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Check out this article in the print edition of StudentFilmmakers Magazine, Nov., 2006. Click here to get a copy and to subscribe >>

Getting Good Performances
… Or At Least Avoiding Bad Ones

by Mark Kerins

At one point or another, we�ve all been to a movie or play where one of the actors gave a performance so laughably terrible that it completely took us out of the story � which just goes to show that bad acting is not the exclusive province of student film. Nevertheless, student film as a genre has a well-earned reputation for showcasing more than its fair share of bad performances. Any number of factors contribute to this � the lack of experience of many student filmmakers, the rushed schedules and low (or nonexistent) budgets on their films, and the frequent recruitment (by necessity or not) of filmmakers� friends as cast all make it more difficult to get brilliant performances on set. Moreover, there�s no simple �magic bullet� fix that can guarantee good acting � if there were, good actors would not be such a sought-after rarity.

But this doesn�t mean you should simply cross your fingers and hope the fates grant you good performances � rather, it means that you need to be aware of common pitfalls and make a conscious effort to avoid them. What I�ve included here is a guide of tips and tricks that anyone � from the greenest novice picking up a camera for the first time to an experienced professional � can use. If you follow these guidelines, the acting in your film still may not be Oscar-caliber, but at least it shouldn�t be Razzie-worthy.

The single most important thing you can remember is that performances are often made or broken before the cameras even start rolling. Remember:

1. It all starts with the script. The script can and will change in all phases of production, but it�s the starting point on which everything else builds, and it�s near impossible to make a great film from a terrible script. This is perhaps nowhere as true as it is in the realm of acting; if the characters don�t have much life on the page, then even the best actors can�t give them much life onscreen. Take the time to write, rewrite, and rewrite again. Where possible, write a first draft of a script and put it away for awhile, then come back to revise it after you�ve gained some emotional distance from it. And if you�re not a great writer, find a collaborator who is. Many bad student films can be traced back to filmmakers who insist on doing every job on their own, regardless of where their own talents lie. Collaborative work is a huge part of filmmaking on every level � if you can find someone whose strengths complement your weaknesses (and vice-versa) you�re already a step ahead of the game.

2. Your friends are probably not great actors. Okay, maybe you�re lucky enough to have a friend who�s been acting since birth, won the lead role in every school play since middle school, and so on � go ahead and cast that person if he or she is right for a part in your film. But for the most part, filmmakers� friends end up in student films simply because they�re easily accessible, and students don�t know how else to get actors. In reality, it�s easier than you think, and the single biggest thing you can do (aside from starting with a good script) to improve the acting in your film is to use people who can actually act. Most larger cities have listings of professional actors, and many of these are willing to work with students for little or no fee if they like the script and if you act professionally (see #3 below). Even if you can�t find professionals, don�t give up. Is there a community theater group with people who may have had some training as actors? What about aspiring actors at the local high schools and colleges? The point is that many actors are willing to take roles solely for the experience and credit. Just remember to make sure that everyone in your cast (professional or not) gets a copy of the finished movie. Professionals and aspiring professionals need clips for their reels, and your roommates (if it comes to that) will want something to show their friends and family.

3a. Professionals expect YOU to be professional on set. If you want to work with professional actors (or crew for that matter) they will expect you to behave as a professional as well. This doesn�t mean they expect you to be exactly like a seasoned filmmaker with lots of credits under the belt � actors understand that a student probably hasn�t made many films, and hence may not be as adept at directing them as someone more experienced would be. But they will expect (and they have every right to do so) that you will run a professional-style set. This means that you will treat them with respect, will provide them with accurate call times, will have meals provided on set as necessary, and so on. It also means that you won�t do things like shooting in a location you don�t have permission to shoot, or having actors perform stunts or dangerous activities for which they haven�t been trained, and so on. The more you plan things in pre-production, the more smoothly everything will go during production, and the better your actors will feel about working with you.

3b. Professionals expect YOU to be professional BEFORE you get on set. Where do actors form their first impressions of how your set will be run? During casting, of course. So while a whole article could be devoted to the casting process, it seems appropriate to provide a few tips here lest you scare away potential talent with a less-than-professional casting call. First, your call for actors should be specific about what you need, what the project is, and what the job will entail. If your entire cast is high school students, for instance, don�t put out a call for �all ages.� If you�re planning a feature, don�t say that it will be a three day shoot just to avoid scaring people off. And while character descriptions should be succinct, they should still provide enough information for an actor to decide what role might be right for him. Second, don�t be afraid to show potential actors the script � they want to know how �good� a project or character might be, and the best barometer for this (at the student level, at least) is the script. So unless the strength of your script is its surprise ending, be open to sharing it. Finally, the casting session will be the actors� first chance to see how you run things, so create a positive first impression as possible. Have an assistant to check actors in as they arrive and make sure the session stays on schedule. If they�ll be doing parts of scenes, have those script pages copied and ready for them to peruse (obviously, have fresh copies for each actor so that they can write on their copies). Have water and other drinks available, and snacks make things go more smoothly as well. Remember, her impression of your casting session may make the difference between whether the actress you want for a part chooses to work on your project or not.

4. It�s YOUR job to know the characters inside and out. As a director, you need to have a vision for the movie. Vision isn�t just about what�s onscreen and in the soundtrack, but about being able to guide your actors because you�ve put in the work to think about who these characters are, their backstories, and so on. This doesn�t mean those ideas have to be fixed in stone � go ahead and develop the characters in consultation with your actors, just make sure you stay true to your vision for the overall movie with any changes you make. Good actors appreciate having the chance to contribute their own ideas, but also want a director who knows which ideas will work with his/her vision.