On Camera Teaching Tool, Even If the Focus Is The- Atre Performance

PHOTOFEST

Second, studying film from the other side of the camera—that is, as an actor—fosters an appreciation for the subtle art of film acting. Despite the fact that we are estimated to have watched at least 20,000 hours of television by the time we graduate from high school (DePaul University studies indicate that the average child watches around four hours of TV per day), students have precious little opportunity to actually delve into this art form. Studying screen acting gives students the ability to manipulate the medium rather than being manipulated by it. Plus, there are students who simply soar in front of the camera. These may be the same students who struggle to project their performances into a large theatre space. Finally, learning the basics of film acting will prove a huge advantage for students who are serious about continuing in the performing arts, because screen work composes a giant proportion of available jobs. Certainly, not all of our students will be film stars, but a career in screen acting is potentially more lucra- tive than one onstage. There is also a multitude of media jobs, broadcasting for Working on her inner monologue: Gwyneth Paltrow in the feature film Proof. example, that require on-camera skills. In this article I suggest some straight- forward ways to integrate the camera into the drama classroom. It’s an ideal On camera teaching tool, even if the focus is theatre performance. Since the camera A lesson in film acting for students of theatre picks up so much subtle detail, it is particularly useful in helping students BY NANCY BISHOP discover inner focus. The camera also offers a unique opportunity for study- ACTOR TRAINING at the high school and college ing internal monologue, since we can level has long been focused on theatre acting. Yet observe the detailed nuances of inner thought processes much more easily the vibrant images of film and television have a onscreen than onstage. far more profound impact on our students’ lives. When you begin to consider how a Why should we introduce screen acting into the unit on film acting would actually work in your class, bear in mind that, curriculum? First, because the study of screen act- with the advent of inexpensive digital ing excites and motivates students. I couldn’t get camera and computer editing equipment, more and more students are pur- my class interested in Shakespeare until we suing film making on their own. An watched a modern film adaptation of Romeo and entire film acting course could easily Juliet. Baz Lurhman’s exhilarating images genuine- be woven into a student produced and directed film project. ly piqued their interest and made them want to If you consider yourself a techno- leap onto the screen with Leonardo DiCaprio. phobe, don’t worry. Operating a video LOUISE BOLTON camera is as simple as snapping a photo. (For some basic camera tips and terminology, see page 21.)

Making the leap from theatre to film Generally speaking, a good theatre actor is a good film actor. Therefore, the main concepts studied in theatre apply to film acting as well: actors must play the objective of the character first, and they must ask the basic questions such as “Who am I?,” “Where am I?,” “Who am I talking to?,” and “What do I want?” It’s impossible to comprehensively cover the vast subject of film acting in an article of this length, so here are three key points that can be taught in an effective introductory screen acting unit. On-camera work can motivate students to: • Develop a strong inner monologue. The author (behind the camera) and her students in a recent casting workshop in London. • Approach acting internally, and express thoughts through the eyes. era come to her. If the actor has a se- camera’s worse nightmare, dead face This helps actors find inner focus and cret, the more interesting the perfor- is, well, deadly. Dead face is a face eliminate extraneous and distracting mance becomes. Actor Michael Caine with no expression, because the actor gestures. says it very well in his book Acting in is not thinking in character and the • Listen, and react. Listening (rather Film: An Actor’s Take on Movie Making mind is not engaged; in other words, than speaking) is half of acting. (Edited by Maria Aitken, Applause, there is no inner monologue. Before moving into these specifics, 1990): “The camera doesn’t have to be Over-acting occurs when an actor you might want to begin your film unit wooed. It already loves you deeply.” mugs (makes faces) and uses excessive by asking the students what the differ- There is also a difference in focus. gesture. It means that the actor is trying ences are between theatre acting and Often it’s said that theatre acting is to “show” the audience what a charac- film acting, and which form they think “bigger” than film acting, or that film ter is feeling. This performance is not is harder. Some students will say that acting is “smaller” or “scaled down.” grounded in truth and believability, and screen acting is easier since you get These terms are misleading. I generally is poor acting in both film and theatre. more than one take. They might be find there are two opposite extremes The way to avoid both dead face surprised when they get in front of the in screen acting and they have to do and over-acting is by developing and camera themselves and realize how with focus. There is over-acting and concentrating on the inner monologue difficult it can be. Conversely, others conversely there is what I call dead of the character. The concept of an in- might believe that acting out of se- face, which I’ll talk about in detail in a ner monologue is immediately recog- quence (as films are rarely shot in se- moment. It just takes practice and time nized once students have the opportu- quence) makes screen acting harder. watching oneself on the screen for the nity to see themselves on screen. I William Defoe observes, “I’m some- beginning actor to find the right bal- teach a class on casting technique for what satisfied by saying that acting for ance. film. One of the best examples that I film is like a musician playing in a re- Now let’s move on to our three les- show is a casting tape in which actor cording studio and acting in the the- son areas (two of which are illustrated Patricia Netzer auditions for the role of atre is like playing live in concert.” in the exercises on page 22). Sophie Gerlich in the TV film, Hitler: After you’ve established everyone’s The Rise of Evil. Sophie Gerlich is the perceptions of both kinds of acting, The inner monologue wife of imprisoned and later executed offer a basic overview of the differenc- While “less is more” is often a good Nazi critic Fritz Gerlich. The scene is es. To wit: adage, directing student actors to do set in a church. It is her wedding day, In the theatre, the actor must project “less” sometimes leads to the opposite and her husband isn’t there. She’s wait- to the stalls in order to be seen and extreme. In film acting, I use the term ing for him. The camera stays on her heard. In film, the actor lets the cam- dead face. While over-acting is the face while she waits, and we clearly

