Directing Tips For Beginners
Directing might seem pretty straight forward, you yell “action,” direct the actors, and then call cut, but there’s actually a lot more to directing than just coffee and berets. So let’s go over some directing tips for beginners to help you manage all the nuances of being a director.
First up, is your actors. You and your actors are a team, and making them feel like they are a part of a team is key. You can do this by building relationships with them early, so that by the time they are on set they already feel comfortable with you and their other castmates.
Next up, and most importantly is making sure your actors feel comfortable. If you’re shooting a scene that might be uncomfortable for an actor, such as a scene involving nudity or requiring them to cry, consider having a skeleton crew and asking all non essential cast and crew members to leave the set for that scene.
Also note that each actor is different and might need different things from you. Some might need a lot of hand holding, while others might work better if you’re more hands off. As you develop a relationship with them, feel out which method works best, or even ask them what style of direction they prefer.
Next up, if an actor suggests trying something that you don’t necessarily agree with, still allow them to try so they feel creatively heard. You can always choose a different take in editing, but you also might be surprised to find out you like this different direction. Trust in your actor’s abilities and you’ll end up with some golden moments you didn’t plan.
On the other hand, if the direction you’re giving an actor doesn’t seem to be working, consider changing your tactics. Find a new approach at explaining what you want or even better find a personal connection the actor might be able to make to the scene.
Alright so we’ve covered actors, but being a director isn’t only about working with actors. It’s also your job to spot anything that doesn’t feel authentic or real. At the end of the day, movie making is like a magic trick. You want to make the audience believe what they are seeing on screen is real and that the characters are actually experiencing it in real time with them.
Because of that, you need to have an eagle eye and be looking out for any performance, set design, costume piece, prop, or camera move that might break the illusion. Also as the director, you need to know the answer to every question on set.
So make sure you are prepared beforehand, by creating storyboards, script breakdowns, reference photos, and anything else you might need to illustrate your vision for the final film. This way you’ll be able to address any questions or concerns your cast and crew might have. However, make sure you’re still open to the creative input of your cast and crew as they might have fantastic ideas that might be even better than yours.
And finally, there’s the little issue of authority. You see, maintaining your authority on set is also key. You’re the captain of the ship after all. So if you have actors or crew members that are not listening to direction or misbehaving on set, you might have to take a much more authoritative and commanding approach. Failing to do so immediately could result in other actors or crew members following the misbehaver’s lead.
If it continues to persist, consider taking that actor or crew member aside and having a private conversation with them about the issue. Try not to be overly negative, but firmly remind them about proper set etiquette and how their behavior is disrupting the set.
And cut! Alright that’s a wrap on general directing tips!
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