1. Result Direction vs Playable Direction Flashcards
To promote productive talking instead of explanations and adjectives. Save time using a language that connects the actor to a process instead of wasting long minutes describing a result. (227 cards)
0
Q
What is what most director call “Their Vision of the Script”?
A
When they read a script and inside their forehead they imagine the movie with certain way of delivery in the lines and facial expresions. (No matter how many times tephey read it, it always get the same “vision”)
1
Q
Actors say: “The Director doesn’t know what she wants”. Meanwhile, the Director has a very clear vision in her mind of what she wants. What’s the problem.
A
Many Director don’t know how to prepare.
2
Q
Why is this “Vision Of The Script” a bad practice? (4 things)
A
- Because it limits you to the images of the script.
- It forces you to make choices based on what you know about other movies instead of what you know about life.
- It denys any life of the character outside the script.
- It leads to “Result Direction”
3
Q
What is Result Direction?
A
An attempt to shape the actor’s performance by describing the result you are after, how you want it to end up looking or sounding like.
4
Q
What’s better than Result Direction?
A
Specific and playable direction.
5
Q
Example 1: “Can you make it more quirky?”. What’s the problem whit this direction? (HINT: Game)
A
Adjective. The Actor-Director relationship turns into a guessing game. The director is asking for something different than what the actor is doing, what can it be? Then tries something else, and it doesn’t work either.
6
Q
Why when a director asks for a certain mood, the actor usually brings the exact opposite?
A
Because the actor is placing his attention on the wrong place, is focusing on himself, monitoring himself and trying to give the result, instead of focusing on a doable task.
7
Q
What is what the Actors call: “pulling the old bag of tricks”?
A
When they have a series of prearranged imaginative adjustments to get different moods or results that they can produce at will.
8
Q
Why is the “bag of tricks” not a very good idea?
A
Because it prevents the performence to be
1. fresh - 2. surprising and - 3. insightful
It doesn’t lead to moment-by-moment connection to the material and the other actors.
9
Q
Example 2: “Can you take it down?” Or, “Can you give it more energy?”. Whats the problem with this direction? (3 things)
A
- It’s vague and general.
- Could mean that she’s overacting. Or, is flat.
- They can add more emphasis to the uninteresting choice, or make them say the line more monotone, and dampen their expresiveness.
10
Q
Example 3: “Don’t say: ‘YOU aways do that.’ It should be: ‘You always DO that.’” What’s the problem whith this direction?
A
It’s a line reading. It’s telling what inflection to give.
1. The actor can say the line like that, but without any life or subtext behind it. (because that line reading makes no sense to the actor)
11
Q
What should the director look for instead of focusing on a LINE READING?
A
- It should look for the meaning of the line, not the inflection or result.
- Or even look for the intention of the character who says that line.
- Or what the scene is about.
12
Q
Example 4: “I think [the character] is disappointed”. What’s wrong with this direction? (3 things)
A
- Is not a playable direction.
- Makes him look like an actor (fake), not like a real person.
- In real life, feelings are obstacles. We would prefer not to feel nervous, upset, angry.
13
Q
Why is a bad idea to direct using feelings?
A
Because a playable choice, must be choosable. We can’t choose how to feel.
14
Q
What happens when someone tries to control feelings, that means, selectively repress one feeling?
A
We can’t selectively shut down just one feeling. When one feeling is held back, all feeling gets shut down.
15
Q
What’s the very “province” of the actor in the subject of feelings?
A
Emotion and impulse.
16
Q
What is central to an actor’s talent, when talking about feelings?
A
Actors need to have the ability to be emotionally free and available to many subtelties of feeling, so they can deliver themselves to them.
17
Q
What’s terrible and at the same time, wonderful about feelings?
A
They change. One person can be crying, and in the next minute, laughing. So… The more you let yourself feel, the more available you are to a new feeling.
18
Q
Why does it have a shrinking effect on actors to tell them that “Don’t play it so angry.”?
A
They simply shut down feelings or become cautious.
19
Q
Why trying to havw more feeling has the same negative effect than supressing feeling? Example. “Be more nervous”.
A
There is a temptation to push or overact. They become actorish.
20
Q
What happens if the actor doesn’t believe that directing feelings is bad, and asks you for an emotion. “What emotion do you want me to have then?
A
As soon as you start envisioning the characters in terms of what emotion they should be having, you are loosing the chance for a genuinely exciting emotional event to take place.
21
Q
Example 5: “When she tells you that she doesn’t have the money, you get angry.” What’a the name of this type of direction?
A
EMOTIONAL TRANSITION. .
22
Q
How hard or easy are the emotional transitions to an actor .
A
It’s the trickiest part of acting. This is when acting can go sour and look unnatural.
23
Q
What happens to the audience when emotional transitions get forced thanks to the result oriented direction?
A
They get out of the story.
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Why is emotional transitions so difficult?
Because characters don't know what is going to happen next, so they don't know what they are going to say or do; and the actors do know.
