WRITING, ACTING, AND READING

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  • #16
    An actor's thoughts

    As an ex prof actor (3 years full time training) with several features behind him, I'll throw some thoughts into the mix.

    1: getting actors to read your script is a great idea. However, get PROFESSIONAL, TRAINED actors only. If you don't know any, advertise. Trained / professional actors are everywhere. Getting amateur actors to read your script is a dangerous, dangerous thing, as - among other things - your great dialog, read badly by people who can't act, can really strike hard at your confidence. And will often prompt you to change things that do not need changing.

    2: Book the read (if on an evening) "5.30 for 6". Email this to everybody the day before. This is an old theater trick. It means, in a nut-shell, that rehearsal actually starts at 6pm. And I mean STARTS. So, if you (speaking to the actor) want to catch up on the gossip, or chat or whatever, with the other actors, you turn up at 5.30 and do it for 30 minutes. But come Hell or high water, the reading kicks off at 6 pm on the dot.

    3: Cough up some token payment for them. $25 a head or something. Pay cash in hand at the end of the reading. 6 actors, doubling up on roles where necessary. Invest in your script. Invest in yourself.

    4: Supply food! Get a couple of pizzas delivered half way through the night (end of the 1st read is a good time). Supply soft-drinks. Munchies. Be thoughtful and grateful to them giving you an evening of their time.

    5: Read the stage direction yourself ONLY if you can do it well. If you can't read out loud BRILLIANTLY - assign the voice of the narrator to one of the actors.

    6: Record the reading on video. Just a locked off camera in a wide shot is fine. Just so long as you can see all the actors faces. Trust me, when you watch it again later (and you will !!!), you'll pick up things in your script that you missed on the night.

    7: Do 1 read STRAIGHT THROUGH, NO STOPPING. Get the actors to make notes themselves as they go along (but make sure they don't miss their cues). Then discuss the script AT THE END of the read.

    8: If doing it in the evening, and you kick off at 6 pm, it should be about 8-8.30 pm now. If everybody is looking tired. Thank them for their time and send them home. But, if everybody is really 'into' it, do a 2nd read. This one with you playing director, stopping and starting the read to give notes / getting feedback, as you go.

    9: KEEP EVERYBODY FOCUSED ON THE JOB AT HAND. This is YOUR main job. Your hardest job. Everybody is not there to chat about what audition they had that day. What movie they saw on the weekend, etc. Note: actors are a lot easier to 'control' if they're being paid. (yup, even $25)

    10: Pay everybody on the way out. Cash. In a closed envelope with their name on it.

    11: Make sure you send a thank you email to everybody (or make a call) THE NEXT DAY. Do this, and they'll be more than happy to help you out again on your next script / draft.

    Hope that helps.

    Winter in New York

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    • #17
      I recommend DIRECTING for some writers. Especially, short films just so you get to know what actors do and how they do it. You'll work hand in hand with them and figure things out. I just directed a shot recently with good professional actors and it was great and their suggestions really helped the story - a lot. Richard's got great advice, but I say take it a little further than just readings - go out there and make a movie.

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      • #18
        actors

        My response to getting actors to help out like that?

        They can't even get my order right!

        JUST KIDDING! Actors are enormously brave souls. I love em.

        Actually, when I re-read my writing, I try to figure out where the actor might take a breath. You can't have a line that needs to be smooth and its too long and the actor is gasping. If it's a tense scene I'll write long sentences that can't be broken up and still express the idea. Where an actor might take a breath also gives you a place to put some action. In soap operas, I think I've noticed that actors inhale while their character pours a drink.

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        • #19
          Re: actors

          Great post, WINY. I learned a lot!

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