Actors’ False Assumptions About Film Directors

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Actors' False Assumptions About Film Directors

The relationship between actors and film directors isn’t always what actors think. Film directors do not always see things in the same way that actors do.

Film Directors


Many actors strive to “be really connected” and prove they “know how to listen.” In reality, directors aren’t going to be sitting there and saying to their assistant that the actor is so in the moment and it is really organic.

Film directors probably don’t even know what half these sayings even mean. To be honest, I don’t even know what they mean. Film directors want to see actors bring characters to life and make the scene seem realistic. The goal of the film director is to catch the life that the actor creates through the character and get it on film.

So, what do film directors want from you? They want to see you make strong and compelling choices that help the cinematic experience. They want actors to make the character seem believable. You don’t want to over do it and get so involved in “listening” that your come across as fake or as an actor that is acting.

Another mistake that actors make is thinking that film directors are looking for actors that can “play moments.” In reality, film directors have to create a group of things that comes together to play one. If you play a bunch of moments, it can get a little messy and the artistic appeal is lost. Not everything can be broken down into so many pieces. It might take a lot of pieces to create the final work, but the final work is, in essence, one piece.

When it comes to auditioning, film directors are really just looking for someone who can make their film come together. The director wants someone who can make active choices instead of responding to other people around them. Human beings actively make choices all the time. They hardly ever stand around waiting to react to the next thing that interacts with them. Throw those silly sayings out the window and just remember the obvious one – “bring the character to life.”

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