How to Talk to Actors

In-text: (Sellars, 2017)

Your Bibliography: Sellars, R. (2017). Getting Better as a Director: Learning How to Talk to Actors. [online] No Film School. Available at: https://nofilmschool.com/2012/01/director-learning-talk-actors [Accessed 18 Nov. 2017].

THE DOS & DON'TS OF DIRECTING ACTORS (ACCORDING TO ACTORS)

In-text: (No Film School, 2017)

Your Bibliography: No Film School. (2017). The Dos & Don'ts of Directing Actors (According to Actors). [online] Available at: https://nofilmschool.com/2016/02/dos-donts-directing-actors-according-to-actors [Accessed 18 Nov. 2017].