TEACHING THEATRE ALL IMAGES ON THIS PAGE: PHOTOFEST

Acting with the eyes, with little or no dialogue: at left, Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson in Lost in Translation; above, John Cazale and Al Pacino in The Godfather.

ter) in a limousine in Tokyo. He looks ly on the edge of mental breakdown, out the window and takes in the and contemplating her own sanity. scene. We don’t know exactly what Sometimes the inner monologue he’s thinking, but he reacts specifically runs counter to the character’s lines. and with variety to the sights of Toyko. For example in Proof, Catherine mopes Scene after scene, the camera focuses in the corner while her sister Claire on Murray when he has no dialogue. (played by Hope Davis) socializes with He lies in bed, he watches TV, he sits old friends. While Claire’s dialogue is in the bath. friendly, we know she is not even lis- Similarly, Johansson’s character, tening to her friends’ banter. Claire’s Charlotte, is introduced not with words gaze flits to the corner, where her dis- see her thoughts. She is focused on a but in a silent scene. She sits in the turbed sister lurks. Claire’s inner mono- specific inner monologue: “Where is window of her hotel room, looking out logue fixates on concern for her sister. he? Will he come? Damn him! He’s al- on Tokyo. She watches her husband In her mind she is thinking, “Is Cathe- ways late. Well, of course he’ll come, sleep. She tries to wake him up. Char- rine okay? Why does she mope in the but why must he embarrass me? Is this lotte and Bob don’t even have dia- corner? It’s so typical that she doesn’t the way it will always be? Work before logue together until halfway into the mingle with the guests.” me?” film. Much of their acting leading up to The internal monologue is a tech- Because she is thinking in character, their meeting has been in silent scenes nique that theatre actors must employ her mind is active, and her thoughts where they develop the inner thoughts as well, but the camera acutely regis- are engaged. It works the same way in of the characters. Feelings of empti- ters the character’s thoughts in great life—when we are concerned, it shows ness, loneliness, and dissatisfaction detail. In a film closeup, for example, on our face. We don’t always know with their spouses bring them together. all the actor has to do is think it and what someone is thinking, but we ask The film Proof also opens with a the viewer will know; the camera ex- “a penny for your thoughts” when we moment of inner monologue. The cam- poses all. Michael Caine summarizes as can see the wheels turning in some- era is on Catherine, played by Gwyn- follows: “A film actor must think his one’s head. eth Paltrow, as she is watching TV. Her character’s most private thoughts as Actors Bill Murray and Scarlett Jo- face fixes in a troubled stare. We soon though no one were watching him.” hansson must make use of the inner learn that she is not watching TV, but monologue technique constantly in the rather mourning her father’s death. Pal- Acting in the eyes film Lost in Translation. Entire scenes trow must keep an active inner mono- If there is one trick in film acting, it’s go by with little or no dialogue. The logue, as she plays a woman who sees to keep the acting in the eyes and not film opens with Bob (Murray’s charac- the ghost of her father. She is constant- in the face. It’s amazing how little a

