How Do You Judge Directing/Acting

How Do You Judge Directing/Acting Apr 5, 2019 2:23:38 GMT

Quote

Post by Eλευθερί on Apr 5, 2019 2:23:38 GMT

Apr 5, 2019 1:15:17 GMT lenlenlen1 said:

Apr 4, 2019 22:46:32 GMT mortsahlfan said:

To me, it all starts with the writing.

Directing and acting have little to do with writing.

Directing is about using film language to create art, and an emotional response in your audience. If you can use direction over actors, cinematography and editing to push the boundaries of film language then you've done something special.

For example, in the horror genre the masterpieces Psycho, The Exorcist, Jaws, Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1st) and Halloween (1st) are movies unlike anything that ever came before them. Each one of those movies practically re-wrote film language in their genre.

In acting, I need to believe that the actor is actually doing the thing their character claims to be doing. I need to believe the actor is really feeling that emotion, that they really sound like that guy, that they look like that guy, that they are that guy even though intellectually I know they're a famous actor.

Having a really well written script can help those things, of course, but they're independent of one another.

I agree with mortsahlfan that it starts with the writing.

But part of that has to do with what exactly is in the writing. Is it just a very thin outline that communicates a general idea of a story? Or is it a detailed, scene-by-scene screenplay that prescibes in detail how a scene will look along with what actors will do and say. (eg, "Camera zooms in to a close up of Mary's face. Tears begin to stream down her face. Fade to black.")

Of course, the rest of the team have their essential roles to contribute, as well.