Consider Sandra’s lecture “Directing Actors” and describe at least a couple of points that you took away from it (even if you’re not the director).

There were heaps of points I took out of the ‘directing actors’ lectures that I think are vital for a shoot to go well. Two of the most important things that I took away were:

1. Rehearsing with the actors before the day/ time of the shoot. This is really important as it ensures the actors are not only comfortable with the script but also used to having your direction and it also ensures that they are able to work well with each other (if there is more than one actor). I personally have been in the situation of acting in film without first rehearsing with the director and other actors. It can be an overwhelming experience with so many new aspects to deal with and can effect the actors performance. This can lead to not only a less than desirable performance from the actor, but can also cause the shoot to run overtime due to having to reshoot unrehearsed shots.

2. Another point I took away from the lecture was the importance of giving actors some freedom with the script and character and allowing them to interpret the script themselves. Not doing so can stifle an actor’s creativity and also prohibit you from finding new depths in your script and film. You can always direct actors to perform the way you see the script, but if you shut off the possibility to their interpretation you may miss out on something special.