TEACHING THEATRE proficient film actor expresses in the For an example of active acting so much in real life, we’d think they face or forehead. The acting is in the through the eyes, take a look at Si- were life partners. eye, which can become as large as lence of the Lambs. Jodie Foster finds An actor is often working in a very eight feet wide on a big screen. More a calm stillness when she portrays confined space, limited by an even and more I find myself coaching ac- Starling, but you can see the fear in more confining camera frame. In a tors with the instruction to “keep the her eyes even in the movie stills. close up, even a blink registers as a acting in the eyes and not in the face.” Once students have watched their ten on the Richter scale. So there is a You might be asking at this point, own work a few times, they will certain amount of stillness required in “How does an actor keep the acting in quickly realize that camera acting de- film acting, especially in a closeup. the eyes and not in the face?” It sounds mands a different physicality than During a Jackie Chan Kung Fu se- like a ridiculous direction, but as a stage acting. To start with, they will quence, the camera naturally pulls out piece of side coaching I find that it have to squeeze together artificially to encompass the action. For dialogue works. If the actor concentrates on close. A grown man wouldn’t think of scenes, the camera moves in and, if communicating with his eyes, then it sitting on another man’s lap, but in the actor moves his head, he could follows that he will. Getting the brow order to get both characters into a sin- easily pop right out of the shot. unfurled is only a slight adjustment and gle camera shot, that is practically it’s about awareness. If there is any what he must do. Observe, for exam- Listening physical tension, actors will see it im- ple, the shot of Al Pacino and John While listening is important in theatre mediately when they watch their scene Cazale in The Godfather on the oppo- acting, I would argue that it might be played back. site page. If they cozied up together even more crucial in film acting since

Tips for using the camera

Setting up the shot other way, over Actor A’s shoulder so LOUISE BOLTON Before you do anything, pick a good that we can see Actor B. spot to do all or most of your shooting. While the over-the-shoulder two Rule of thumb: shoot in a quiet, carpet- shot is effective, shooting every scene ed room, with a solid-colored wall as this way can get boring, and in truth, background. you wouldn’t shoot a whole film this I find that the best way to shoot ac- way. There may be students in the tors is in a medium, over-the-shoulder, class who want to play with the cam- two shot. In a nutshell, what that era angles, pans, and moving shots, Film 101: An example of a medium, over-the- means is a two-actor scene in which etc. This kind of experimentation is shoulder two shot. the camera shoots from behind Actor great for a more finished and edited On sound B’s shoulder onto Actor A. In other project if you have students interested Unless you have a fairly advanced words, we are essentially looking at Ac- in completing an entire film but for camera, you will probably need an ex- tor A from Actor B’s point of view. The the purposes of teaching acting, the ternal microphone that plugs into the photo at right illustrates this shot. two shot works best because it dis- camera. Set the mic on a stand near Medium refers to the shot size, of plays the actor. To get a better feel the actor. If an external mic is not which there are three: for how the two shot will work with available, bring the camera very close • Closeup—shows only the face. your students, check out the third ex- to Actor A (the featured actor) so Actor • Medium shot—taken from the ercise in the sidebar on page 23. B’s voice doesn’t take over the scene. waist up and shows half of the actor’s body. Lighting the scene Playing the scenes back • Wide shot—taken from far away Many principles of theatre lighting ap- All you need is a TV monitor. There is and shows the actor’s whole body. ply to “gaffing” (the technical term a simple cord that plugs into the cam- You set the medium, over-the-shoul- that just means lighting) a film shoot. era and connects to the TV monitor. der shot up by having Actor B sit or To eliminate shadow, use two light Any TV that can connect to a VCR can stand at eye level with his head very sources which cross one another, set also connect to a camera with an adap- near the camera lens. Actor A then talks on the subject. The sources are best tor. Make sure you test your equip- to actor B and we have the best three when they are slightly diffused with a ment before class, of course. quarters view of Actor A’s face. Then simple filter (or a white reflective um- we turn around and shoot the scene the brella works too). –N. B.

