Directing Actors: 25th Anniversary Edition: Creating Memorable Performances for Film and Television

"Directing film or television is a high-stakes occupation. It captures your full attention at every moment, calling on you to commit every resource and stretch yourself to the limit; it's the white-water rafting of entertainment jobs. But for many directors, the excitement they feel about a new project tightens into anxiety when it comes to working with actors. In the years since the original edition of Directing Actors was published, the technical side of filmmaking has become much more easily accessible. Directors tell me that dealing with actors is the last frontier-the scariest part and the part they long for-the human part, the place where connection happens. Weston's books help directors scale the heights of the actor-director dynamic, learn the joys of collaborating with actors-and become an "actor's director.""--
Collaborating with actors is, for many filmmakers, the last frontier—the scariest part and the part they long for—the human part, the place where connection happens. Directing Actors: 25th Anniversary Edition covers the challenges of the actor-director relationship—the pitfalls of “result direction”; breaking down a script; how to prepare for casting sessions; when, how and whether to rehearse—but with updated references, expanded ideas, more detailed chapters on rehearsal and script analysis (using a scene from The Matrix)—and a whole new chapter on directing children. For twenty-five years the industry standard for instilling confidence in filmmakers, Directing Actors perseveres in its mission—to bring directors, actors and writers deeper into the exhilarating task of creating characters the world will not forget.