As I had the opportunity of directing parts of my own script, I began to see what it is that directors are looking for.
When I thought about how to shoot a particular scene, I thought, how can I make this more visually interesting, or visually funny that would enhance what I’ve written. It wasn’t always easy, especially when it’s a talky scene with not much happening.
As I write, I try to visualize how the actors would say their lines, if they can manage it, if the rhythm is right. So, as a writer, when I watch what is finally shot or rehearsed, sometimes I feel let down. Because I feel the actors seem to have missed their marks. It wasn’t what I had visualised. I think the problem is that although it was different, it wasn’t better than what I had visualised.
However, it is hard too, to judge when it is enough to capture the actor. For example, while I felt a three shot was appropriate, others felt a close up would have been more appropriate, because it caught a particular line better.
In the director’s role, I had to stop myself from getting the actors to say the lines as I had visualised them as I wrote. I didn’t want to hem them into something that I’d decided theoretically on the page. For me, that was one of the more difficult things to do.
Another thing I found really difficult was getting reactions. Like in a conversation when your friend is telling you a story, you’re listening (and probably aren’t aware of it) and are always reacting, with your facial expression or bodily movements and responding, even though you may not be saying anything.
However, I found that when I turned the camera to do a close up on the person who was listening to the dialogue, often I got very blank reactions. I found myself thoroughly frustrated. I wanted to yell to that actor to react. But I didn’t. I left frustrated.
I spent many a sleepless night wondering what was wrong, when it finally hit me. The other person who didn’t have the lines, was just not listening, not understanding the stuff spewing out of the co-star.
Do actors think that they are less important when they are not saying lines? Do they think their reactions are less important than what’s being said?
And for an actor who is getting back these blank looks, certainly this must feel very frustrating. It’s like talking to a blank wall.
Then I started to think, why is it groups congregate, friends chat long after dinner is over? It’s because everyone is engaged. Someone is giving the story, someone else is listening to it, adding to it, reacting to it. It’s because we’re all giving something of each other, investing the time to share. And the more that others add to the conversation, the more riveting it becomes, the more engaging it is. Everyone is involved. Sometimes even those who are outside the conversation will notice the energy that is emanating from such a group.
Acting has to be like that too. Every actor has to put his stake in the scene, whether or not he has the line. If the actor selfishly thinks “oh the camera is not on me” or “I don’t have to do anything because I don’t have any lines”, then everything becomes empty and unsatisfying. But if they continue to give and give, by listening and reacting, not just saying the lines, the scene just gets better.
Now, how do I get actors to do that? How can I convince actors to invest in a scene?