Be very careful about what you say to actors in the casting ses- sion and on-set. Even in a big city like Los Angeles (where there are literally tens of thousands of people vying for acting work), many actors know one another through classes or work and they talk about the directors they’re working with. If you develop a not-so-great reputation within the indie actor scene, word will spread quickly—very quickly. Be respectful, be on time, and know exactly what you want from your actors. Like I said early on, your girlfriend is not an actress. Okay, maybe she is, but she probably isn’t a good one . . . yet. You’ll know, in your gut, if she’s up to the performance. And if she’s not, do not, and I mean it, DO NOT ignore your instincts. If I had a nickel for every film I’ve seen that had a great script, good camera, and good tone
that was excruciating to get through because the lead was un- watchable, I’d have enough money to pay Halle Berry her quote to act in my next short.
And the opposite is also true. A standout performance can
change a cliché script into a watchable and programmable film. Think about that in casting and on set. Stand and deliver for your script because when people are tired, and have been sub- jected to forty-seven camera moves, in the end it will only be you who can encourage them to endure in order to get the shots you need.
How a director treats her actors is paramount to the success of their film. Aurora Guerrero is part of Los Angeles–based Wo- myn Image Makers (WIM). WIM is comprised of four Xicana independent filmmakers and artists, Maritza Alvarez, Dalila Mendez, Claudia Mercado, and Ms. Guerrero. Since 1999, they have created shorts such as Pura Lengua (2005 Sundance Film Festival), Viernes Girl (HBO/NYILFF), and most recently Aquí
Estamos y No Nos Vamos (2006 Los Angeles Latino International
Film Festival). Because her films always have this depth of char- acter, I approached Aurora to provide some insight on how she works with actors, and she shared this valuable piece of informa- tion:
“When I work with actors, I concentrate on creating a nur- turing space for the actor to be able to connect their per- sonal lives to the characters they will be embodying. The key to creating that safe space is building trust with your ac- tor. The way I build trust is by sharing my own personal stories that open up a two-way relationship between myself and the actor. We become vulnerable with each other, which oftentimes makes the actor feel like they aren’t alone in that process. Once that trust is there, not only does the actor find personal experiences to use as a bridge to the character and story but the actor is also open to taking risks with you as
you go into production. That has been extremely helpful to me as a director.”
Man, directing actors for first-time directors can be unnerv- ing. When you wrote the script and envisioned the end result you already set into motion a particular visual. You’ve already imagined how the actors would deliver their lines, how they’d move their bodies, what exit and entrance strategies they’d take, but real-life shooting can be a very different experience. Be pa- tient with yourself but also know as much as possible before you get on set. While making movies, disaster is always looming—be a step ahead of the game as much as possible. Alison Kelly drives the point home:
“Usually, if I’m feeling a director is not up to the task, then the actors are feeling that too. Because I operate* the cam- era on 90% of a shoot I end up having a connection to the actors insofar as I’m lighting them and I’m the closest per- son to them, and they look at me a lot when they’re done with the take. I’m their immediate audience. It’s up to me to maintain their level of trust and intimacy. Even if they’re not aware of the camera operator being there, you can see when they’re getting frustrated. I’m really, really aware of the mood of the actors on set. There have been productions that I’ve worked on where there’s a vacuum at the top; peo- ple feel like there’s nobody running the show. If I’m feeling that, then so are a lot of other people. I think then, the best thing you can do as a DP in that situation, is to be as sup- portive as you can for the director. And to never, ever turn and lose confidence. Because the second that you turn, it changes the whole mood on set. And it’s not just the actors
* Many DPs hire a Camera Operator whom they tell where to move the camera. Alison is noting that she doesn’t often do this.
who begin to jump ship, it’s the whole crew. I’ve seen it hap- pen and as soon as the grips and electrics lose confidence in what’s happening with the director, it’s such an uphill battle to get anything done. Generally people who work on shorts are underpaid or not paid at all, and they don’t want to be there if they feel like they’re wasting their time. Nobody wants to be a part of something that’s just going to be a stu- pid movie.”
Adrienne Weiss’s student Katie Wallack says:
“I always check in with the other actors I’m working with. Sure I’ll go to the director first, but if they’re not coming up with the answer I need then I’ll go to my peers and see if they’ve got some clarity. Make sure we’re all on the same page. As well, most directors have everything in their head and sometimes are unable to express this to me, the actor, in a way I can bring to life. So often I’ll ask the director not what I want [actor’s motivation] but what am I doing in this scene? You know, what’s my action versus what am I feeling. I mean, you don’t just get up there in front of the camera and
feel. What you’re doing can often inform performance. A
new director can even say ‘I’m not sure’ because then I have hope we can work it out together; they can even say ‘What do you think?’ because I don’t expect directors to know ev-
erything about this character going into it, I really like work-
ing it out together. But when they start overexplaining or giving vague direction I stop listening and start losing confi- dence, which is always a bad sign.”
Treat your actors as well as you can afford to. Always make sure there is at least one PA assigned to the actors (more than one if you have the resources), always make sure to have appro- priate craft service and meals available to them. And if you can’t
have great food for them on-set, then let them know that up front! That way they can prepare for themselves, taking care of their bodies and minds so they can give you the best they’ve got to offer.
And if you want to have them come back the next day of shooting, know what you want from them, be on time, and don’t waste their time on-set with crew squabbles, lack of preparation, or lengthy lighting setups without the benefit of stand-ins (peo- ple who are of the approximate height, weight, and skin tone of the actor who will be lit).
Kelli Garner (Thumbsucker, The Youth in Us, Dreamland, Lars
and the Real Girl) shared what a really great director can do:
“I remember the detail that Josh [Leonard, dir. The Youth in
Us] had laid out. I had a hard scene to do, to die gracefully
and believably. I remember Josh and everybody around had helped set this room up with balloons and pictures of, ‘I miss you and I love you.’ There was even this one cube where Josh had put these pictures of this little blond girl all around it. Those were the little things that popped my emotion. As an actor, I’ve learned that I never want to act from the head, and the deeper I can get in my body physically, will draw all these emotions that are connected to it. And these small, beautiful little details that the whole crew pulled together surprised me. It’s what makes a special scene in a short or a feature, when everybody gives you everything they have. And Josh was so detail-oriented that I didn’t have to do any- thing. What sucks about films is not knowing what type of director you’re going to be surrounded by. But if I sit here and think about it, there’s not a big difference between a short and a feature, it’s all just what makes a great director and what they allow in the moment. It’s a lot harder to work on a short and what makes a great short film is when you
watch a story unfold in eleven minutes, and you’re like, ‘I know those characters so well.’ ”