Ask Judith: Submission #5

Name: Matt Pulliam
Email (optional): mpulliam@gmail.com
Question:
Hi Judith,

I was part of the zoom meeting today.  I thought of some questions...

1. What do you mean by "'Emotional' event'?  Do you just mean the event of the scene? The 'what happens in the scene?  The scene's raison d'etre?  The discovery?  The revelation? The change in status between two characters? The climax of the scene? The outcome of the scene?

2.  Why is perfectly acceptable to rehearse a play as an ensemble for a month for a weekend run on a $10 show....   yet, the expected working conditions for a multi-million dollar film are for the actors to show up on the day with lines memorized, expected to repeat the exact same thing that happened in an audition weeks earlier, but perhaps now they have been coached by some overpriced acting guru who knows nothing about the story... go to makeup and then sit and wait all morning by themselves in a trailor, then to suddently rehearse the scene as quickly as possible for blocking purposes, then to shoot the scene one shot at a time like it is part of a factory assembly line, while usually staring a piece of tape on the camera matte box for an eyeline because the star doens't want to be there, and hope it all works out in the edit?

Why hasn't it become common sense for a director to rehearse film actors one small step at a time weeks or months prior to filming, like on a retreat atmosphere... where actors get a feel for each other.... where they can collaboratively work on the role with the director and build trust, to gradually learn lines through improvisation, to develop a sense of play through trial and error with the scenes, to explore the emotional events, and to develop a grounded sense of what the story is about and how to execute it?

To even bring in the DP and explore shooting plans on an iPhone in a tension free exploratory shoot instead of trying to figure it all out while a huge crew on payroll twiddles their thumbs and rental trucks line city streets burning money by the minute?

Not a question by my two cents:
For the directors who wanted to know how to deal with onset arguments... it seems they were basically wanting to know how to get an actor to do what they want instead of what the actor wants.  Unless the director can immediately say, we can't do that becuase there is going to be a CGI monster standing in the doorway or something practical like that.... It feels like a control issue on their part (unless the actor is literally changing the story). The underlying issue with most creative arguments are the actor doesn't trust the director, and without trust, there is choas. The best thing to do is to collaborate and capitalize on the creative input and say 'Wait, don't tell me, show me (or even just film it). Then see how it plays out, and then make adjustments and try different things. See where it takes you.  Maybe the actor will prove it to himself that his or her idea sucks and needs help, and will look to the director for guidance.  If the director takes the argumenat approach, by the time they have finished arguing, and everyone has calmed down and gotten back to working, they could have shot the scene five different ways and broke for lunch...it's probably video anyway so why not?
Matt

Reply:
Dear Matt. Thank you for coming to the Zoom event. I love doing Zoom Q&As - but of course there are always many questions we don't get to... As for your question #1 - what is emotional event? - all of your proposals are valid! The term "emotional event" is one that I invented but that other people refer to by different terms. I did everything I could think of to describe it - from every angle - in my new book Directing Actors 25th Anniversary Edition. It's a challenging concept but one that, when absorbed, will change a person who *wants to be* a director into one who is able to "think like a director." Your topic #2 sounds a bit more like a rant than a question - but I think I understand where you are coming from. "Conventional wisdom" can be depressing and even dangerous if one is committed to create something of artistry and purpose. Of course I support rehearsal and exploration rather than shallow expedience! I am sending you all my best wishes, Judith

Approved: Yes