Finally, “What if your character has this secret … ?” is a way for you to add some color to an actor’s performance. Of course, you have to suggest something that fits with the character you already know. It shouldn’t be a story point because the secret will never influence the outcome of the story, but it will shade the scene in an interesting way.
All of these suggestions to actors are ways of asking them to give you more. You want them to be more specific and more invested in the character’s needs. But there is one direction that is asking to give less: you want a less overt demonstration of their emotional point of view. This is called covering. An actor can cover, or hide, what their true intention is. It is a way of disguising intense feelings because they may not be appropriate at that moment in a scene. A good example of a character covering is Paul Rudd in the movie Dinner for Schmucks. He spends practically the entire movie covering his true feelings, until the climactic dinner scene, when he confesses to Steve Carell’s character that he, Rudd’s character, has treated this particular schmuck badly, and finally, his true feelings are exposed.
The tricky thing about covering is that it isn’t effective unless a moment of truth is present. Otherwise, it may seem like basically you’re just a bad actor. Another example of a cover is in The Hurt Locker, when Jeremy Renner’s Sergeant James has to hide his point of view while he attempts to cut a “body bomb” out of a young boy with whom he has a friendship. Renner’s true feelings flash across his eyes a couple of times during the scene, but the depth of his despair about this and other atrocities he has to deal with is revealed only in the later shower scene, when Renner breaks down. Perhaps Renner’s director, Kathryn Bigelow, said something like, “I’d like you to cover a little more” during the bomb-defusing scene in order to help the actor calibrate his performance perfectly.
Your actors may be exactly on target with the intent of a scene, but they may be lacking pace. Although you want the performances to be fully expressed, sometimes actors get a little self-indulgent as they wait for the feelings to rise in them. But the director is aware that in looking at the entire scene, more pace is required to tell the story well and keep the audience’s attention. Essentially, faster is better. If a two-page scene plays in four minutes, that’s too long. You have two choices here. You can ask the actors for a faster pace, or you can create it in the editing room by snipping out their pauses, as we talk about in Chapter 14. It is more organic to create pace in the performance, so if you can nudge your actors along, that’s better. One way to do that is to stress the urgency of the actor’s intention. But if that doesn’t work, Bethany has found that sometimes it’s best just to say it straight. Ask your script supervisor how long the scene is playing. Then say to the actors, “That two-page scene took four minutes. We need to trim at least 45 seconds.” Most of the time, the actors will accept the competitive challenge, and after the next take, will call out to the script supervisor, “How long was that?” Basically, you’re asking your actors to think and talk, not think then talk. And they can do it, if you point it out to them.
Each of these phrases can be a catalyst. You want to unlock the creativity inside the actors. You might be looking for a result, but you want the actors to find the way there. Guide them so that they make the discovery.
That being said, sometimes an actor gets lost or just isn’t getting where you want him to go. As a last resort, say the subtext of the line in the way you’d like the line said. Nine times out of ten, the actor will say the line with the same intonation and rhythm you just used. An example from one of Bethany’s recent directing experiences was a scene in which a character said, “Don’t you recognize the school quarterback?” Bethany gave the actor an adjustment, the change she was looking for, by saying that he should make the line more personal. But he didn’t understand what she meant. So she said, “It’s like, ‘I hate that f---ing guy.’” The actor nodded and delivered the line specifically and perfectly, with the same intent and intonation Bethany had used.
You want to unlock the creativity inside the actors. You might be looking for a result, but you want the actors to find the way there. Guide them so that they make the discovery.
One more thing about line readings. We strongly caution against using them because they are just a bandage that doesn’t necessarily fix the problem: the actor may be able to repeat the line with the same intonation and rhythm you used, but may not connect to why he is saying it. That being said, some actors actually like line readings, because it is the fastest way for them to discover the meaning of the line. If actors ask for one, shoot it to them!
HINTS FOR HONING COMEDY
When Mary Lou directs comedy, she often finds that actors employ the wrong operative word, or word to be stressed, to give the sentence the correct meaning in a line of dialog. This problem can kill the funny, and it happens most often when an actor stresses information that the audience already knows, rather than the new information that will surprise the audience. The simple way to fix this is to simply tell the actor the word he is stressing incorrectly and which word it should be. If pointing out the word doesn’t correct the problem, she demonstrates with this tried-and-true example. She asks the actor, “What kind of ice cream do you like? And please use the word ‘ice cream’ in your answer.” He will reply, “I like vanilla ice cream,” or “I like chocolate ice cream,” or “I like Rocky Road ice cream.” No matter what the answer is, she points out that “The flavor is the operative word, not the word ‘ice cream’ because we already know we’re talking about ice cream from the question.”