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What's better than RESULT direction to manage emotional transitions?
A direction that connects the actor to a PROCESS instead of a result.
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Example 6: "When the scene starts he is worried because she's late. He is relieved when she arrives, but disappointed because she hasn't got the money, and then he becomes suspicious that she might be holding out on him". What's the name of this "technique".
EMOTIONAL MAP
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What is the other term for "Mapping the emotional terrain"?
Explaining the character or psichologizing the character. (Which commonly passes for an understanding of what the script is about.)
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What's wrong with explaining the emotional terrain? People talk like this, don't they?
Yes. It's called gossip. It can be harmless and fun, but not productive.
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What's preferable to Mapping the emotional terrain?
Direction the is simple, followable and to the point. Directors need to always save time.
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What happens when actors try to follow emotional maps?
Performance degenerates into an emotional connect-the-dots drawing, predictable. It can't flow.
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What is an alternative to EMOTIONAL MAPS?
THROUGH LINE
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What is THROUGH LINE?
The EMOTIONAL REALITY of the character.
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How do you connect with the THROUGH LINE?
With a sense of OBJECTIVE, or SIMPLE INTENTION.
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What is OBJECTIVE?
Is what the character wants from the other character.
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What is INTENTION?
What the character is doing to get his objective.
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So what can be done to improve the scene where "he is worried because she is late? (Using simple objectives)
1. Her: to get him to put his arms around her. Him: to get her to hit him.
Or 2. Her: to make him cry. Him: to get her to take care of him.
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What happens when transitions become intellectualized instead of experienced?
Actor falls into what is called INDICATING: showing the audience the inner life of the character rather than living it.
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Example 7: "This is how I see the character...". Whats wrong with this direction.
It's unproductive. It's both result oriented and general. Just like we don't get to decide what to feel, we don't get how or what to be. (New Year resolution. Like when people say they're going to be a nicer person... It never works, does it?)
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What is more effective that saying "You are a bad person"?
"You did a bad thing"
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What happens internally to the actor when tries to be "what the character is like"? (And fails agin and again)
It usually produces stress and self-doubt. Acting becomes an obligation, a burden.
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How do you "tacle" what the character is like?
Actor and Director break down their ideas about the character into a series of playable tasks.
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Why do most directors choose the easy way? (To talk about "what the character is like")
Because braking down ideas into playable tasks, takes insigh and knowledge about human behavior, and it takes time.
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What happens when directors keep throwing result-oriented direction at actors?
The have to translate it into playable tasks. And sometimes, when the camera is about to roll, they don't have enough time to translate it and they don't give a good performance. (So it saves time when the director can talk in playable terms).
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Ejemplo 8: "Can you play him agressive, but pleasant?". What's the common name for this type of direction?
COMPLEX DIRECTION. (This is mistaken as the FINE WINE of direction)
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Why does giving "complex" direction doesn't work?
Because people are complex, yes, but they are not actually able to do 2 thins at once. The two things cancel each other out.
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Whats better than "complex" direction? ("Shy but sexy")
It's better to ask the actor to say one thing and do the opposite. Or she may alternate what they are doing from one thing to another. (Which is not the same as "cautious yet cheerful")
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What happens to the actor when he recieves "complex" direction, for example, "shy yet dominant"?
He gets confused, so he ends up faking one or both of them.
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Example 9: "He's a punk". Or, "She's self-destructive". What's wrong with this directions?
These are negative JUDGMENTS on the character. They are the most dangerous consequence of deciding "What the character is like".
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For the actor. Why is judging the character is not recommended? What could happen?
If the actor is not on the character's side, who will be?
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Why are judgments a lie?
Because no one is born bad. Characters get to be who they are because of the needs they have, the things that happen to them, and the choices they make.
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What is the actor, writer and director supposed to do if not judging characters?
Approach the character experientially. Placing him in a situation, allowing him to have needs and make choices (-- not judging him).
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For the audience. Why is it bad to have directors and actors judging characters?
Because the acting will telegraph the ending at the beginning. It will be a caricature. "I'm the hero", and "i'm the bad guy". There can be no suspense.
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Why is suspense so important to the audience? The "what happens next" posture?
Even if they already know the ending, they need the real thing, real people having needs and taking choices. And not saying... "Hey! I'm the looser". (The same as when some people are not liked by others for faking to much their emotions)
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How do you make characters real besides using needs and choices?
With AMBIGUITY. Villains portrayed as recognizably human are far more frightening than cardboard cutouts. Or heroes making mistakes, making choices and coping with problems.
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How can directors approach a character if they tend to judge too often?
As if he/she is going to play the part. Taking the side of the character.
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Example 10: "Let's give (this character) a hostile edge". What tool is this direction using?
It's deciding an attitude. It's general and vague.
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What are the dangers of asking for attitude when directing? (3 things)
1. It makes the actor "show" something instead of "doing" something.
2. Forces the actor to not listen and not engage with the other actors.
3. It doesn't let them be in the moment.
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What should a directos look for, if not attitude?