TEACHING THEATRE Three film acting exercises

Exercise one: Listen to the story secret. Actor A can choose the secret, The now defunct theatre group, This exercise de-emphasizes the im- or the teacher says: “Now you react New Crimes of Chicago, pioneered a portance of speaking and helps the differently. You are overjoyed by the very distinct, commedia dell’arte per- actor develop an inner monologue. fire. You hated the club, and you’re formance style, wherein the actor It also demonstrates the power and so happy to be rid of it and to be would face off directly with the audi- effectiveness of listening, and ori- able to collect insurance, but you ence, looking straight into an individ- ents actors toward working in front don’t want Actor B to know you feel ual spectator’s eyes. Their training of the camera, easing them into this way.” (It can be even more fun sessions challenged actors to express feeling comfortable onscreen. if the instructor whispers these in- strong levels of emotions, direct them Step 1. One actor stands off cam- structions to Actor A so that later the through the eyes, and send them to era and tells a story (see the exam- class can guess the secret.) the audience. The New Crimes com- ple below). The camera shoots the Step 3. Here’s an even more commedia dell’arte was a highly physical- actor who is listening. The featured plex twist to our story. The teacher ized form of theatre, accompanied by actor does not speak, but merely informs Actor A that she started the a thumping rock and roll drumbeat. It listens and reacts silently. The fea- fire. But she needs to hide the fact seems strange that this style could be tured actor need not “show” that from Actor B. useful for film actors. Yet many of the she is listening, or “show” her reac- The entire exercise is completed New Criminals, such as John Cusack, tions. If she is truly listening and without the featured actor speaking. Jeremy Piven, and Tim Robbins, have thinking, the camera will pick it up. It can go on ad infinitum, with differ- gone on to have fantastically success- Note that the more specifically the ent internal responses each time. It ful careers as film actors. Why? Be- listening actor reacts to the story can also be filmed at different dis- cause they learned how to communi- and the more variety of responses tances to see the difference in what cate with their eyes. (Raw talent and she offers, the more interesting the the camera picks up in closeup as hard work has something to do with it performance becomes. opposed to wide angle. Now look at too.) It is important to do the exercise the takes and watch. In the New Crime training sessions without rehearsal. Shoot the first The teacher can ask the class the they embraced the four primary emo- take so that it’s fresh. following questions: tions—sadness, anger, happiness, and It is best to choose a story that • What was effective about this fear—and pumped them up to an op- will impact the actor who is listen- performance? timum high intensity. ing. Here’s an example: Actor A • Was she really listening? In this style of theatre, the actor (the featured, listening actor) is a • Was the acting in the eyes? must at all times be in a heightened nightclub owner and Actor B is the • Was the actor thinking in char- state of one of these emotions. manager. acter? I developed this approach into a Actor B (this can be improvised), • Was there a strong inner mono- film acting exercise called “Over says, “I’m sorry, but I have to tell logue? There” and it works like this: you something difficult and I’m glad • Could we see what the charac- Set up the camera and mark a spot you’re sitting down. Last night at ter was thinking? (It’s not actually next to it at eye level. The actor you your nightclub there was a loose important that we know exactly shoot points at the spot and says wire behind the DJ equipment, and what she was thinking but that we “over there.” She does this four times, it caught on fire. We tried to use the see the wheels turning in the head.) once each for the four emotions listed fire extinguishers but the fire still • Did the actor have dead face? above. The first time she is pointing got out of control and by the time (No inner monologue.) to something that is incredibly sad. the fire department came… well, it • Did she have a variety of specif- She must imagine something that is was too late. You’ve lost everything. ic responses? the saddest thing in the world to her, The club is gone. The good news is a dead child, a burned down home, that no one was hurt.” Exercise two: “Over There!” etc. The second time it will be some- Step 2. Now go a step further. This exercise is intended to help ac- thing that makes her incredibly happy Actor B will tell the same story, but tors practice and develop their ability like her soldier husband, thought this time Actor A will react differ- to communicate feelings with the dead, returning home safely. The actor ently because Actor A will have a eyes. continues through this process, point-