She also points out that in any runs, or jokes that have three elements, the third element is always the funny part, and should be punched or stressed ever so lightly. If the actor is not aware that this is a joke, you can simply—but never condescendingly—point out the three-part structure. Be sensitive to whether your actor wants to know this kind of structural information or whether you need to suggest a method of getting your end result by putting your direction in terms of the character. We’ll illustrate the two different approaches with the discussion of the next joke: the mislead/turn or a joke that deliberately sets up one expectation but then delivers another. The secret to the perfect delivery of this kind of joke is to disguise that there is a punch line coming. If the actor changes the rhythm or cadence from the mislead part of the joke, (usually the feed or setup) to the turn part of the joke (usually the payoff or punch line), it will also make the humor crisper. So how do you get an actor to do this? The simple way is to simply point out the two parts of the joke. Tell the actor to “lay out” the feed and “throw away” or underplay the payoff. If, on the other hand, your actor is not interested in the structure of jokes, you can discuss with the actor whether the character is purposely misleading the other character. You can suggest the character “disguise his motives.”
Another quick fix when you can’t seem to get through to an actor is praising her for doing what you want her to do even though she didn’t do it quite yet. And then say, “Let’s go again” while that idea is fresh in the actor’s mind. The actor will feel acknowledged and confident that it went well, but you’ve subliminally planted the idea of how you want it to go on the next take.
Mary Lou suggests actors pack a suitcase full of details about their character. Some details may be “worn” at will in the character’s thought process. Others may never leave the suitcase.
Your ultimate litmus test to believing an actor’s work is as follows. Ask yourself, “When this character is not talking, is the actor still thinking ‘in character’?”
Your ultimate litmus test to believing an actor’s work is as follows. Ask yourself, “When this character is not talking, is the actor still thinking ‘in character’?” If not, you can liken a scene to a game of catch. Most of the time, the actor is thrown a ball when the other actor delivers a line or throws a cue. The actor’s job is to catch it and throw it back when saying the next line. But balls don’t always accompany wor
ds. Sometimes balls are thrown with nonverbal signals, thoughts, or subtext. It’s your job to help the actor to catch appropriately. Because you know from our discussion in Chapter 7 (and more to come in Chapter 14) that you will be editing this scene together in your head as it is being shot, you’ll be very aware that listening (or reaction shots) are just as important as dialog/verbal shots. Sometimes the best direction you can give an actor is just to “listen more.”
PROTECTING THE ACTOR’S PROCESS
Now that you know what to say to an actor, let’s talk more about how to say it. How do you do that? First, do it quietly. Take the actor aside. Do not shout at actors from the monitor. You may even want to disguise your move here by publicly asking the crew for some improvement in the shot, which they can work on while you talk to the actor. Why do we advise this? Because the paramount thing to realize about working with actors is: they are vulnerable. Why are they vulnerable? Because what they are doing, in giving a performance, is leaving themselves open to judgment—everyone’s judgment, not just the director’s. The actor knows that even the dolly grip is thinking, “Hmm, that was great.” Or “Hmm, that stank.” And ultimately, it is the audience who is judging his performance. You, the director, must protect your vulnerable actors. You must make actors feel safe from judgment so that they will give you their best work. How do they feel safe? When they know you will not let them look stupid. You will lead them to a truly felt and executed performance. You will not be intimidated by them, even if they are well-respected or famous. You will not let considerations of time and budget supersede what is most important: their performance.
You must make actors feel safe from judgment so that they will give you their best work.
You may have great camerawork, but without great performance, that’s just technical virtuosity. It is not storytelling. It is not directing. Ridley Scott, who has directed visually compelling films like Gladiator and Black Hawk Down, discussed that in DGA Quarterly: “I don’t want to upstage what I’ll be doing by having a tracking camera and cranes and shit because I’ve got two great actors talking to each other across the table. Leave it. Let it be.”2 You will focus on your actors’ performances and help them to make it great. And that means you won’t let them get away with less than their personal best—you will call them on it when their work can be better. And if they’re really trying hard but not getting it, you will find the right words to help them get there.
Shaping the Scene
Take the exercises from Chapter 2 where you identified the characters’ needs and obstacles. Use the same scene to work on performance as you stage the scene. Break into groups of three. Two people perform and one person directs. Actors, don’t make it easy on your directors. But if they communicate something that makes sense to you and that helps you interpret the script, do it. The goal here is not to stand in your director’s way but to give him practice at shaping a performance. Each person should get the chance to stage his scene and direct.
Use your intuition to gauge how much or how little help an actor needs. Sometimes the mark of a great director is one who knows to just be quiet and leave well enough alone. Director Woody Allen is one of those. He said, in talking about his technique in directing actors, “I try never to talk to them. There’s no point. You have Anthony Hopkins, what am I going to say to him? I hire them to get out of their way. They made great movies before me, they’ll make great movies after me, and I just don’t want to mess them up.”3 Tantamount to your decision should be your assessment if the actor wants or needs guidance. Some actors just want to do it and not talk about it. The great Spencer Tracy, in his very modest way, described the job of an actor this way: “Know your lines and don’t bump into any furniture.” If an actor has the craft of a Spencer Tracy, our advice might be: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” But if it is “broke,” use the actors’ vocabulary to help her find her way to that wonderful performance. Be aware that you can’t do this—you can’t make a film or a TV show—without actors and that they are to be respected and cherished. They are not pawns to be moved about on your set. They are your generous and collaborative partners, bringing their creativity to help you tell the story.