Getting into the subwolrd of the character, his actions, his past decisions, his need. Creating an atmosphere of creative trust and freedom where actors listen and play off each other.
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What are the 2 most common mistakes that directors do?
Give adjectives and explanations. (They are general and vague)
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What's the problem with COMPLEX DIRECTION. (Is it clear? Or better than just adjectives?)
It's confusing. It's actually worst than just using adjectives.
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If director and actor develop character and relationships using ATTITUDE, what kind of performance do they get?
Generic and Formulaic
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Why is asking for EMOTIONAL TRANSITIONS to confusing and hard to follow? (In comparison with just asking for emotion)
If we can't choose what emotion to have, then changing emotions is a lot harder, is like trying to choose to have multiple emotions. ITS CRAZY.
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What is an EMOTIONAL TRANSITION? (As a "direction technique", which is wrong)
Is when you ask an actor to change from one emotion to another without telling him how. (Asking for a result and not giving a task).
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What's an EMOTIONAL MAP?
A decision about all the feelings and reactions a character is supposed to have. (Without exploring how to provoque those feelings and reactions).
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What's the core problem of the ADJECTIVE? (Besides being general and vague)
It's STATIC. It describes someone's impression of the character. So it's descriptive and part of gossip.
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What's the problem with talking about the impressions that someone has of another person?
Because the essence of a person is not other people's description of her. What others see is just the tip of the iceberg.
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How can you help someone to create a believable characterization? (HINT: Experience)
By giving insight into how character experiences life, in a language that is EXPERIENTIAL, and not descriptive.
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Why is SUBJECTIVE and INTEPRETATIVE language (adjectives) not ideal to the comunication between directors and actors?
Because is SUBJETIVE and INTERPRETATIVE. Interpretations vary from people to people. What someone considers "friendly", may be seen as "sexual" to someone else.
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EXAMPLE: "Not like that. Play it sexy". What happens if the actor already thought it was sexy?
He will have one of two reactions.
1. He will start to doubt himself, "Maybe I'm not sexy enough for this role".
2. He will loose respect for the director. "What's wrong with this guy? He doesn't know sexy when he sees it".
70
If adjective are no ideal for comunication between director and actor, then... Why do most people use adjectives?
Because they serve our social needs to summarize, to intellectualize emotion, to categorizr experience. They are generalizations.
71
What is the primary experience?
Is the experience of our five senses. What we see, hear, smell, touch and taste.
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How would someone explain an earthquake with using primary experience? (As a recent experience)
We hear breaking glass, car alarms, we feel the bed move under our bodies, our eyes strain in the pitch darkness to pickout shapes, we drench oj sweat. (Our sensory life is alive to detail).
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How would someone describe an earthquake using adjectives? (Not recent experience... About 4 months after the earthquake).
It was horrible, very scary.
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What is better for the actor to nail a performance. To receive instructions that summarize or intellecualize experience? Or to receive instructions that connect him to primary experience?
Something that connects him to the primary experience-- THANK YOU CAPTAIN OBVIOUS!
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What should directors be suspicious of? (That is used in result difection)
Adjectives, Adverbs and Explanations (Also... Emotional Maps, and Psychologizing).
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What are the bad attributes of adjectives, adverbs and explanations? (Which is why they are bad for direction)
Subjective, Static, Superficial, They Intellectualize and categorize.
77
What's the difference between lawyers, accauntants, vs Artists?
Lawyers and accountants should explain things... (Not creative). Not artists... they are here to suggest, illuminate, juxtapose and let the audience draw their own conclusions.
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Characteristics of playable direction in comparison with result direction. (Playable direction - 5 things)
```
GENERATES BEHAVIOR rather than CONFUSION.
DYNAMIC rather that Static
SENSORY rather than Intellectual
OBJECTIVE rather than Subjective.
It's CREATIVE rather than Descriptive.
```
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QUICK FIXES: How many TOOLS can someone use for PLAYABLE DIRECTION?
Five.
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QUICK FIXES: What are the TOOLS that someone can use for PLAYABLE DIRECTION?
Verbs. Facts. Images. Events. Physical Tasks.
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Why does these quick fixes work so good?
Because they are ACTIVE (verbs), OBJECTIVE (facts), SENSORY (images), DYNAMIC (events) and KINETIC (physical task).
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So result direction never works? I mean, never never?
Sometimes it does. But usually only once. It's not very repeateble. (The actor nails it on rehearsal or on set, then performance vanishes and everyone is mystified)
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So playable direction can never stop working?
Sometimes they do stop working, but they are LESS LIKELY TO.
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Why is the situation less hopeless when result direction (quick fixes) stop working?
Because in addition to be a good language in direction, they are excelent script analysis tools, they help the imagination to kick in. They are the keys to the character's subworld.
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What is so good about VERBS? (In comparison with adjectives)
They describe what someone is DOING, so they are ACTIVE rather than STATIC. They actually describe the EXPERIENCE, rather than the result of that experience.
