I'm in the process of making a short film and the actors I have are just some friends or whatever. But the previous days of shooting I felt like I wasn't giving specific enough direction. Or maybe just too broad and it showed on screen. What tips would you give on directing people with really no acting background? The strategy I think I'm going to go for is using "as if" a lot more. It's just tough because you have to be a lot more delicate with guys that aren't using to changing into another character. Advice?
Tips on Directing Amateur Actors?
- Thread starter MrJay
- Start date
Why don't they go take some acting courses?
If they aren't interested in becoming better actors, then no amount of coaxing/prodding by you is going to draw out a better performance.
My advice would be: get real actors.
And also, take some acting courses yourself so you can talk to them about it. I've seen Directors mention Stanislavski and Meisner techniques (amongst others) to actors during rehearsals, and even make them do some Meisner exercises.
It makes it really tough when you're talking to someone who's never acted and has no interest in acting to try and find their 'Magical If'. Even if you simplify it to an 'as if' moment or a 'think of a time when' moment, a non-actor is quite likely going to struggle with it.
It can be like Directing kids, which sometimes is great and fine, other times is hard to get what you want out of them (all from what I've observed on set).
And also, take some acting courses yourself so you can talk to them about it. I've seen Directors mention Stanislavski and Meisner techniques (amongst others) to actors during rehearsals, and even make them do some Meisner exercises.
It makes it really tough when you're talking to someone who's never acted and has no interest in acting to try and find their 'Magical If'. Even if you simplify it to an 'as if' moment or a 'think of a time when' moment, a non-actor is quite likely going to struggle with it.
It can be like Directing kids, which sometimes is great and fine, other times is hard to get what you want out of them (all from what I've observed on set).
You don't need "professional actors" you just need to get them experienced in acting. Shoot more than just one short film with them, while you have them. Let them improvise, and discover their own acting process. See if they work better from line to line, or doing entire scenes in a few takes. Give them notes on what their character should be thinking in the back of their minds during a scene, helping them tap into the emotion, even if they don't need to show much emotion.
Even a simple scene, such as two characters hanging out at a bar, talking about god knows what. They need to know these characters' backgrounds, whether they're happy with life or pessimistic... tired, or energetic, etc. Think about these things and discuss them with the actors
Even a simple scene, such as two characters hanging out at a bar, talking about god knows what. They need to know these characters' backgrounds, whether they're happy with life or pessimistic... tired, or energetic, etc. Think about these things and discuss them with the actors
Get them into the minds of the characters. Demonstrate what you want them to do. Since these are friends and family, have them think about specific memories that will evoke the emotional responses that you are trying to capture. Be patient.
Seeing that they're just buddies and the project might not be as serious (obviously you didn't go out and hire a bunch of experienced actors, so it must be less serious), feel free to explicitly show them how you want something done. An actor would take offense to that, but a buddy probably wont, then you get it done your way.
Also, seeing as you chose these particular friends to help you out probably means that you think their personalities match up with the characters in some way. Let them be themselves and work through the script with them in order for them to be as natural as possible.
Finally, with whatever project I'm working on whether it's something less intense with friends or more serious as a project, I always have to remember that working with my actors comes first. Forget about the camera and the lights and the sound. Let your crew figure that stuff out and don't get sidetracked from your actors. If you're working a very very small project, work with your actors first, and let them rehearse while you take care of lighting, audio, and camera stuff, so they're even more ready by the time you call action.
That said, you wont get as great of a performance as you would from an actor with experience, but if you keep it more on the lighthearted side, it'll end up better, and be more fun for everyone (making them want to learn more and try again!)
Also, seeing as you chose these particular friends to help you out probably means that you think their personalities match up with the characters in some way. Let them be themselves and work through the script with them in order for them to be as natural as possible.
Finally, with whatever project I'm working on whether it's something less intense with friends or more serious as a project, I always have to remember that working with my actors comes first. Forget about the camera and the lights and the sound. Let your crew figure that stuff out and don't get sidetracked from your actors. If you're working a very very small project, work with your actors first, and let them rehearse while you take care of lighting, audio, and camera stuff, so they're even more ready by the time you call action.
That said, you wont get as great of a performance as you would from an actor with experience, but if you keep it more on the lighthearted side, it'll end up better, and be more fun for everyone (making them want to learn more and try again!)
Last edited:
Not necessarily.... say, for example, Chuck Norris was cast in his short film... sure he'll get some attention for having a minor celebrity in it, but he would get the acting talents of a wooden post contributing. But I guess that's sometimes a sacrifice, isn't it....
With actors who are really new to it, it can be an easy fall-back for a director to just explicitly tell/show them how you want it done. That's how it was for me, with my first couple shorts, and I don't think that's unusual, when the director and actors are equally inexperienced.
As samwagner mentioned, experienced actors would be insulted by that, and for good reason -- when you give them explicit instructions on exactly how you want it done, you are taking away their creativity. An actor acts, and they're doing their best when they surprise the director.
After having been able to work with some more experienced actors, I've still occasionally dipped into the talent-pool of untrained friends, and I've found that they respond rather well to the same type of communication that I give the more experienced actors. Untrained actors generally suck at memorizing lines, they don't know how to rehearse blocking, and they suck at continuity, but that doesn't mean they can't deliver a great performance.
If you just communicate with them about their character, the situation they're in, their motivations, and how they might react to the situation, I think you'll get an actual performance out of them, instead of a wooden re-enactment of the rigid instructions you might have otherwise given them. Ask questions, allow their to be a conversation, and guide the conversation in the direction you want it.
