Directing Actors: Creating Memorable Performances for Film & Television

by Judith Weston

Book Overview

Demonstrates what constitutes a good performance, what actors want from a director, what directors do wrong and more. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0941188248
• Release Date: July 1999
• Publisher: Michael Wiese Productions
• Length: 314 Pages
• Weight: 1.14 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.2" x 0.8" x 6.0"

Customer Reviews

Great reference for all directors!

First off - if you are serious about directing, then I highly recommend taking a directing class ---- the personal interaction is the best way to learn this stuff --- in addition, just making movies or working with actors also helps, but its only in a directing class where you'll learn the best techniques with that said ---- Weston has written a terrific book! I am a grad student in Film Directing, and I would have to say that the best lessons I've learned are all outlined in this book Weston has a great directing philosphy --- make directions simple and make your actors feel comfortable --- as simple as it sounds, there is an art to it, and Weston does a great job of explaining it Mostly, I appreciate Weston's list of VERBS to use when directing --- those pages, alone, justify why every director should have this book around, simply as reference For all though, especially students ---- I do recommend purchasing this book, but make a POINT of practicing what Weston's preaches ---- from there, you will give yourself the best chance of developing a unique directing style, that still caters to most actors HAPPY READING!!!!!

The Only Book on Directing I Have Ever Loved

Completely unpretentious. Thoroughly knowledgeable and confident. Allows you to discover the concepts yourself, rather than spouting them at you. And yet...also completely able to be referenced. In other words... the best book on directing I've ever read. The only I will ever recommend. To actors and directors alike. I hate to call it "hype," but after reading the book feverously (which, for a book on directing, is almost unheard of), it is safe to believe it here. All the endorsements on the back cover from people working "in the industry" no longer ring of marketing salesmanship, but of complete honesty. There are few things in this world I would endorse, given the chance. This is one of them.I don't want to say it "changes you." But I will say I had more thoughts and ideas OF MY OWN while reading this book that ever before. The reason? It's like any craft: if you sit down to make something, you usually don't really know what to make specifically until you get to know your tools. Then--once you know what you can be done, what things are available to you to use, the ideas of what you can do with these tools start flowing.I'd like to thank Ms. Weston for introducing me to some of the tools. Actually, I have thanked her. She called me back. I'm still floored by that.

Very useful heuristics for motivating performers

A lot of this book is about motivating actors to perform and respond to director requests. I found the book useful but a bit too academic in places. My own approach, as a director of amateur ators, has always been to get an understandign of the limits of the emotional expressivity of each actor and work back from there into the charaacter. I was glad to learn that the book approves of this tye of method. Overall, it is a useful book, but there is a mechanical component to its instructional model which may jar with the European outlook. It is a personal opinion of course.

The METHOD for Directors

So many film directing books just focus on the visual or production aspects, but part of the joy of working on the film is working with actors. Judith Weston's book is about exploring the relationship between the director and actor with knowledge and tools, even when an actor is only there for a one-day shoot. There's nothing like this book when it comes to describing how to manage that relationship for the ultimate creativity and collaboration.

This is an EXCELLENT book on the subject!

Judith does a masterful job of educating on the fine art of communicating effectively and constructively with actors. Many of her insights and recommendations translate very easily into the "real" world, allowing you to not only practice these techniques more frequently, but also hone you communication skills with those around you. A series of "quick fixes" are offered up that are effective ways of getting you to think "outside of the box", and each is elaborated on and folded into more in-depth techniques. All in all, one of the best of MANY books I have read on directing and communicating with actors!