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Are all verbs great?
No. Not all verbs. Only ACTION VERBS.
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What verbs are useless? Give examples.
State of the mind Verbs. To like, to resent, to fear.
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What are ACTION VERBS?
Something you do to someone else. Verbs that help the actor focus on his other partner.
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What verbs are considered best in the action verbs realm?
Verbs that have both emotional and physical component.
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Give examples of the verb "TO TALK" (weak action verb) transformed into a STRONG ACTION VERB.
To Complain. To Beg. To Acuse. To Punish.
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How would you translate "being defensive" into verbs?
To protect, to defend o to deflect (weak action verbs).
| STRONG: COMPLAIN about being picked unfairly. BELITTLE the source. WARN about no to persist the accusation.
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In character development. What role do the action verbs take?
The help with the THROUGH LINE - NEED, OBJECTIVE and INTETION.
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How can ACTION VERBS create EMOTION?
Because when people do something to someone else, something happens, so an emotional event is created.
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Does action verbs can in someway affect feelings?
YES. (pretty straight forward... isn't it?)
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In what ways do ACTION VERBS approach the EMPTIONAL CENTER of the scene? (in contrast with adjectives) (-HINT: Experience)
In a way that is EXPERIENTIAL and PLAYABLE, instead of descriptive and result oriented.
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Is the audience drawn to the story thanks to what the actor is feeling?
No. The audience is drawn to the life of the character thanks to what the ACTOR IS DOING with that FEELING. (You are actors god damn it, not feelers!)
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How to remember easily the dilema about emotion (feeling something) and acting (doing something with the feeling). ---(jail example)
You go to jail for what you do, not for what you feel. We can't control feelings but we can control what we do with our feelings.
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Where is the actor's concentration when he is trying to play ATTITUDE?
On himself-- "Am I sexy enough?", "Is this enough anger?")
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Where is the actor's concentration when he is trying to play ACTION VERBS?
He concentrates on his other partner-- ("Oh yes, you wil fall...", "Please don't do this to me")
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Can using VERBS instead of ATTITUDE harm superior actors?
No. (So use them... less experienced actors are helped greatly).
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# Translate the following into ACTION VERBS.
1. Play it sexy
| 2. Be more angry.
1. Ask him "to flirt" with her.
| 2. Ask her to "accuse" or to "punish".
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How can VERBS help the actor to concentrate on his other partner? (in contrast with adjectives)
It encourages the actors to LISTEN and to ENGAGE.
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For you as a director, how does it help to encourage actors to LISTEN and ENGAGE?
It allows you to be more ACTIVE in the COLLABORATION, because you are building TEAMWORK.
104
How does it help you as a Director to be more ACTIVE in the process of creating TEAMWORK and COLLABORATION
It makes easier to bring the script (and it's meaning) to life according to your vision.
105
"Yes you should be mean to him, but not that mean". Why not just say like that... isn't the translation into verbs to hard to do?
Yes. Translating adjectives into verbs TAKES EXTRA EFFORT and is not easy...
NEWS FLASH: Good Directing is not supposed to be easy! The extra effort is good for you!
106
When she translates "take it down" into VERBS, what's the extra effort she has to take?
She has to take more thought to articulate precisely what she wants, using verbs.
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So how do you "take it down" using VERBS?
By changing the VERB ("taking it down"). Instead of PUNISH, you could use WARN. Instead of WARN you could use COMPLAIN.
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How can you be sure what verb is perfect for the instensity you are looking for?
You can't be sure until you try them on rehearsal.
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Why is it impossible to know for sure what verb will work perfectly? (HINT: Science)
Because is not a precise science, all humans are different and unpredictable, hence, relationship between 2 people are even harder to predict.
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How often does an actor hears "take it down" or give it more energy"? and Why?
Very often. Because it's easy (and very common)
111
What can the actor start to suspect if he hears "take it down" or "give it more energy" over and over from a director?
After a moment of confusion, she may start to feel that the director doesn't know what he is talking about.
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Why does taking EXTRA EFFORT in language (of using verbs instead of "take it down" or "give it more energy") helps the director to gain respect from actors?
Because it's an interesting way to STAND OUT. You show how much you care for the story because you are NOT BEING LAZY. (Actors know when directors cares for them, and recognize when they take extra effort to help them).
114
How would you translate "What the character is like" of "How I see the character" into VERBS (and not gossip)
Just have the character do it. Don't gossip about if he would do something... if he does, then he would do it
115
What if the "verbs contradicts the character" (says Mr. Gossiper). "But my character would never manipulate, she's too nice".
Well then... NEWS FLASH: Uptight people flirt! Nice people manipulate! Proud people beg! Shy people brag! People are complex.
116
Can we (people) contradict ourselves?
Yes. Sometimes we do things that ate inexplicable to others and ourselves, we make mistakes and then we live with guilt.
117
Why is it hard for directors and actors to build a complex character using lots of explanations or psychologizing the character to death?
