How much freedom to give an Actor

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derek smith

Read an article on tips for a Director, in getting the best out of an Actor. Some of the points include;
'never give Line Readings by reading the dialogue and telling the Actor 'say it like that'

'Never demonstrate how you'd like something played, as your a director not an actor, as the cast for solutions'

So as a Director, how much freedom can you give an Actor to deliver lines, or is it asking how long is a piece of string. My first Short Film I directed at weekend, it involved 2 actors, who brought the characters to life, without much direction
 
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It really is a piece of string question. There are so many variables. The most important thing you need to remember is: It's all about the performance, not how you got it. In other words, you must do what you have to do. Whatever it takes to get the performance you envision (or better) from the talent.

Some of this comes from you too. What you need, want and so on, who you are as a director. Some directors have a very specific vision in their head where others love to give their actors freedom to do wonderful things and surprise them. Some love the improvisation, others hate it.

I'm also guessing I didn't answer your question the way you visioned it ;)
 
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Sweetie said:
It really is a piece of string question. There are so many variables. The most important thing you need to remember is: It's all about the performance, not how you got it. In other words, you must do what you have to do. Whatever it takes to get the performance you envision (or better) from the talent.

Some of this comes from you too. What you need, want and so on, who you are as a director. Some directors have a very specific vision in their head where others love to give their actors freedom to do wonderful things and surprise them. Some love the improvisation, others hate it.

I'm also guessing I didn't answer your question the way you visioned it ;)
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hahha no, you answered it well...Just sometimes i'll read interviews with directors / actors, read articles or speak to someone involved in Film, and there answers vary...which is probably a good thing, as you said perfectly 'its the performance, not how you got it'

thanks
 
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I've heard some pretty wacked up examples of what has been done to get the performance needed. I've used some of the more harsh methods myself with mixed results.

One example, slightly on a side topic was from Die Hard. The scene where Alan Rickman was falling from the building. The story I heard is he did the stunt himself. Maybe a 20 yard fall. It was organized with Alan Rickman for the fall to occur ON the count of 3. To get a more geniune shock of falling, he was dropped on the count of 1. If this is truly the case, the performance that was captured was well worth his potential wrath. This definitely comes under the "Do what you need to do to get the performance" banner.
 
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Sweetie said:
I've heard some pretty wacked up examples of what has been done to get the performance needed. I've used some of the more harsh methods myself with mixed results.

One example, slightly on a side topic was from Die Hard. The scene where Alan Rickman was falling from the building. The story I heard is he did the stunt himself. Maybe a 20 yard fall. It was organized with Alan Rickman for the fall to occur ON the count of 3. To get a more geniune shock of falling, he was dropped on the count of 1. If this is truly the case, the performance that was captured was well worth his potential wrath. This definitely comes under the "Do what you need to do to get the performance" banner.
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im sure Alan Rickman was glad, he was actually killed off in the movie
 
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derek smith said:
Just sometimes i'll read interviews with directors / actors, read articles or speak to someone involved in Film, and there answers vary...which is probably a good thing,
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Exactly!

There isn't one, correct, way do direct. So interviews with different directors
will offer you different methods. directors, too, have the freedom to direct
exactly as they want.
derek smith said:
So as a Director, how much freedom can you give an Actor to deliver lines,
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You can give the actor as much freedom as YOU (the director) want. I
cast actors who are better actors than I am so I give them a lot of freedom.
I learn so much working with good actors.

This is why you hear advice to make a lot of short movies. A director
learns with each movie - and not just how to light (the DP's job) or
what camera to use (the DP's job) but how to work with actors.
 
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derek smith said:
'Never demonstrate how you'd like something played, as your a director not an actor
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I cannot see how that advice has any foundation. Why? Because it's not "proper?" If you know exactly how you want them to do something, do it for them and tell them to mimic that. So what if it hurts their feelings, if they're professionals, they should just care about getting it right
 
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mussonman said:
I cannot see how that advice has any foundation. Why? Because it's not "proper?" If you know exactly how you want them to do something, do it for them and tell them to mimic that. So what if it hurts their feelings, if they're professionals, they should just care about getting it right
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For amateur actors, they sometimes crave specific direction, line readings, etc. which is what a lot of us end up working with.

If I were working with someone like rob deniro though I'd get the hell out of his way. I wouldn't resort to something like that unless it was a last ditch effort of desperation and all other communication had broken down.
 
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mussonman said:
I cannot see how that advice has any foundation. Why? Because it's not "proper?" If you know exactly how you want them to do something, do it for them and tell them to mimic that. So what if it hurts their feelings, if they're professionals, they should just care about getting it right
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Its not about feelings, it's about avoiding "mimicking." Mimicking is not acting and its superficial. If an actor is just memorising and repeating actions and words, they wont necessarily understand their character fully. Using techniques like this will only ever result in passable performances. Much stronger, compelling performances are drawn from having the actor internalise and understand their characters and actions and bring something of their own, allowing them to "become" the character. It sounds pretentious, but the character will just be a speaking body if they're memorising actions.

That doesn't mean there aren't times when demonstrating isn't necessary. But even with amateur actors its not preferable.
 
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