Anybody know of a good resource for very basic acting/directing tips?
My actors are neighborhood kids, aged 9 through 11. We've been practicing daily so we can be ready when the real shooting begins. They tend to be really self conscious when the camera is on, which results in breaking into laughter mid-scene and/or overacting like crazy. Most of my direction so far has been just "don't try to act, just play it straight, don't try to make any facial expressions, just say your lines" and that's yielded usable results (though I have to do a lot of cutting right before the laughing starts). I also try to catch them when they are rehearsing, so I can show them how much better it looks when they aren't trying so hard, but I'm not sure what feedback helps and what is just going to make them more self-conscious.
So I'm looking for some simple acting rules-of-thumb and maybe some exercises we can do to improve, as well as some tips on directing. Any info/links/etc. would be appreciated.1
I don't know any links but I have a couple of hints for amateurs.
(1) Don't look at the camera unless going for a THE OFFICE style documentary look. It might be best to partially hide the camera because eyes are drawn to it like magnets and it looks really bad when that happens. (2) Be forgiving of improv. If they can put the dialogue into their own words they'll stress less and it may flow more naturally. (3) Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse. Tell them your moving the camera to see how it will look but you're not filming. Then film them rehearsing. You may get some good stuff, you may not, but they'll get used to the camera a bit and they'll be less worried about goofing it on camera. (4) tell them you're gonna film it as a mastershot from beginning to end. Then closeups of each speaking character from beginning to end. Then closeups of non-speaking characters. if they botch a line you'll be able to cut back and forth between the different versions and characters to mix and match it together. That way they don't need to get it perfect from beginning to end. (5) Don't get mad. If you throw a fit they'll walk away.
RJSchwarz
San Diego, CA
RJSchwarz
I strongley recomend getting a book called 'breaking in to acting for dumies' and getting your self a pen and paper to make note of some of the best tips. Cleary.
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If your nude while filming it takes alot of pressure off the actors, And who knows where it could go from there.
If you are nude while filming be careful of the slate. Ouch.
RJSchwarz
San Diego, CA
RJSchwarz
If and when working with young adults it becomes a problem try and find a local acting coach or casting director. There's bound to some one in the area. See if they wont spare a few hours of their time and teach them acting in front of the camera. It's a simple and easy technique. It involves knowing where camera framing is.
Also, see if you can't get them to fully understand the characters them selves. Get them to write a brief paragraph on the characters likes and dislikes. What would the character do in a certain situation. Then they might understand a little more about how to separate the two. Them selves and the character.
Hope this helps.
You know what? the adivce that rjschwarz gave in his 1st post is 100% spot on, without reading a book that pretty much sums up how I want to work with young people. Thats brilliant advice, ive added it to my good directing folder in my pre-production work (Credited obviousley) cause that sums up the way I wrote down how I'd like to direct my own films. Cleary.
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