Because they don't seem to know that people can contradict themselves.
118
How do you build a complex character?
By knowing that people contradict themselves. Real people do different things at different times, they change their social mask, they adapt to the enviroment.
119
How is Gene Hackman a master in interpreting complex characters?
He can change intentions (verbs) in the wink of an eye: he cna charm, then challenge, then whine, then demand and then seduce.
120
So what's the tip on "what the character is like", "this is how I see the character..." (Or "he would never do that", or "he is the type of person that does this or that".) (HINT: nike)
DON'T WASTE TIME wrestling over what the character's personality is, what he would do or wouldn't... Just do it.
121
How would you translate JUDGEMENTS into VERBS?
Just have the character do something. (Instead of judging as manipulative... Have her cajole, beg, warn-blackmail, challenge, or punish)
122
LINE READINGS. Why do directors use line reading instead of actually talking about the intention (verb)?
Because it's difficult to talk in verbs.
123
PRACTICE MAKE PERFECT - Is this true?
No. PRACTICE MAKES PERMANENT
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Why is it difficult to talk in verbs? (HINT: Practice)
Because we've been practicing talking in adjectives our whole lives, gossiping about everything, and haven't practiced much of PRODUCTIVE TALKING.
125
What would it take to talk in verbs?
We would have to leave our CONFORT ZONE of adjectives, explanations and line readings, and start making extra effort in translating everything into PRODUCTIVE TALKING (like verbs).
126
So in LINE READINGS, just by getting good and fast at translating adjectives and line readings into verbs, we can be outstanding directors?
No. That is part of it, but not enough. It's understanding that is not the INFLECTION you are after, but the INTENTION (verb) of the line, which comes from the NEED of the character.
127
What are the other names for LINE READINGS?
Demostration or Asking for Inflection.
128
Give an example of LINE READING.
"It shouldn't be: You always DO that... It should be: YOU alwas do that.
129
What's the category of "Yes, you should be mean to him, but not that mean"?
Is on the "take it down" or "give it more energy" realm.
130
Why is it hard to translate "take it down" into verbs?
Because we are more accostumed to gossip than productive talking.
131
What's the nemesis of Facts?
Explanations.
132
Which one is prefered by most directors? Facts or Explanations?
Explanations
133
Why do directors prefer explanations over facts?
Because they think they are embellishing the past.
134
Power of FACTS --vs-- Power of EXPLANATIONS
EXPLANATIONS - their power rests on the persuasive abilities of the explainer.
FACTS - they speak for themselves.
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How many kinds of facts are there? And what are they?
Two.
1. Facts in the script, and
2. facts not in the script
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What are the facts in the script?
Factual backstory and events of the script.
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What are the facts outside the script?
Imaginative backstory choices.
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What the main focus of SCRIPT ANALISIS.
To determine both facts, the ones in the script and the the ones not in the script.
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How do you create a rich universe of the story?
By discovering and deducing a world of facts that are not in the script, making decisions of the backstory beyond the paper.
140
FACTS instead of PSYCHOLOGIZING. Translate: "She can't express her feelings"
She doesn't express her feelings. (Subtle change in vocabulary...)
141
Translate "she is very attched to her mother" into a fact.
She wrote a letter to her mother everyday of her honeymoon.
142
Why is it better to use a fact instead of explanation in the sample of "attached to her mother".
Even with a full explanation of her attachment to her mother, it would just be long-winded and intellectual (waste of time). The honeymoon letters are more eloquent, simple. (Time saver and evokes her nature more vividly).
143
What's the most common temptation when using facts?
To embellish using explanations.
144
What tip can you give in the subject of embellishing facts with explanations?
Under any circumstances... DON'T DO IT.
145
What's better than embelishing facts with explanations?
Let the fact speak for itself.
146
How do you let the facts speak for themselves?
By not adding explanations... --THANK YOU CAPTAIN OBVIOUS! Understanding that embellishment waters down the direction, because facts are beautiful on their own, they don't need embellishment. (DON'T FIX WHAT ISN'T BROKEN)
147
REVIEW: What should your objective be as a director? What should you be expecting from an actor? (3 things)
To feel something (have an emotion), to have something happening inside him (experience something), to connect to the other actor and the scene (listen and do something about it).
148
What's the sin of embellishing facts with explanations?
It FORCES A SPECIFIC INTERPRETATION.
(It doesn't give her freedom to have the interpretation that comes to her naturally, according to her own life experience and own personal needs)
149
Explain a process in which embelishing facts with explanations can go wrong (when interpretations are different).
Maybe the fact by itself helps her understand something and have a conclusion, then she starts to feel something... AND THEN... the stupid embelishment... when the director says his own personal interpretation wich is different from the actor, this takes her away and STOPS FEELING, because now she is wondering... "What's wrong with this guy..."