As little kids, we all knew how to play pretend. Though there's plenty of more advanced theory and technique, at it's core, that's all acting is. Actors are at their best when they're playing and having fun, and rigid readings from directors will take an actor out of their element.
And besides all of that, I think you should also consider your own development, as a director. If you start out the wrong way (giving explicit directions), you might make a habit of that, and then you'll eventually have to un-learn those bad habits (like I had to). I think the easier path to follow is to just start working on your communication skills, from the get-go, and that doesn't need to involve telling someone exactly how to do their job.
As samwagner mentioned, experienced actors would be insulted by that, and for good reason -- when you give them explicit instructions on exactly how you want it done, you are taking away their creativity. An actor acts, and they're doing their best when they surprise the director.
After having been able to work with some more experienced actors, I've still occasionally dipped into the talent-pool of untrained friends, and I've found that they respond rather well to the same type of communication that I give the more experienced actors. Untrained actors generally suck at memorizing lines, they don't know how to rehearse blocking, and they suck at continuity, but that doesn't mean they can't deliver a great performance.
If you just communicate with them about their character, the situation they're in, their motivations, and how they might react to the situation, I think you'll get an actual performance out of them, instead of a wooden re-enactment of the rigid instructions you might have otherwise given them. Ask questions, allow their to be a conversation, and guide the conversation in the direction you want it.
As little kids, we all knew how to play pretend. Though there's plenty of more advanced theory and technique, at it's core, that's all acting is. Actors are at their best when they're playing and having fun, and rigid readings from directors will take an actor out of their element.
And besides all of that, I think you should also consider your own development, as a director. If you start out the wrong way (giving explicit directions), you might make a habit of that, and then you'll eventually have to un-learn those bad habits (like I had to). I think the easier path to follow is to just start working on your communication skills, from the get-go, and that doesn't need to involve telling someone exactly how to do their job.
This is the crux of anytime you have problems with an intangible process like the director/actor relationship. Look first for what you yourself can do to improve the situation. Learn everything you can about it. As stated, if you know how to act (even some exposure is better than none) will get you communicating better... which is the whole directorial exercise -- communicating stuff from your mind's eye into real tangible things. I've even been able to coax decent performances out of non-actors doing who were doing 3 at a time line readings to get through scenes they hadn't read before by communicating the intent of the set of lines to them... then the rest is editing for pacing between the characters.
Ask the actors what they think... have a conversation with them about the character / lines / plot / moment. If they are friends and family, relate the moment to something you know they have an emotional connection to.
We tried a trick which worked really well. We told the actor that the camera was off and they were really natural.
The other thing we did to get a reaction was to 'wind up' the actor. For example, we'd been shooting a scene for a couple of minutes then told him we'd lost all the footage. He groaned, looked really natural and we put that reaction in the scene.
The other thing we did to get a reaction was to 'wind up' the actor. For example, we'd been shooting a scene for a couple of minutes then told him we'd lost all the footage. He groaned, looked really natural and we put that reaction in the scene.
Ah, good advice, from all.
Cracker Funk, you make a good point, I think I'll have to try that next time, as I often switch between inexperienced and experienced actors so I have to switch how I direct, too, I guess I just get used to it,
but there's no better way to improve and learn by doing it right, so thanks for the advice all
Cracker Funk, you make a good point, I think I'll have to try that next time, as I often switch between inexperienced and experienced actors so I have to switch how I direct, too, I guess I just get used to it,
but there's no better way to improve and learn by doing it right, so thanks for the advice all
It is every important for each actor to really listen. A lot of times an actor can get flustered trying to deliver lines on cue. The best thing for them to do is listen not for when they are supposed to speak, but to hear the tonality of the voice, watch the body language of the other actor, and just allow the words to flow naturally.
Even when not speaking the actors should be listening intently to the conversations as if they were a part of it.
Think of a conversation you were listening to in reality. And lets say you had an opinion on what was being said. You thought about speaking up, but you decided to stay quiet. That is what your non speaking actors should do. They should be involved even when, line wise, they are not.
Even when not speaking the actors should be listening intently to the conversations as if they were a part of it.
Think of a conversation you were listening to in reality. And lets say you had an opinion on what was being said. You thought about speaking up, but you decided to stay quiet. That is what your non speaking actors should do. They should be involved even when, line wise, they are not.
@Sam: http://www.samaritancasting.com/ MPLS casting for low/no budget productions (full disclosure, the owner is a friend).
@Gorilla: We even have a hand signal on set to have the camera roll and the cam crew prep the shot and get ready to tail slate it as I put the actors through a "rehearsal."
@Gorilla: We even have a hand signal on set to have the camera roll and the cam crew prep the shot and get ready to tail slate it as I put the actors through a "rehearsal."
Sit them all down for an hour to watch this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Njs6ZNSoFC0&list=PLCD9BE10083655A6F
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Njs6ZNSoFC0&list=PLCD9BE10083655A6F
On the remotely off chance that I ever learn enough and get organised enough to manage a production and direct, I will be requiring anyone involved to agree to one very simple principle:
We are amateurs, yes, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't strive to be professional.
I view it much like volunteering. You have chosen to work for free. That does not mean you've chosen to do a poor job of it just because you're not getting paid.
So tell them to step up or step out.
We are amateurs, yes, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't strive to be professional.
I view it much like volunteering. You have chosen to work for free. That does not mean you've chosen to do a poor job of it just because you're not getting paid.
So tell them to step up or step out.