This week we focused on acting in films. And that rudimental tasks are actually more difficult to look good on screen. This got me thinking about the nature of acting on screen and the difference between amateurs and professional actors. It is strange that some people are naturally more photogenic and suit the screen better than others. According to online sources, a lot of what makes someone photogenic is on proportions and bone structure. In my own observations on set, professional actors tend to have a switch that allows them to get into character as soon as the camera is rolling. When we say cut, they quickly return to their normal selves. To become comfortable in front of a camera no doubt requires a lot of past experiences and practice. A lot of this ability comes from the actor’s personal interpretation of action or emotion. 

In the scene, we saw in A Woman’s Face, the same scene where Anna leaves the boy and undergoes a change of heart has a different performance by the actors that portray her. In the original, Anna seemed to be surprised by her change of heart and realises that she should not murder the boy in that instant. On the other hand, in the 1941 film, Anna seemed hesitant to allow herself to be swayed by kindness. The way she moves the boy’s hand away from her and quickly exits the room illustrates her restraining her emotions. The way these same scenes could have different interpretations can be attributed to the writer and director, but its execution is attributed to the actor who understands the inner workings of Anna at this point of the film. As the director, the ability to direct actors is crucial to create a believable performance. I think a large vocab of verbs with varying intensity can speed up the process of directing actors.