150
Talking about psychology. Why should the director let the facts speak for themselves and not embellish them with explanations? (HINT: proyections)
Because the director should let the actor proyect her own needs and experiences to the fact, and thus, letting her have her own interpretation. (Otherwise the director is proyecting his own life experience, needs and resources, and forcing it into the actor)
151
What are the internal resources that you proyect in an interpretation when you embellish facts with explanations?
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE and PERSONAL NEED.
152
FACTS instead of "WHAT THE CHARACTER IS LIKE". How do you argue with facts? Example: someone says "He is not a selfish person".
Play DETECTIVE WORK, find clues in the script, sometimes there is evidence that the character is not what he claims to be (his social mask).
153
THE WATERFRONT: Example of a character who "is not the kind of person that sleeps with someone on her first date" and yet, there might be evidence of the contrary... (2 possible clues)
1. After the night of the kiss, both Terry and Edie go to the priest to confess something.
2. When Terry breaks down her door to see her, she's on her slip, she screams, yes, but does nothing to cover herself (can it be that she doesn't mind and she's just screaming to keep appearances?)
154
FACTS instead of JUDGEMENT. Translate "She's a real bitch" into a fact.
She poured paint on the windshield of her ex-lover's car.
155
Translate "he's a likable guy" into a fact.
When he asks a question, he really listents for the answer, looking you right into your eyes.
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Translate "He is the most popular guy in school" into a fact.
Everyone talks about him.
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FACTS instead of ATTITUDES. The line "I already told you that" might suggest (depending on your own personal resources) an attitude and tone of exasperation. But what's the fact?
There has been a previous conversation between these two characters.
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Once you have a fact (they had a previous conversation), what do you do next? (Example of the line "I already told you that")
Next comes DETECTIVE WORK. How many previous conversations? What was actually said? Under what conditions? Did character B (who was told the info) not believe and yet is asking again? Or was B distracted by some other secret concern?
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How does DETECTIVE WORK helps to translate ATTITUTE?
They create a set of GIVEN CIRCUMSTANCES that generate BEHAVIOR that IMPLIES A POINT OF VIEW.
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How do you spice up the curiosity in a line (like "I already told you that")
By REMOVING the ATTITUDE. Use just the FACT. There has been a previous conversation. From there you atart asking questions that develop GIVEN CIRCUMSTANCES.
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In the example of "she pured paint on the windshield of her exlovers car" instead of "She's a bitch". What does the fact helps to find?
It helps to develop GIVEN CIRCUMSTANCES. Could she have a good reason to do that? What if yes? Maybe she is not a bitch at all!
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Whats the name for IMAGINATIVE BACKSTORY FACTS?
IMAGINATIVE ADJUSTMENTS.
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What's the purpose of an IMAGINATIVE ADJUSTMENT?
To add a LAYER or a TWIST to the inner life and imagined GIVEN CIRCUMSTANCES of the character.
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In a scene where an employee is told by his boss that he has been terminated. If the boss only appears in this scene... what is one way to add texture (LAYERS or TWIST) to the Boss?
By asking the question (about the boss): "What if her own father had been fired from his job when she was a child?"
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Are there only visual IMAGES?
No. There are experiences of all our FIVE SENSES: What we see, hear, smell, taste and touch.
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So, if the movie inside the head of the director is an IMAGE, then all he has to do is describe it to the actor to get good performance? and Why?
No. Because that image is a result, not a process.
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How would you comunicate to the actor an image of LONELINESS?
By not describing the loneliness image, but by putting the characer in a situation (a set of facts) that might produce the behavior you need.
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Name the 2 kind of images that the actor connect to.
1. IMAGES of the TEXT: the images created by the words of the script.
2. IMAGES that the ACTOR brings to the script: The script's subworld.
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What's the porpuse of IMAGES?
To create an EMOTIONAL REALITY.
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IMAGE instead of EMOTION. How can IMAGES create EMOTION? Name examples.
The smell of beaking bread can take us back to our youth; A phrase from an old song can return us to a romantic moment in our past; reading the new can make us rage because of the injustice.
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What's an EMOTIONAL REALITY?
Is when the actor CONNECTS her own imagination to the IMAGINED WORLD of the script, and she starts to have IMPULSES and FEELINGS.
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CASE: LADY: "I wish I was dead." VAL: "No you don't, lady." In this scenario, VAL is not giving the right emphasis to his line, it got worse and worse, until he got a new direction... which was it?
She (the director) looked him right in the eye and asked: "Have you ever seen a dead person?". His eyes shifted... didn't respond, but something changed. She (the director) said, "Let's run the scene".
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IMAGES instead of EXPLANATIONS. How are Images stronger than explanations?
IMAGES associated with important events can awaken inside the actor, the resources and connections to the EXPERIENCE. And the explanation only talks about the effects of that experience.
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EXAMPLE: The backstory of a character is that at the age of 4 she was left with an unpleasant relative for six months during her mom's sickness. Without wasting time psychologizing, what image could work?
The door closing on the child's father as he leaves her there.
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IMAGES as IMAGINATIVE ADJUSTMENTS. What's the misconception that most directors have about imaginative adjustments?
