Table of Contents
Preface to 25th Anniversary Edition xiv
What's New and Different from the Original xvii
Who Should Read This 25th Anniversary Edition? xix
Acknowledgments xxi
Introduction xxv
Directors in Jeopardy xxv
Actors: The Mysterious "Other" xxvi
An Invitation to Break Habit xxviii
How Actors Work Their Magic xxx
The Actor-Director Relationship xxxi
What Do Actors Want? xxxiii
What's In This Book xxxiv
Connection xxxvi
Chapter 1 Result Direction and Quick Fixes 1
Result Direction: What the Hell Is It? (12+ Examples) 1
Quick Fixes 12
Verbs 13
Facts 20
Imagery 23
Metaphor or "as if" 25
Events 26
What It's About 27
Physical Tasks 28
Questions, Questions, Questions 29
Translation 31
Pro Tips 32
The Privacy Rule 35
The "Same Page" 35
Chapter 2 Moment by Moment 36
Fear And Control 36
Risk 37
Unlikeable Characters 39
Honesty 40
In The Moment 42
The Character Has Free Will 44
The Character Has A Subconscious Mind 45
Permission To Fail 46
The Social Mask 46
Stop Doing It "Right" 50
Disobligation 51
Use It! 51
Commitment To Authenticity 52
The Notorious Insecurity of Actors 53
Exchange the Promise 53
Unrepeatable Moments 54
Directors Get to Be in the Moment, Too 55
Chapter 3 Listening and Talking 57
The What and Why of Listening 57
How Can a Director Tell If an Actor Is Listening? 60
Chemistry 62
Unselfish Actors 63
Damage Control 63
Special Situations 66
Listening Makes the Shots Work 68
Language Directors Can Use 69
Directors Should Listen, Too 70
Chapter 4 Actors' Choices/Directors' Tools 72
Questions 74
Opposites 79
Mysterious Lines 81
The Technique of Three Possible 82
Judgment 83
Flaws and Likeability 85
The Verb Family: Intention, Objective, Spine, Need 87
Objective/Need 87
Intentions/Active Verbs 92
The Spine 99
Obstacle (The Stakes) 106
Imagery 109
Facts And Clues 115
The Timeline 115
Emotional History 116
Question Everything 117
Invented Facts and Off Camera Scenes 118
The Moment Before 119
Adjustments: Metaphor; Analogy; "As If"; "What If?"; "It's Like When" 120
Subtext (Mantra or Inner Monologue) 125
Physical Life 126
Wardrobe 126
Objects 127
Gesture, Activities, Bits, Business 128
The Physical Is Emotional 129
Secrets 131
Why So Many Tools? 132
Chapter 5 Emotional Event 134
Defining Emotional Event 134
Emotional Event As a Directing Tool 138
Find a Way In 140
So-Called Exposition Scenes 141
Emotional Event and Genre: It's All About the Relationship 141
What It's About 143
Make a List of Themes 146
Transitions and Through-Lines 148
Blocking 151
Learning How To Block 153
Does Everyone Have To Agree On the Emotional Event? 156
Emotional Events Must Happen In Real Time 158
Mindless Coverage (and Avoiding It) 158
Spine and Narrative Drive 159
Spine and Narrative Drive In Franchises 161
Director's Intention 163
Always Do the Right Thing 165
The Compass 165
Chapter 6 Actors' Resources and Training 167
Memory or Personal Experience 167
Observation 169
Imagination 170
Research 172
Channeling 172
Meisner Technique 173
Living the Character's Experience 174
Concentration 176
Sensory Life 177
Shakespeare 179
Post-Stanislavsky 180
Working With Stars 182
Heart 183
Feelings 184
Chapter 7 Script Analysis 185
Reading the Script 187
Stage Directions 188
The Charts and Guides 191
The Matrix 193
First Impressions: What I Love; My Reservations and Concerns 194
First Questions 195
"It's Just…" and "I Assume" 196
Pro Tip (for the Whole Script): Make Lists. Cut and Paste 196
