https://www.indiewire.com/news/general-news/gael-garcia-bernal-almost-qu... - Gael García Bernal Almost Quit Acting Before Starring in ‘Y Tu Mamá También’
Gael Garcia Bernal talks about how he almost quit acting till he worked with the director, Alfonso Cuaron on “Y tu mama tambien”. It was his direction that made him commit to being an actor. He says, ‘he included us in the process of making it and in his thought process and in his creative process,”. Certainly my best experience with a director is when I felt like we were all collaborating and included in the creative process. I wonder what makes a good director for other actors?
2 people like this
Hi, Alexandra Stevens. I think it's great when a director includes actors in the creative process! I think it brings the director and actors closer, and actors might have ideas that the director didn't think of.
2 people like this
Alexandra Stevens, I think one of the most powerful qualities a director can have is the ability to truly listen, not just to the story, but to the actors, crew, and collaborators involved. When a director fosters a collaborative environment where everyone feels seen and creatively empowered, the work becomes more honest and layered. Clarity of vision is important, but so is flexibility.
2 people like this
Indeed Maurice Vaughan. Actors might well have ideas the director didn't think of. As stated in Gestalt group theory, we are all in and "of" the creative field. For a production, this means the creative ideas do not sit with the director alone, rather there is a creative field that all members are part of and can express
2 people like this
Ashley Renee Smith I appreciate how clearly you make your point. Yes truly listening is a very important skill for a director, in fact for anyone!. Ultimately what all of us really yearn for is to feel 'seen' and 'heard. I agree that if an actor feels seen and heard by the director they are more likely to relax and perform in a way that is truer to themselves.
2 people like this
Words and how they are said are important. If an inflection is off by one word, it can kill a joke, take away dramatic impact or make clever dialogue seem flat and boring. The actors need to make sure that they understand why the line is in the screenplay in the first place. I had an instance where I couldn't get couldn't get four words the way I wanted them. Ultimately, I had to cut the line in the final edit. It was a small cut, but I've always wondered how the scene would have played with those four words correctly represented. I think whatever work an actor puts into a movie performance would rather have it in the final cut rather than in the junk footage database.