Working with Bad Actors....

M

mus

I'm a pretty good actor in my opinion... even when I'm not trying, it seems to come naturally to me... But I also write and direct my own stuff, which means most of the work on set is done by me (i'm also the editor)

Now, some (not all, though) of the friends I work with are either just really REALLY bad at acting, or I'm not very good at expressing what I want from them, trying to focus on a million things at once seems to drain my creative energy....

We try as much as possible to get it right, and it usually comes through well, but I can get away with more in short comedy sketches, but not when I get ready to shoot my feature film...

Does anybody have any tips on working with bad actors?
 
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mussonman said:
friends I work with are either just really REALLY bad at acting, or I'm not very good at expressing what I want from them

Does anybody have any tips on working with bad actors?
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1) Use good actors that require little direction from you.

2) Improve your communication skills anyway, so you can properly express what your needs are. This will be invaluable when talking to any department, too.

But yeah - just stop using really bad actors. :huh:

Edit:

I'm a pretty good actor in my opinion
Click to expand...

You can also coach or teach them to be better, then.
 
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One thing I learned is try not to give "walk on" roles a long bit of dialog to say. The smaller roles tend to take the project less serious so they haven't studied the script very well. So if you the professor of parapsychology come in for one quick scene to explain the inner working of the demon-beast creature or ghost or whatever. Make his/he dialog somehow super short and to the point. You can have other actors fill in the other bits of exposition.

CLASSIC FILM EXAMPLE: The end of PSYCHO a Psychiatrist explains the infamous "Norman Bates" motivation. The actor is masterful but it would be really hard to cast a role like this for an indie. Theoretically at least.
 
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okay, i understand that... that would help... I don't think I ever write anybody an incredibly long line that wouldn't require cutaways... I mean I don't write as though they are master thespians, I try to write simple for them... I have a feeling they will do better when we shoot our movie, I mean it's easier to pace a project that has an actual story
 
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mussonman said:
Does anybody have any tips on working with bad actors?
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Don't.

Especially not for a feature, great Scott! Look, I think almost all of us can relate to your predicament. Unless you just happen to be friends with a bunch of great actors and actresses, you're basically forced to cast your friends/family, most of whom have no clue what they're doing. And it's a catch-22 -- in order to attract more talented people to work with you, you have to have quality work to show. But in order to have quality work to show, you need to work with more talented people. Gah!

So, do the best you can with what you've got. Be patient, and enthusiastic, and with time your talent-pool will increase in both quality and talent. You can also just pay people. That helps, too.
 
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Dude, can you recognize why they are bad actors? Or why they are bad acting?
Can you see what in their acting is going bad?

If yes, work on this. Get a talk with them pointing this things and suggest another ways.
But if you do not know why and what, so they are bad actors and you are a bad director. No offense, just a comment.
 
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well... one of them basically thinks that being funny REQUIRES YELLING!!!!!! EVERY SENTENCE REQUIRES A GODDAMN FUCKING ARGUMENT YOU FUCKING TOOL!!! EVEN IF THE PERSON YOU'RE TALKING TO IS YOUR BEST FRIEND IN THE ENTIRE WORLD or any other situation that calls for some amount of normalcy... And trying to talk to this one about the scene always goes "okay... understood...." and then the information goes in one ear and out the other...


another one, I have high hopes for.... I just think I need to write his part a little more towards his personality and it will make him better... (perhaps this is wishful thinking.) I mean, honestly his only problem in the entire world is he's dumb... not annoying dumb, one of those sweet dumb guys.

But the biggest problem this presents is: I like to improvise my comedy (not exclusively) ...but improv requires someone to play off of, and with these flaws, that becomes difficult.

These are the only two of my actors that present problems, and they will have major roles in my first movie, that's why I'm asking for any advice I can get
 
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Tell me what you guys think of THIS method...


Write down the emotions they should be feeling in a scene... then, if they aren't expressing them right, describe to them a scenario... an unrelated one that would evoke that emotion a little...


Does anyone think that could get a good performance out of any actor, no matter how similar they are to Pauly Shore? (except pauly shore, maybe.)
 
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I recommend that you pick a movie with actors doing what you want them to do in this film. Cut and edit scenes from this movie to show them, and make exercises based on this kind of acting. Ask the actor to imitate the scene, in terms of voicing, corporal and facial expression, compare the things you believe that are currently wrong with this scenes on the professional movie. It will help the guys to understand what you need from them.

Edit:
But be careful that it does not seem an affront to the actors' self-esteem. Make it seem like you had a great idea, based on the great features that they showed. In this way, they will work with you, not against you.
 
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You say that you're the editor. Get as many different takes as you can with different styles of delivery and cut them together to make them work. A good editor can make or break a performance.

Also, if you consider yourself a good actor, act the scene out for them. Let them try to emulate what you're doing.
 
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First rule: Never cast your friends unless they do have acting talent. That's one of the traps of indie filmmaking that because the budget is next to nothing people tend to cast their friends, family and the guy next door... acting is a profession contrary to popular belief and not everyone is suitable for it. If you want to make decent films you need to have decent actors. There're many real actors and actresses just starting out, who want to get experince even if the pay is not that good try contacting any of them in your area.
 
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I'm a working actor...aka that's how I make a living and I think that something most people don't realize is...It doesn't matter how much natural talent you have, without the proper training and work you're not going to be a very believable actor. For some people training is the stage, for some its classes, for some its constant work on a film project (or show). Sure you can b/s your way through somewhat emotionless scenes especially if you have a great person editing like people here have mentioned.

But, there's a reason every TV show has acting coaches present on set for the actors. There's a reason most every A lister has their own private coach. Every large role I audition for I hire a private coach at $100 an hour...not cheap.

It doesn't sound like your friends have training. I'd suggest hiring actors that do. You're in Ohio so finding a pro is going to be difficult, but you can find people who are doing community theater. These are people that are at least working their "acting muscle". Not everyone can act. But most everyone thinks they can.
 
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