notes on directing
Post on 19-Oct-2014
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From time to time on the Brand Autopsy blog, I share "money quotes" from business books I've recently read. This presentation shares "money quotes" from NOTES ON DIRECTING (Hauser & Reich). This is not a business book. Instead, it’s a book about how a playhouse director should go about doing their business. The approach of managing a stage production with actors, stagehands, and a script is not unlike managing a project with core team members, ancillary employees, and a project plan. You’ll have to connect some dots. Do just that and you’ll be a smarter business manager.TRANSCRIPT
THEDIRECTOR’S
ROLE
NOTES ON DIRECTING p. 9
“Being a director means cracking that code,
interpreting, not to demonstrate
how clever you are, but to get out of the way, to let the
actors show the play in clear to
the audience.”
NOTES ON DIRECTING p. 79
“Your job is to prevent any changes in the script
unless you are honestly convinced by
repeated change that change is essential.”
NOTES ON DIRECTING p. 79
NOTES ON DIRECTING p. 9
“You are not the parent of this child we call the play. Your job
most of the time is simply to do no harm.”
You are theObstetrician.
No. 15
NOTES ON DIRECTING p. 10
“Give the audience a role in filling in what’s happening. That is, give them all the dots they need but don’t connect
all the dots for them.”
Don’t always connect all the
dots.
No. 17
NOTES ON DIRECTING p. 11
“You’re the leader, but you are not alone. The other artists are there to contribute
as well. Use them.”
Don’t expect to have all the answers.
No. 21
NOTES ON DIRECTING p. 14
No. 28
“Actors and others willfollow you even if they
disagree with your direction. But they
will not follow if you are afraid to lead.
NOTES ON DIRECTING p. 17
“Some say directing is 60 percent casting, others say
90 percent. Regardless, it’s a lot.”
Directing is mostly Casting.
No. 29
NOTES ON DIRECTING p. 17
“There is not a more important single decision you will make during the production than
who you put into a role.”
Directing is mostly Casting.
No. 29
NOTES ON DIRECTING p. 29
“Watch as much as possible. When you’re running an act,
and even more the whole play, don’t sit taking notes all
the time.”
Don’t bury your head in the script.
No. 47
NOTES ON DIRECTING p. 35
“A tell is what an actor does when he doesn’t know what to do. It is a habitual behaviour
that is completely irrelevant to the task at hand …”
Every actor has a tell.
No. 56
NOTES ON DIRECTING p. 35
Every actor has a tell.
No. 56
“… and reveals itself at times of insecurity, fear, or lack of
focus or imagination.”
NOTES ON DIRECTING p. 36
Every actor has a tell.
No. 56
“Discovering [your actors’ tells]
can be a valuable diagnostic indicator of when intervention
is needed to clarify the character’s situation.”
NOTES ON DIRECTING p. 40
“Rather than correcting your actors all the time, get in the
habit of frequently telling them what they are doing right.”
Sincerely praise actors.
No. 61
NOTES ON DIRECTING p. 45
“As the director, you have three
weapons: ‘Yes,’ ‘No,’ and ‘I don’t know.’ Use them. Don’t
dither; you can always change your mind later.”
Please, PLEASEbe decisive.
No. 70
NOTES ON DIRECTING p. 46
“This will not only prevent damage caused by
embarrassing them in front of others, it will make them feel good to get individual
attention.”
Correct actors in private.
No. 72
NOTES ON DIRECTING p. 47
Introduce bad news with “and”
not “but.”
No. 76
DON’T: “The costume looks great, but you’re not keeping
your hat up, and we can see your face.”
NOTES ON DIRECTING p. 47
Introduce bad news with “and”
not “but.”
No. 76
DO: “The costume looks great, and when you keep your
hat up, we can see your gorgeous face.”
