I've been reading some terrific threads about different people's experiences with directing, getting the most out of actors, etc. But I'd like to address one particular group of people -- theater-trained actors and directors.
The extent of my formal training only went so far as what to do with a camera, and how to shoot a piece that cuts together well. I feel like I'm quite good at that aspect of directing. The other side of directing, and perhaps the most important part -- working with actors -- I've learned how to do that by trial and error. Mostly error.
In the beginning, my actors were whichever friends I could get to work on my project -- people with no acting experience whatsoever. With this group of people, I found myself feeding them the lines, telling them EXACTLY how to say it. "Repeat after me" is what a typical shoot basically amounted to.
Eventually, I finally got a chance to work with real actors. A creature of habit, I reverted to the directing style I had gotten used to, and uhh..., actors don't like being told how to say their lines.
Good. I don't want to tell you how to say your lines. Working with theater-trained actors is such a more positive experience. They take it more seriously. They think about their choices. They add creativity, and they have more fun with it.
So, I've mentioned one example of how NOT to direct. What methods have you used, or seen people use, that work well with theater-trained actors? Which methods don't work so well?
The reason I ask this question is because, as I read through prior threads, it's sometimes difficult for me to see what type of actors a particular director is dealing with. Untrained actors and trained actors require entirely different directing methods. This thread is intended to address the directing methods that work best with classically-trained actors only.
The extent of my formal training only went so far as what to do with a camera, and how to shoot a piece that cuts together well. I feel like I'm quite good at that aspect of directing. The other side of directing, and perhaps the most important part -- working with actors -- I've learned how to do that by trial and error. Mostly error.
In the beginning, my actors were whichever friends I could get to work on my project -- people with no acting experience whatsoever. With this group of people, I found myself feeding them the lines, telling them EXACTLY how to say it. "Repeat after me" is what a typical shoot basically amounted to.
Eventually, I finally got a chance to work with real actors. A creature of habit, I reverted to the directing style I had gotten used to, and uhh..., actors don't like being told how to say their lines.
Good. I don't want to tell you how to say your lines. Working with theater-trained actors is such a more positive experience. They take it more seriously. They think about their choices. They add creativity, and they have more fun with it.
So, I've mentioned one example of how NOT to direct. What methods have you used, or seen people use, that work well with theater-trained actors? Which methods don't work so well?
The reason I ask this question is because, as I read through prior threads, it's sometimes difficult for me to see what type of actors a particular director is dealing with. Untrained actors and trained actors require entirely different directing methods. This thread is intended to address the directing methods that work best with classically-trained actors only.