They use them as change in ATTITUDE.
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Example of ATTITUDE used as imaginative adjustment:
"Let's go for a cheerful adjustment"
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How about THIS!: "The adjustment is that you realize that she has betrayed you and you decide to kill her." Why is this direction good?
GOOD?!You freaking kidding me?! That is not playable, is a disguised emotional map. (Realize and Decide are state of mind verbs).
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If "you realize that she betrayed you so you decide to kill her", is not a playable adjustment, what image could work?
"Let's do it AS IF she was a secret spy begging to be killed." Or "AS IF she was a killer ready to take your life" (sooo what will you do?)
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How can IMAGINATIVE ADJUSTMENTS help to take you out of the box, and bring spark to a scene that is playing too dead-on? (Give examples)
Play a love scene AS IF it was a business deal. Play a business deal as if it was childsplay with swords. Or as if the other actor had bad breath.
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What's is one of the most important tasks of the director to tell a story and to tell what the movie is about?
To discover the CENTRAL EVENT of the scene.
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Two reasons to dicover the CENTRAL EVENT of a scene.
1. The events are the ones who TELL THE STORY.
| 2. The events of the movie tell us WHAT THE MOVIE IS ABOUT.
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How can you have the EVENTS in a way that are SURPRISING and INEVITABLE? (And so the audience are hooked with the "WHAT HAPPENS NEXT").
Unfold the events EMOTIONALLY (get good acting) and FILMICALLY (good art and cinematography).
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How do you unfold events EMOTIONALLY and FILMICALLY?
By deciding the same CENTRAL EVENT across the ACTORS, ART DEPARTMENT and DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY.
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Give EXAMPLES of events.
This scene is about a:
| Fight, Negotiation, a Healing, a Seduction.
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Translate "this scene is about the SADNESS (adj) of two ex-lovers, that after an having differences (passive verb) becomes into something AGRESSIVE (adj), and that later transforms into GUILT (adj)"-- into an event.
The scene is about the fight between two people who used to love each other.
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What does it take to change the perception of a scene from ADJECTIVES to a sense of EVENT (what the scene is about)?
It takes IMAGINATION, INSIGHT and THINKING.
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Why is it good to take that extra time to IMAGINE, THINK and get INSIGHT to discover the event? How does it help to the process of directing? (HINT: stimuli)
It stimulates CREATIVITY, helps you to open you mind to have ideas flowing.
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If you know the EVENT of the whole movie... what is it that the DIRECTOR has to be on the lookout for?(HINT: Cliché)
To NOT INDICATE the event; but make it happen in the here and now and let the audience in on it.
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What's the porpuse of PLAYABLE DIRECTION in contrast to RESULT DIRECTION, concerning the performance of the actor? (HINT: To be, or not to be)
Is to have the actor DO something, instead of having him BE something.
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Why is it better to have the actor DO something instead of BE something?
To have his concentration on what he is DOING, rather than what he is looking like, and thus, allow himself to be in the moment and be spontaneous.
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What's the simplest level of having the actor DO something?
To give him a PHYSICAL TASK.
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How does it help to give a PHYSICAL TASK?
So their concentration will be on a physical problem, something real.
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How does it help to have the actor to concentrate on something real? (Physical Task)
So he can authentically give the scene a sense of it's emotional problem, reflected on the character's struggle through his physical life.
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Why does the PHYSICAL TASK takes the actor's concentration off the lines?
Because he lets the lines COME OUT of the physical task, instead of trying to remember them or on delivering them the "right way".
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What happens when the actor says lines with his concentration on remembering or trying to deliver them the "right way"?
The performance looks stiff, actorish, rehearsed-looking.
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How does playable direction helps in having the actor concentrate in something else rather than "remembering" and "right delivery"?
Because having his concentration on an imaginative task like a verb, fact or image, or event, takes the actor off the lines and into a CREATED REALITY.
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From where does the lines of the script come out when the actor concentrates on "rembembering the lines" or "delivering them the right way"?
From the preconceived idea of how they should sound.
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What can you do when the imaginative task (verbs, facts, images or events) get to intellectualized or self-concious?
Then it's time to use a PHYSICAL TASK.
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CASE: A Director wanted a scene in the kitchen to be less seductively. The scene was stuck and to dead on to the lines. Lines sounding in the actor's predetermined idea of how the lines should sound. WHAT WAS THE SOLUTION? (Physical Task)
"Why don't you go to the refrigerator and look for a snack during this conversation. And let's let the refrigerator door be a little stuck". The physical problem helped to put his attention on something and the words were freed from the actor's preconceived notion. The scene played naturally and simply.
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What dogreat actors do when they receive RESULT DIRECTON?
They translate it into VERBS or PHYSICAL TASKS.
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How does PHYSICAL TASKS help to create unconsciously a VERB?
Getting her to cut some vegetables in the kitchen instead of looking him right in the eye when he's talking, will get her to IGNORE him, wel that's a start... but that could turn into "PUNISHMENT".