TEACHING THEATRE there is less text. Theatre tells the story with words; film narrates with images. Ask students to pay attention to this in the movies they watch: How often is the camera on the person who is listening to something that makes her angry, the shoulder medium two shot (ex- ing rather than the person who is speak- then something that prompts fear. plained in the camera tips sidebar). ing? Listening is interesting. Ask your It is fun to have the class line up Shoot one actor, then turn the cam- students if they can listen with their next to the camera, come onto the era around to shoot the other, so eyes. Listening and reacting in character screen once, say “over there,” then go when you play the scene back, the is at the heart of effective screen acting. around behind the camera again, each class is only watching and evaluat- Patrick Tucker in Secrets to Screen time choosing a different emotion un- ing one actor at a time. If you de- Acting (Routledge, 2003) notes that “The til everyone in the class has circled cide to shoot two actors simulta- viewer does not want to know how the around the camera, appeared in frame neously in the same shot, they will [speaking] person feels about something and said “over there!” four times with need to cheat toward each other in she has just said. They want to know the four different emotions. Watching a way that might feel very unnatural what the other person feels about it… the results is often amusing or moving. for anything other than a love this is the unknown in the scene.” Here are some questions that you scene. If they sit at a normal (non- An actively listening performer does can ask: intimate) distance apart on a couch not have to worry about dead face. As • Were the actors at a heightened or across a table, they will seem a casting director, I have many times state of emotion? If you were measur- miles away from each other on- witnessed a common phenomenon; an ing on a scale of one to ten, was an screen. actor speaks very animatedly but lis- individual all the way at a ten? When preparing the scene the tens like a zombie, simply waiting for • Did the actors communicate actors should ask the following the other actor to finish her lines. The clearly with their eyes? questions: camera is particularly unforgiving of • Was it clear what they were • Who am I? (Notes about the this error. Students instantly grasp the feeling? character.) importance of listening in camera • Was it interesting to watch and • Where am I? (It makes a differ- work. Their progress as listeners will was it effective? ence if they are outside or inside. carry over to their stage work as well. • What do actors need to work on Are they in an intimate place or on I’ll return to the example again of to improve communicating with the a busy street?) the TV movie Hitler: The Rise of Evil. eyes? • Who am I speaking to? (Usual- We chose Patricia Netzer for the role • Which emotion was the most dif- ly one character needs something of Sophie Gerlich almost exclusively ficult to express? from the other.) because of her superior listening skills. As a follow up, repeat the exercise • What do I want? (Play the ob- In her casting tape, she simply listened but with an objective instead of an jective of the scene.) and silently reacted to a page of dia- emotion. For example, instead of ex- For critique purposes, I usually logue spoken by Hitler and Gerlich. pressing sadness, an actor can choose watch the scene all the way through The director knew he’d always have a to play the objective “I want to kill and give the actor the chance to place to put the camera. you” with his eyes. self-critique first. Encourage the students to find positive aspects of their Potential problems with the camera Exercise three: performance, as well as at least one The camera presents some potential Movie scenes in two shot item they would change to strength- problems that your students will have It’s important that fledgling film ac- en the work. to overcome. It may not be a fast tors learn how to create a strong hu- Here are some evaluation ques- friend. Expect plenty of self conscious man relationship in the intimate tions: screams: “I’m so fat!” “My face looks frame of the camera. A good way to • What was the character’s objec- like an asteroid hit it!” High school stu- do this is to let your students choose tive? dents and young adults may approach actual movie scenes written for two • Was he playing the objective the camera with trepidation. Warn your actors. It’s best to choose scenes with clearly and directly? students beforehand by reminding very little action, where the emphasis • Did the actor make strong them of the following: is on human relationships. Many choices? Surprising choices? First, the camera does in fact ampli- screenplays are available in book- • Was the actor playing subtext? fy. The old adage that the camera adds stores or online. The most effective ten pounds is true. Second, unless the way to shoot these scenes is the over –N. B. scene is especially well lit, the camera may enhance skin imperfections. On a

TEACHING THEATRE professional set, cinematographers and when they watch themselves from the brow raise, that twisted mouth, etc. gaffers are hired specifically to make outside? Will it make them unnecessar- Film acting is not appropriate for all actors sparkle and shine with magic ily self conscious? If you’ve spent the classes, of course, so use your judg- lighting. Post production artists some- whole semester trying to get students ment. I think you will find that most times even tune up shots digitally, re- to let down their inhibitions, will a students share a great enthusiasm for moving unattractive lines and dark cir- brief unit in film acting just counteract the medium. And once they experience cles that the make-up artists miss. your efforts? acting in front of camera, they’ll never There are actually people who look The camera does make actors con- watch a film the same way again. better on camera than in life, but most- scious in a new way. It helps them re- ly it’s the other way around and the alize how they hold their face, and the Nancy Bishop, a former drama teach- students will feel better if they realize way the tension finds its way into a er, is an American casting director this. Try to get your students focused wrinkled brow or twitchy nose. To cul- who works in Europe. For the past few on the work itself and not their ap- tivate this awareness is a positive step years she has been teaching on cam- pearance. for a beginning actor. It’s useful to be- era acting and casting workshops A second problem with working come aware of mannerisms and ticks throughout Europe and the United with the camera is more theoretical: that might be getting in the way of ef- States. You can contact her at How does it affect students’ acting fective work—that annoying little eye- www.nancybishopcasting.com.

TEACHING THEATRE Originally published in the quarterly journal Teaching Theatre. More info: Schooltheatre.org