Acting Games

alot of what I have done on set is to distract the actors from thinking about just delivering dialog and trying to get them to focus externally, be aware of their surroundings and co actors.

The eye contact game was brought up in the other thread, have one actor try to keep eye contact and the other try not to...makes a little cat and mouse game on set that is kind of fun. It also brings externalized conflict to the scene.

Alot of it I just make up to try to get the actors to think of anything but the text on the page...I don't want a reading, I want a performance. Most of my actors are also amatuers with little to no acting experience, so I have to bring my acting experience into play (hehe-punny). I also only use them when I'm not getting what I need on screen. Otherwise, it's a layer of complexity that can throw off some performances that are already good.

Other examples include:

get the pencil from the table on the other side of the room without letting the other actor know you're stealing their pencil. - causes suspicion

Make the other actor laugh/break character - causes levity/frustration...in that order

Let them know the framing as you always do and instruct one actor to "push" the other toward the edge of frame - creates a power conflict/subordinate relationship

Fast readings, slow readings, repeated line closeups - allows the actor to explore the line more and gives editing options later.

put a pebble in their shoe to cause something external to focus on.

ditch the script and have them do a scene in their words to get them to focus on the purpose/objectives of the character and the scene.

I would do as much of this in the read throughs/rehearsals as possible...when you're on set, you want to get the performance and move on to keep the flow going.

One we did in drama class which is great for improvising and getting in the spirit of a character and well, warming up is the simple argument game.

You basically have one person attempt to start an argument with the other. It can get as heated as necessary until resolved. It can achieve some good results so long as the actors feed off each other and draw upon their own experiences for more ammunition to wind up their opponent, as well as drawing off past experiences and character traits for emotion.

Any improv game is usually a lot of fun for me.

I can almost always get into those.