Keep Reading the Script. Read It Aloud 198
Mysterious Lines & the Technique of Three Possible 199
Paraphrasing (Creating Inner Monologue) 205
Facts and Questions 206
Questions and More Questions 207
Research 210
Internal Research 210
Images and Associations 211
Ideas For Imaginative Backstory 211
What just Happened 212
Objectives 213
What's At Stake? aka Issues 216
Active Verbs 217
Subtext 217
Obstacle 218
Adjustments 218
Beats 219
Blocking 220
Scene-Making 221
Make Events Happen With the Blocking 222
Get Ideas for Pacing 223
Plot Event, Domestic Event, and Emotional Event 223
Cypher: One Last Mysterious Line 224
Finally: The Shape of the Relationships 225
Micro and Macro 227
Chapter 8 Casting 229
Casting "Name" Actors 229
Casting Directors 231
Casting From Auditions: Guidelines 232
Casting From Auditions; Procedure 236
Casting Non-Professional Actors 242
Casting From Self-Submitted Tapes 244
Pandemic and Connection (2020) 244
Chapter 9 Rehearsal 247
Rehearsal: Pros and Cons 247
Director John Korty 249
Goals of Rehearsal 251
Skills and Tools of Rehearsal 254
Take-or Create-a Workshop 254
Overview of Necessary Skills 257
Ground Rules: Creating a Safe Space 258
Trust 259
Improvisation 260
Through-lines 266
Emotional Event 267
Mysterious Lines 267
Three Different Ways 267
Don't Frontload 268
Listen More than You Talk 269
Making Your Case 269
Pick Your Battles 270
Eye Contact 270
Getting Actors to Not Stop for "Mistakes" 271
Let the Actors Work 271
Learn to say, "Yes, and…" instead of "No, but…" 272
Other Exercises and Warm-Ups 272
Be Inventive, Go the Extra Mile. Think Outside the Box 274
Resistances 275
Focus on the Work 276
Actors' Subtext 277
Making Moments Count: Blocking, Pacing, Scene-Making 279
Blocking 279
Blocking Templates 280
Pace: the Last Frontier 281
Making Moments Count 284
Objects, Activities, and Territories 285
Work in Steps 285
Working in Beats/Scene-Making 285
Nuts and Bolts 287
Finding Time for Rehearsal 287
How Long Should Rehearsal Be? 288
Get Organized 289
Notes to Bring to Rehearsal or the Set 290
Forms of Rehearsal 292
Meeting One-on-One with Principals 292
Full Cast Read-Through 296
Relationship Rehearsal 297
Scene Rehearsal for Most Professional Situations 298
Episodic Television 299
Working With Stars 302
Working With Non-Actors 304
More Examples of Rehearsal Language 306
Tips for Rehearsal Protocol 310
Sex, Violence, Pandemic 312
Zoom Rehearsals 314
Chapter 10 Shooting 318
If You've Had Rehearsal Before You Get to the Set 318
If You've Had No Rehearsal Before You Get to the Set 319
Guidelines for the Set 320
Chapter 11 Directing Children 332
Do You Like Kids? 332
Casting Young Roles 333
The Age of Eight Is a Game Changer 339
Kids and Line Readings 341
Meet Children Where They Are 342
Kids In Scenes With Adult Actors 344
Treat Young Actors As Equals 346
How Young Actors Approach Their Craft 348
Traumatic Material 349
Young Teens 351
Older Teens 351
Commit To Them 352
What About Older Actors? 353
Chapter 12 Comedy 355
Faster, Louder, Funnier 356
More Principles of Comedy 358
Epilogue 361
Appendix A 365
A Verbs-Short List, Expanded 365
B Verbs-Longer List, Grouped by Emotional Category 368
C Script Analysis Guide for Directors 371
D Script Analysis List of Topics 375
E Script Analysis Addendum for Actors 376
F Text of The Matrix, Scene 74 378
G Billy Ray's 3x5 card 381
Index of Selected Names and Titles 382
About the Author 391
