Director to Actor

I get asked to speak here and there and to teach what I've learned in the movie business.  A year ago, with the experience of "Rising Stars," I talked to some local actors.  Why do producers bring in a lot of NYC and LA actors into North Texas to shoot movies?

Well, the Texan in me rises up and says that's not right!  But then I see the facts-- I've done it.  Why do directors and producers seek out experienced out of town actors?

I'm not even going to the "name factor."  Yes, us producers and directors need name recognition in our cast.  Nothing you local actors can do about that.

Instead of immediately going to a thought pattern that they're biased, consider some factors.  Experienced actors hit their marks more than inexperienced actors.  Experienced actors need fewer takes.  Experienced actors have more tools in their acting toolbox to pull from.  But if you're a local actor, you can get training.  And you can find experience.

So as I thought about what to say to local actors, I looked around.  There are TONS of seminars and workshops, but almost all of them are Actors to Actors.  I couldn't really find anything from a working Director to Actors.  Sitting on the set of Rising Stars, I remember talking to a NYC actor about how the auditions went from my side of the table.  She talked about her side.  It was really interesting.  And even more interesting was that few actors knew what we thought and talked about on the other side of that audition table.

So I decided to teach a seminar on Acting from the Director's point of view.  And, like last year, I'm teaming that up with an Audition Workshop where you'll get in depth and personal on what goes on on the other side of that table.

If you just want the seminar, it's Saturday August 21 for three and a half hours.  Pick the morning or the afternoon.  It's only $29. 

If you want the Audition Workshop, it's $150 for the all day Sunday event, but you also get to attend one of the Saturday's seminars-- just let me know if you're coming in the morning or the afternoon.

To register, click here (www.s-films.com/pov). I'm going to limit the Workshop, so as soon as the slots are full, I'm going to close it up.

Acting and Auditioning

Almost a year ago, I was talking with several local actors and a couple of agents.  This market had lots of education for actors FROM actors.  But very little for actors FROM directors.  I mean, we sit on the other side of the audition table and shake your hand when you come in.  We glance at your headshot and briefly screen the resume.  Then we watch and listen as you put it all out there.  What are we thinking?  Haven't you wanted to know?

When you walk out, what do the director and producer talk about?  How much sway does the casting assistant or the reader have?  Is it wrong to talk too much or to talk too little?

I decided that the local actors needed some straight talk from a director of feature films.  So I created the first seminar-- "Acting: A Director's POV" and also married it with an Audition Workshop where they would get one on one time with me and also sit with me on auditions from this other side of the table.

It was a big hit and I've only done it that once.  Now I'm going to do it again.  We'll have the seminar, only $29 for half day (pick morning or afternoon) on Saturday August 21.  Or be one of the twelve for the audition workshop, which will include the seminar, and an all day, hands on Workshop on Sunday, August 22.  The two day is $150.

Click here for info and registration.

Acting for a Living

Many, many people dream of being an actor.  They watch their favorite television shows and movies and see Hanks looking and acting so naturally.  Well, I can do that!  All I have to do is just be me!

Acting, when done right, looks incredibly easy.  But acting is an extremely difficult job, so it fools countless many into pursuing a professional path way outside the individuals natural giftings.  I can't tell you how many times I've had someone come up to me telling me they could really help me out-- they'd come in and save me and be an actor.  You know, now I have the missing puzzle piece!  Thank you!

One individual, who had never taken an acting class in his life, didn't understand why I had hired this seasoned LA actor (who's face you'd recognize).  He could do that!  I just smile and nod and mumble something like, you know how it goes... or thanks, maybe next time.

Now, for the person who determines they're going to make a living getting acting gigs, it's going to be a very tough road.  First, location does matter for this.  If you live in a small rural area, not close to any metropolitan locations, chances are, there's just not enough work.  Even for those that live in Dallas-Fort Worth, there's very few of the actors that are represented here, that actually do this full time.  Most have a day job that's flexible, allowing them to take off to go to auditions or be on the set.

Which brings me to another arena of acting-- the commercials and corporate world.  Landing a national commercial spot can make someone's year sometimes.  It can pay for a child's college education.  And Dallas is a good place to be.  Or New York, LA or Chicago.  After that, good luck.  Also, many actors make a living doing the corporate/industrial gigs.  These don't pay bunches like commercials, but they'll pay more than the low budget indie movie being shot by your buddy.  For this, you need to learn how to be a "spokesperson" (thinks news anchor for corporations).

This is a designation for someone who talks directly to camera, training or selling a company's product or service.  Recently I hired a couple of different local actors to work on a corporate film.  One was somebody I had used a lot back when I did corporate/commercials fulltime.  This guy's a real pro.  And he works a lot.  He showed up, had to basically read cold to prompter, but had very few gaffs or cuts.  He could just keep rolling.

Another one-- not so good.  He had problems saying the client's name.  He would throw in extra "a's" and "the's" and then later exclude them when needed.  We spent about three times as much time on him than the other guy.  I won't be calling this guy back for any spokes work.

If you want to make a living acting, look into commercials and spokesperson work.  Get training in these areas.  The first guy is known around town for having perfected the ear prompter (which we didn't use on this particular shoot).  I think that alone gets him some work.  Take a lesson from him-- get specialized training that gives you a little more edge when a client is looking over headshots and resumes.

