Directing Actors 1 (Year 2, Semester 1) – Zápisky

Week 1

Assessment:

• 5 minutes long film (drama)
• no weapons / stalkers / killing
• 2 / 3 characters
• focus on well-written story
• TOPIC: DESIRE

When auditioning actors for a less speaking role – do an improv scenario

„two shot“ = a shot with two characters

Group: Natalia, Amelia, Michal, Thom, Reka

Week 2 – individual meeting to come up with film ideas

The team met in a library. Goal of coming up with different ideas for the film and selecting 3 most doable to present in the next seminar.

Michal

A man visits a bar and shares with a stranger his wish to save his terminally ill wife from dying. The stranger offers a help and the man refuses at first, but after a visit at his wife’s room and seeing her condition, he decides to ask the stranger for help.
It is then revealed that the stranger is the Devil himself and the protagonist just sold his soul to him…

A terminally ill man in a dystopian alternative future is living in a poverty and struggles to earn money while the prices of the medication he so desperately needs are through the roof…
The man balances on the thin line whether to do crimes to get the pills, take his own life keeping a last shred of dignity, or wait for the disease to kill him…

Thom – „From Tomorrow„

Characters

• Adam – protagonist – suffers with mental health issues and as a result, has a desire for alcohol and to not be sober, he can’t cope being sober and he always looks forward to his next drink.
• Kate – the partner of Adam – she is in a committed relationship with him and wants the best for him, her desire is for Adam to sober up
• John – Adam’s best friend – drinks with Adam and on the surface it appears he doesn’t see the issues with Adam’s alcoholism and therefore believes Kate is overreacting, his desire is for Adam to ignore Kate and to do as he please, the subtext of this could be that John secretly loves Adam and wants him to break up with his partner

Rough plot overview

• Opens up with Adam and John talking at the bar, Adam is complaining about his relationship issues but it isn’t clear what exactly the issues are (no mention of his alcoholism), John is insisting that Adam does what is best for him and should maybe even leave his partner. Adam states that may be an option before finishing the rest of his drink and leaving. John watches him leave with desire in his eyes
• Next scene shows Adam get home and argues with his partner, initially because he is late but then she finds out he has been to the pub and they argue over that too, Adam insists that he will change and it will start “from tomorrow”
• We then see Adam shaking and holding his head in his hands, looking distressed on his own in the middle of the day – possibly in his bedroom?
• Adam receiving his beer from the pub, he looks at his pint with desire and relief before walking over to his table taking a big drink from it and then making a big sigh of relief as he slouches back to his chair in an empty, dark area of the pub

Amelia

A short film telling a story of a 15-years-old girl fascinated by her five years older sister. She’s jealous that the older one is already a young woman when she’s still a kid. The young girl idealises her sister and develops an obsession with her. That leads to her spying on the 20-year-old and trying to become more like her. She attempts to dress more like her, goes through her stuff and even steals her make-up products and clothes. She also mimics her behaviours, especially in contact with boys. She starts to explore her femininity and sexuality and longs to become a woman already.

Natalia

Reka

My short film would involve 3 characters, a son, an older sister and a father. The son is gay and his desire is for acceptance from his father. Their mother has passed away and so his older sister plays a motherly role in his life and is there to comfort him. Opening scene would include the son telling his father he is gay, and the dad walking away in silence. The rest of the film would follow the sons struggle as he desperately tries to rebuild a relationship with his father.

Decided to name the group / studio „Metro to Sunderland“ based on Rika’s two bizzare experiences that happened to her during her travel by a metro to Sunderland.

Week 3

1st drafts of scripts – Tuesday 19th

Where are actors comming from?

art of representation -> art of experiencing (transformation of acting trhoughout time)

Later two splits in the method:

• Adler = focus on mental work and imagination
• Meisner = focus on listening and attention
  • Actions must be provoked by fellow actors or environment -> truthful actions
  • „Acting is reacting„
  • „Repetition exercise“

Actioning

• fundamental preparation and rehearsal technique
• Drawn for Stanislavskij’s ideas and objectives
• Breaking the text into segments and marking it with „I xxx you“ motivation
  • I seduce you / I welcome you / I manipulate you / I fear you / I disgrace you

Task: Examine these scripts

Transitive verbs

Script briefing:

Decided to do Amelia’s script about sisters, but change it a bit. Focus is now on younger sister’s desire to steal her sister’s boyfriend. She steals a photo of him to keep it in her room.

Ideas of the boyfriend confronting the younger sister while revealing he also has a crush on her. He touches her.

The ending is now uncertain. The idea is that something happens between them. One of the possible endings is the older sister moving out with her boyfriend. The other is the younger one returning the photo. Another being the younger one lying on the bed sobbing and throwing the photo to the bin.

Week 4 – Script Briefing

Week 4

Casting is the most important thing in film next to writing.

• A short synopsis of the story
• A casting breakdown featuring character profiles

Working with a casting director:

• Leverage their experience, knowledge, contacts and resources
• Will cost money
• On low budget – engage the casting director’s assistant (they usually aspire to become the casting directors themselves)

1. Initial discussion based on the script / casting breakdowns / character profiles
2. They will send initial ideas along with Spotlight / Show reel links
   • Photos of actors, where they’re based in, links to the show reels
3. They will arrange initial reads from actors (can be online)
4. You will review initial reads and shortlist for recalls (usually in person)
5. You will make your choices and casting directors will liase between producer and actor’s agent

Be your own casting director:

• You will cast your actors yourself during your first films
• A good casting call (poster to attract actors)
  • Short synopsis
  • Brief character profiles (name, age, motivation)
  • Relevant dates
  • Contact details
  • Aesthetically convincing
  • DON’T BE TOO VAGUE

Where to find actors?

• Cast wide and don’t limit yourself
• Performin arts srudents
• Local theatres and groups
• Star now
• Social media
• Non actors from world similiar to your characters
• Actors from shorts you have seen
• People you know who could be authentic to your story