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What can you do when actors are struggling and the performance is not there yet, that means, when the actor is not listnening to the other actor and focusing on his own performance, concentrating only on his DAMN LINES? (What can you do to GUIDE them without needing to give acting lessons on the set?)
By giving him a PHYSICAL TASK... a PHYSICAL PROBLEM will do the trick, it will force him to shift his concentration from himself to the physical problem.
204
How does a PHYSICAL PROBLEM helps the actor to engage and make the shift his concentration from his own performance or the DAMN LINES into the moment (the other actor and the here and now)
The PHYSICAL PROBLEM forces him to land on the HERE AND NOW, and connects him to the MOMENT, it forces him to focus on something else besides his lines or own performance. (From there it's easier to LISTEN MORE, FEEL and ENGAGE.)
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What's the shortcut to translate ADJECTIVES into playable tasks?
Have the adjective become an objective towards the other actor.
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How would you use a SHORTCUT to translate: "be more angry"
MAKE HIM ANGRY.
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How would you use a SHORTCUT to translate: "be more sad"
MAKE HIM SAD.
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Are SHORCUTS the Ultimate Answer to translate adjectives?
No. But they open up your laguange into PRODUCTIVE TALKING, instead of gossip or explanations. SHORTCUTS help you to translate ADJECTIVE into a sense of TASK... not quite the task itself but it's a million times better than the adjective itself.
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The actor says: "So... you want me to do it MORE ANGRY?" How would you reply using a SHORTCUT to get him out of the adjective?
"Maybe, what I really want is for you to MAKE HER ANGRY" or "I have an idea... How about if you MAKE HER ANGRY?"
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What TASK comes out of the verb "to Punish him"?
The task would be: "To get the othe actor to feel punished".
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Why do SHORTCUTS work?
Because they help to make the shift in focus from herself ("be more angry", her performance or her lines) to the other actor ("MAKE HIM ANGRY" because of the sense of task)
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Are the Directors the only ones that give result direction to the actors?
NO! Actors sometimes like to translate a playable direction into a result. "So you want it seductive? I can do seductive." (And sometimes DPs also give result direction)
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What do you do when the translates playable direction into a result?
Answer with a verb, a fact, an image, an event or a physical task... OR A QUESTION. Preferably a QUESTION.
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What mistake is the actor doing when he translates playable direction into result direction?
He's focusing on himself.
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What's wrong with having the actor focus on himself?
That it destroys a COLLABORATION ENVIROMENT, destroying TEAMWORK, and making it difficult to bring the script to life according to your vision.)
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What kind of QUESTION can you give as an answer to an actor translating playable direction into result direction?
Questions that help him connect to the other actor (or to the moment if he's alone)
217
What would you answer to an actor if he had to play a robbery scene and said: "So, you want me to be scared?" (how to connect him to the moment)
"Do you think this character have ever pulled off a robbery before?"
218
What would you answer to an actor if he had to play a scene in which to characters fight with words and said: "O.K. So here I go for a sarcastic vibe then..." (help to connect her to the other actor)
"Do you think she wants to pick a fight or is he hoping he will stay calm?"
219
What would you answer if the actor said: "So you want me to be less agresive? (question with physical task)
"What if the character is laying when she says this line?"
220
It's "I DON'T KNOW" the stupidest answer a Director can say to an actor?
No. If said with confidence and sense of exploration, it can be the smartest thing she can say.
221
What director (AMAZINGLY GOOD) answers with "I DON'T KNOW" even when he knows, and also was notorious for refusing to tell actors how to play their roles?
John Cassavetes
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Did the director who answered "I DON'T KNOW" said that because he didn't know or understand the characters inside out or because he didn't do his homework?
No. He did his homework. He understood the characters inside out. And also HE WANTED THE ACTORS TO FIND THE CHARACTERS themselves, and make them THEIR OWN.
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What do you get when you let actors make the character THEIR OWN?
You get them to acces their DEEPEST RESOURCES. (An thus, you get emotionally honest work).
224
When you answer with questions... What is it that you have to be prepared for?
You have to be prepared for some of the answers to these questions no to be the ones you were expecting.
225
What if the actor asks something, and you answer with a question, and then he gives an answer you were not expecting? (even dislike)
You have yo give up your CHARACTER-IN-THE-SKY and the version of the film you have running INSIDE OF YOUR FOREHEAD.
226
How does it help to try what the actor suggests (when is not looking like a good idea)?
You are showing flexibility. If you are flexible, then you have the right to ask him to be flexible and also try other ideas.
227
What if the actor come with an IDEA that is WAY OFF the story and contradicts radically the storyline? Do you say NO?
You ask why.
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How does it help to answer with "WHY?" when the actor gives a "bad idea"?
1. Maybe he's right and it's he helps by giving the BEST IDEA OUTSIDE THE BOX,
2. Maybe the idea doesn't work, and you will help him to discover it himself and understand why. (and thus, HELP HIM THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX).
