Here are the top 7 tips for working with actors in a commercial shoot:

1. Communicate. If the actor is doing something that doesn’t match your vision, communicate to them what you want. The reason why they may not be on par with your expectations might be due to the fact that you have yet to communicate what your expectations are. If an actor isn’t hitting their marks, or if they’re hitting them but it’s not working how you imagined, tell them. They will appreciate the opportunity to work with you to get things right.

2. Be empathetic, but don’t overdo it! It is important to put yourself in the actor’s shoes and understand where they’re coming from. A director needs to be able to see things from the actor’s perspective; however, as a director you need to remember that it’s your project so that you can’t allow an actor to control too much of how a scene plays out.

3. Don’t be afraid of silence. This tip is particularly important when directing actors in dialogue scenes. In these types of scenes it is easy for actors to rush through their lines or speak over each other (plus it’s often more interesting for viewers). To avoid this, encourage your actors to pause between lines

1. Be Prepared

Be prepared and be early. Know where you are going and how you are getting there. Know the location, know your equipment, know your crew and most importantly, know your actors. Read the script, and read it again.

2. Leave Your Ego at Home

Many directors see themselves as auteurs or budding Spielbergs but in commercial filmmaking, it’s not about you. You should have a vision of the film that is unique to you and that you feel strongly about, but when you’re working with actors in commercials, it’s not about YOU at all, it’s about THEM. Your job is to make them look good, make them comfortable so they can do their best work for you and make the client happy.

3. Don’t Use Stage Directions

Directors often approach commercials with a stage direction mentality where actors are seen as puppets who need to be told exactly how to move and how to deliver the lines but this results in stiff performances that do not translate well on-camera. Don’t use stage directions unless it is absolutely necessary for scheduling purposes – if an actor needs to cross the room in 4 steps rather than 5 steps so they can hit their mark on time. I prefer to communicate my ideas without

1. Actors can also be your friends.

If you are a nice person and have a good sense of humor, the actors will like you and get along with you. As a director of photography, it is important to have good relationships with the cast and the crew. I believe that it is one of the most important keys to success in filmmaking.

2. Be an actor yourself!

To work with actors, you need to know how they think and relate to them as well as their personality. If you want to direct actors, you need to understand them as if they were your best friends. If you want to be a great actor’s director, at some point you need to be an actor yourself. This is not only my opinion but also a fact: a lot of great directors were or are actors too. For example: Francis Ford Coppola (The Godfather), Clint Eastwood (Unforgiven), Christopher Nolan (Memento) and many more.

3. Actors need confidence in your vision!

To make your vision turn into reality, you need an outstanding crew as well as an outstanding cast who trust in you and in your vision. You need people around you who believe in themselves and who support each other for

1. Do not approach them with a script, they don’t care.

2. Do not be afraid to share your vision and ask them questions, but don’t act like you know it all. Make sure you are on the same page.

3. They won’t like your first direction so give them time to warm up and do it again, but do not repeat yourself, a third take is fine without direction however if you see it’s not working give another adjustment, but make sure you are specific in what you want changed.

4. If you’re having trouble directing an actor just show him or her what you want from other actors or crew members by doing it yourself. Actors will appreciate if you understand their craft and can direct them effectively.

5. Find out about their training and style of acting, some actors have a fear of overreacting and some actors hate being told what to feel instead of how to say the line so finding out their approach will help you communicate more effectively with each actor and get better performances from them.

6. If it’s a big role be ready to work with them at least a week before the shoot so they can get familiar with the material, rehearse and make adjustments with you before the shoot day arrives

1. Preparation

The biggest key to working with actors is preparation. If you know your film like the back of your hand, then the actors will respect that and be able to trust you. It’s a very good idea to have rehearsals with the actors before hand so they can get used to each other, get the lines down, and get used to you as the director. I have included a rehearsal video below of me rehearsing with my actors before the actual shoot took place.

2. Respect

Actors are artists, and have very high standards for their work. Because of this, it is important you treat them with respect and professionalism in order to get them to work well on set. Actors also have egos (as we all do), so treating them well will result in them wanting to work hard for you, since they know that you respect their work and want them there. You should NEVER belittle an actor or make them feel bad about themselves. This will result in a very negative experience for everyone involved! It is better that you take care of the actor by making sure they are fed, watered & rested than it is for you to yell at them or make them feel bad about their performance!

3. Direction

It’s important

Prepare

Read the Script, Know your Actors and their roles, know what’s expected of you, consider your visual style, think about your location and equipment.

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Rehearse with actors & crew before the shoot.

On the set show confidence in your direction of the actors.

Be specific in your direction but avoid too many takes.

Remain open to suggestions from cast & crew.

Keep it simple on set and try to relax the actors.