WORKING W/ACTORS: 90 PERCENT PREPERATION

Working with Actors (on the set) can be seen as 10 percent perspiration and 90 preparation; which is to say, that to do it well and get the results you want takes tremendous insight about human nature and human relations; as Drama in the end, is about "Relationships". One might sum the whole purpose of dramatic fiction, its "SPINE" as: TO SHOW THE CHANGE IN RELATIONSHIP.

It takes great preparation in our daily lives to see, experience, and to share our insights about human nature with others. And also, it takes a great deal of preparation to see, and experience the dramatic elements of our stories so as to help an actor see, experience and then together with the actor to share our story with an audience.

With no disrespect intended to those who work this way, but to be under the impression that working with actors has mostly to do with what you say to an actor on the set, is like the thought that the craft of acting has mostly to do with the memorization and mouthing of text.

Many fine directors say very little to actors on the set. They do however know their "given circumstances" inside-out/backwards and forwards, just as an actor must know their lines, as well as those same "given circumstances."

- José Angel Santana

Response by Director Jay Anania:

"My view is exactly the same as yours. It's much more important that the actor and the director share an understanding, as deep and comprehensive as possible, as to WHO the character is. This is accomplished differently with different actors. With some it's long conversations about the character. With others it's 'read this book', and what do you think of this character?' and then leave them to simply think on that character in the book - the thinking about it is a lot of the work.

When that is done, the joint understanding achieved, the directing of the actor is almost entirely done. The only thing that happens on set is the reinforcement of this already-gotten understanding. Just a nudge here and there. Having discussed the character extensively with the actor, the character as a whole being, even outside the story, I find that all I have to say is things like: "Would you really be that indifferent to this news?" or "I wonder if she likes him that much, or if she would want him to know that she does". And leave it entirely at that.

The only other thing that a director must do on set is make sure that all the actors are in the same film - so it's a matter of monitoring pitch or attack or energy, so they all fit together."

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"The play's the thing wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king."