Stealth Directing: Getting the Most out of Real People

It must have been Take 30, but we weren't quite sure because we were no longer using a slate, nor did we stop tape in between takes, for fear of losing the little momentum we had gained. The talent was a beautiful young woman who had volunteered for the part. She was well-cast by the bank's producer. Her considerable knowledge of the subject matter meant that she had her lines down, but her lack of experience in front of the camera made this training video laborious to capture. Even worse: The experience was completely humiliating for her, the performance was indeed embarrassing and she would very likely never again volunteer for a shoot. It can be difficult to coax an agreeable performance out of an amateur, but it can be done.

Professionals know that to deliver a compelling performance, the talent must be comfortable not only with the script, but also with being the center of attention, where lights, microphones, camera and production crew all hang on every move. This alone is a tall order for most people: Remembering lines is one thing, but putting it all together with eye lines (where the talent should direct their gaze), blocking (where the they should stand and move) and interacting with other players and props in a well-timed and natural way reminds us all why the really good actors deserve the big bucks. Even under the best of circumstances, it's not easy to deliver a believable performance.

Using real people is a calculated risk. The successful director manages an exercise in stealth, regardless of the size and scope of the production environment. Most of the management techniques that typically apply to pros can be tossed out from the beginning. From pre-production coaching to the first rehearsal, all the way to the last shot, the director of amateur talent is most successful when being downright sneaky.

Standard techniques, such as on-camera rehearsals or calling for "places, lights, camera, action," just don't work. The pressure while waiting on the set is generally too much for amateur talent to bear, so much so that, while the shot is prepared technically, the stealthy director can best use the time to ready the talent off of the set, preferably in an environment which is both familiar and relaxing.

Aside from any artistic or technical prowess, the director is equal parts coach, baby-sitter, mentor, friend, psychologist, boss and dentist (as some "teeth" can be extracted more painlessly than others). The director is also much like a valve, constantly bleeding off pressure while developing an acceptable flow. Finally and always, the director is also a good writer (able to adapt scripts in a heartbeat), editor (able to adapt to new sequences as they occur), and actor. You, as the director, must invisibly manage your own pressures sufficiently to give every attention to the fragile talent. Normalizing the talent's pressures is the your primary task, for, without an acceptable performance, all of the rest is but a drill.

It's crucial that you be so well-organized that your manner is relaxed and friendly, stress-free and even playful. Much of this has to do with doing your homework and providing ample time for the scene to be captured. Advanced preparation really pays off here, and a flexible production timetable which is able to cope with surprises, delays and unanticipated bits of serendipity is a must.

For most people, being in front of a camera is an exciting experience, complete with ego attachments, unfounded expectations, vain fantasies and delusions of grandeur. Given a little extra time, a clever director can use all of that energy to great advantage.