Insider Info
How Do You Work with Directors?
I have been working in the industry for years as an actress, a producer, a coach, and now a professor. I now have the honor of being on faculty at the California Institute of the Arts, teaching acting in the graduate Film Directing Program.
My responsibility to directors who are studying acting with me is to teach them not only the vocabulary necessary to work optimally with actors but also how effective the application of that language is on actors of any level or background. Knowing when and how to use that language to move actors towards deeper, richer performances is also key. The experience of walking a mile in an actor’s shoes, even for a short period of time, brings both awareness and compassion to bear on the creative collaboration between actor and director.
What Do You Want Directors to Know About Acting?
I want directors to recognize that acting is one of the most important components of their storytelling. And the degree to which they understand the process of acting and what actors need in order to deliver their best performances will make the director’s job easier, not harder. Exposure to the acting process also allows directors to become great diagnosticians about what might be blocking an actor or hindering a better performance. And if a director can make a quick and accurate diagnosis, he can save himself time and money. Directors should also know that actors are so willing to give directors what they want; please know that they want to do the best job possible. They love to work, they love collaboration, and they want to feel as if they will not be bullied or humiliated into a better performance.
What Advice Would You Give Young Directors?
The best advice I could give young directors is to recognize the merit of the acting process. Granted, I am a bit biased, but there will be others on the set who can do certain tasks that require your supervision but not necessarily your expertise—the art director, the DP, the costumer, and so on—but nobody else on the set can deal with the actor. No one but the director. See to it that you know what that process is, so that when you are dealing with an actor who appears to be difficult or stuck or desperate, you can provide them with constructive and specific information in order to get the desired results. And if you’re dealing with a seasoned star, you have the means by which you can eliminate your own fear and insecurity in order to get the desired results. Just as a conductor cannot lead an orchestra without some basic idea of how the flute fits into a particular composition, neither should the director attempt to helm a production without knowing the same about the actor.
Suanne Spoke
Acting Teacher
Professor, California Institute of the Arts
Vocabulary
closed rehearsal
covering
discovery
feed
find more colors
find peaks and valleys
give yourself somewhere to go
in the moment
kill the funny
line reading
mislead/turn
operative word
pace
pack a suitcase
payoff
playing the end at the beginning
point of view (for actor)
punched
raise the stakes
reaction
runs
subtext
throw a cue
throw away
What do you find out?
What if your character has this secret … ?
What’s the new information?
Who has the power?
Who is winning?
1. “Meryl Streep Quotes,” Brainy Quotes, retrieved February 11, 2011, from http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/m/meryl_streep.html.
2. Turan, Kenneth, “Man of Vision,�
� DGA Quarterly, Fall 2010, pp. 30–37.
3. Olsen, Mark, “Woody Allen Is Already Thinking Beyond ‘You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger,’” Los Angeles Times, September 21, 2010, Sec D.)
Chapter 11
Below the Line
The classification of “below the line” refers to the staff, crew, and equipment suppliers who are literally below a line on a production budget. The people who are above the line are the writer, producers, director, and actors. The “above the line” costs are—once negotiated—set in stone. The below-the-line costs are malleable (although there are union minimum salaries established) until production starts, and therefore the producer and unit production manager (UPM) will do their best to maintain cost control.
Yet those people are no less valuable. They are the ones with whom the director works during production and postproduction on a daily basis. They are your crew—the ones who make your vision become a physical reality. They light the set, they carry in the dolly track, they hold microphones above the actors’ heads, they download your footage. They work very hard, over very long hours, and we couldn’t make any wide-distribution media product without them (except for you making a YouTube video at home with your mom running the camera).
YOUR BACKUP TRIO
The three crew people who “have your back” the most are your 1st AD, the DP, and the script supervisor. In postproduction, the editor is your partner in the editing process, and we will talk more about that in Chapter 14. Each of these people fulfill very specific functions under your direction with the goal of helping you achieve the best possible outcome. We talked about the 1st AD in Chapter 5, recounting how a good 1st AD is your logistics assistant in prep, and the lieutenant to your general on set. The AD position is not generally perceived to be a “creative” one, but rather a nuts-and-bolts one. However, there certainly are creative individuals who take on this task and can offer you suggestions as to how to shoot something more efficiently or even just … better. Those ADs have a director’s sensibility. Be forewarned though, that if you are an AD hoping to move into the director’s chair, the industry bias is against ADs: many believe that they can’t be leaders and don’t have the creative vision component because they’re below the line and they’ve spent their careers dealing with logistics without final authority.
Directors Tell the Story Page 17