Other training includes what a lot of news anchors do-- pronunciation practice, tongue twisters... all that stuff.  Practice, practice, practice.   If you have a regional dialect, there are exercises to eliminate those.  The second "spokes" we had in, had a problem with a few words-- you could tell he was from Texas.  This won't work for a national video.  I had to stop him and redo them.

There's more ways to earn a living acting than just being in movies or television.  So if you want to try this, get training and get experience!

Acting: A Director's POV

Registrations continue for the last weekend of January. "Greenlight Yourself" is doing pretty good. The "Acting: A Director's POV" not so good. So I'm dropping the price to $35 from $50. You can register at www.s-films.com/pov.

Info: This acting seminar is different than most of the others-- it's
taught by a working film Director. Dan Millican, writer/director of five
feature films, who shoots them here in Texas, talks about what Directors
look for in actors, from the audition to the edit room.

Find out what the Director thinks about in the audition-- what he looks
for. What he doesn't. How you prepare for that role... And how to
perform in the best way to avoid being cut in the edit room.

He finishes the day with an in depth scene study, using the raw footage
with all the takes from a scene in one of his movies.

Details:
Sunday, Jan 31 from 9am to 5pm
6125 Airport Freeway, Suite 102, Ft. Worth (Studios 121 building)
Cost was $50, now $35.
Register at http://www.s-films.com/pov

FIlm vs HD -- impact on acting

There is much debate on film versus HD in shooting a feature these days. But one thing I've never come across is how the difference can effect the actors. I have directed three 35mm and two HD features.

Film can be very expensive. Cost is measured by the foot of film. First it cost anywhere from $.16 to $.50 a foot to purchase (new stock on the higher side, short ends and re-cans on the lower). Then you have to process the film. Then you have to transfer it to video. On one feature, I calculated the real cost as $1 per foot, all in.

We had a long steadicam shot, a "one-er" as we call it, and it went on for seven takes. Each take chewed up 300 to 400 feet of film. So just in film alone, the cost for that little bit of shooting, in the middle of a long day, was around $2,500.

With those kind of stakes, film directors will rehearse and rehearse, only rolling camera when it's for sure down. Also, there will be a much quicker pace on calling the roll, the slate and the action. Each frame of film costs a lot of money. Don't want to waste it with stammering on the mark of the slate.

Then there's HD. Some goes to tape, but more and more, it's being recorded to hard drives. If you over-shoot, oh bummer, go buy another $200 hard drive for the week's worth of shooting. I know, you're thinking what about backups? Okay, another $200 for a week.

As you can see, the director on a HD shoot can well afford to shoot rehearsals. Let the camera roll. This presents unique challenges for the actors (and later the editor who is swimming in a sea of footage).

If you're shooting the rehearsal, things change. You decide to walk a little further, sit down a little earlier, pick up the bottle a little later. These are some little things you work out in the rehearsal. Later, in post, the editor will be pulling his hair out because on the Master shot (done first), you sat down before a specific line, but then on the close-ups, you didn't sit until much later.

And this is not on you. The director has got to realize that if he's going to shoot the rehearsal, but later changes blocking, it can hose the earlier shots. He needs to make sure he gets a real master in the can.

For me, I like to shoot the rehearsal. By this point, we've already had a "blocking rehearsal" (before lights were set, etc). So when an actor sits or stands has been established. And I find that the first take very often has some magic, that a director might spend another six or seven takes trying to just recapture what he saw in the rehearsal.

So when you arrive on set, if it's a film shoot, prepare for lots of rehearsing without the cameras rolling. Know that there will be a quick call and people will seem even more pressured for every frame advancing through the camera.

For a HD shoot, it's slightly more relaxed, but you need to settle on your choices as an actor early, often without extensive rehearsal. With both, have fun!

Let's Talk More On Acting

We discussed auditions (feel free to browse back through end of June). Now lets talk about some actor-on-set basics for you newbies out there.

You show up for your big moment on the set for the scene you're in. You look around and are surprised by how many people are actually surrounding you. And suddenly you can feel every single eye on the back of your neck. You close your eyes and try to make them all go away-- it's what the acting coach said to do. Deep breath. You let the mantra roll out of who you are. You're inturrupted by the AD screaming for actors to get in there.

There is the "set." The Director waits and nods to you and the other actors in the scene. The lead actor immediately interrupts the Director as he begins to block the scene (blocking means movement of the actors). He asks wouldn't it better to do it this way? The Director grinds his teeth for a moment, then nods. Sure, why not. So now you're thinking, I can offer my suggestions too?

I wouldn't do it. Whatever the Director says, do it. If you need clarifying, ask. If you're feeling insecure, just remember the Director probably saw tens of people and picked you. So don't ask questions that are really a pathetic search for affirmation.

So you nod to the fellow actors. You just saw them back at base camp and even ran lines a few times. You're starting to feel the flow when you're pulled out of it. Director's calling for a rehearsal. You haven't even really been in the makeup chair. Is it really about to be shot?

The Director seems more focused on the movements of the actors and cameras. He didn't really pay attention to the performance. As a matter of fact, the lead was really flat. Even crazy in the delivery. Is this how he's going to do it? How do I play off that?

No worries, the AD is sending us back to base camp now. The lighting department saw the movement and is now taking some time to light it. We have some time to run lines and get final looks from makeup and wardrobe. THEN it will be showtime.