Vol. 7 No. 1 Winter 2002 In short, what ac- ON DREAMS AND ART: PART VI tors need is some- one who, in a non- LAST A NALOGY: authoritarian way, can be helpful and DIRECTOR AND DREAM GROUP LEADER supportive. BY MONTAGUE ULLMAN, M.D. s long as there have been movies, there have been movie directors. In connection with movie-making, I have alluded to the director earlier, Abut never singled him out for special attention as the one responsible for creating and maintaining an atmosphere most favorable for a successful outcome. Although that role has task. That unique level of out of people. Turn them evolved over the years and collaborative pooling of loose. Give them their there are individual direc- creativity results in a head. You have cast the torial styles, the general bonding that has all the best people but they are consensus is that the es- elements of whatever we still vulnerable. They sence of the job is to tap mean by the word love. need someone they can into the talent of the ac- My earlier reference (Part trust." tors to the fullest extent IV) to Mike Nichols possible, enabling them to speaks to this in his reli- Willem DaFoe give depth and meaning to ance on and faith in his "The director has to the script they are collec- unconscious to come up have an overview, give you tively working on. That with novel solutions to the a setup and see what you collectivity involves a many novel predicaments can do. Scorcese gave me match between the creativ- that arise in so complex an such a beautiful setup. ity of the director oriented undertaking as making a He provided me with a to the overall task of movie. great place to pretend. He bringing the script to life I also referred to what made room for pretending." and the creativity of the actors openly and intu- actors making their indi- itively need from a direc- Sigourney Weaver vidual contribution to that tor. In short, what they "Work with the actor need is someone who, in a to find the essence of her Inside this issue . non-authoritarian way, self and help her stay out can be helpful and sup- of her head." Leadership Training Workshop in April.......................3 portive. Let's hear from DA Enters Its 7th Year—And Asks Your Input............8 the actors themselves Ellen Burstyn about this. "Actors want freedom Note: and the recognition of Monte’s website is: www.pp.htv.fi/msiivola/monte Ron Howard what they are up against. Monte’s e-mail is: [email protected] "Don't make a puppet They want respect for 2 Winter 2002 Dream Appreciation Vol. 7 No. 1 ON DREAMS AND ART: PART VI them as people as well as me. He should have guts Robert DeNiro James Wood professionals. They need and passion and know how "Scorcese had a great The director has to be help and support and to to work with actors. Act- respect for actors and passionate about doing the be dealt with honestly. ing is a lonely task. You knew how to get the best picture." They want a director to be need someone like Mike out of them." straight with them, take Nichols to be there for Lee Grant them seriously and be un- you, someone who comes Jack Lemmon "I like a director who derstanding of the actor's from the acting profession. "I want them to be re- trusts me, who can sur- craft. They want to be He knows everything sponsive to my suggestions prise me and who is open stimulated and pushed in to my suggestions." a direction they wouldn't go by themselves." There are two guiding principles that Holly Hunter structure the process of the dream group. "The ideal (seldom oc- Danny Glover Taken together they encompass what actors curs) is that of a perfect "The director should seek in the directors they work with: The marriage where the needs be helpful without being Safety Factor and the Discovery Factor. of both are met with ease intrusive. He should have and constancy." a way of saying the right thing at the right time. about everything. He is and let me try them out. Meg Ryan Actors are vulnerable and there waiting for me. He Oliver Stone is a deeply "I don't like to be should be kept in the gets inside the character. passionate man. Passion is heavily directed. Let me comfort zone. He should He has a tremendous involved in anything do it my way. Let me be make me a better actor. I amount of love for the worthwhile." bad. Let me be good. don't want to be humili- character. He has faith in ated. He should have my ability." Susan Sarandon Angelica Houston faith in you." "I want the director to "I would like the di- Jennifer Lee create an atmosphere rector to love and appreci- Harrison Ford "I want openness and where creative processes ate the actor. I would like (On Mike Nichols) trust. I don't like the feel- can go on." to be helped to move in "His approach is that of a ing of being straight-jack- the right direction." charming host. He is one eted. I want him to see Goldie Hawn of the most brilliant ma- things in me I didn't "The director writes the Kim Basinger nipulators of actors. He is know were there." music and I hit the notes." "The director should so clear and insightful. know what he wants and You never felt his hand on Gene Wilder Mary Stuart Masterson to know what you don't your shoulder. He helps "I want gentleness with "I want a director to know yet. At the same you do the right thing and actors because they under- be open and generous. I time he gives you freedom feel it's the only choice stand actors. They should want to feel trusted. and is comforting." you can make. He makes never shout at them." Don't tell me what to do. you want to be a member That makes me feel self- Tim Robbin of the team." Ellyn Barker conscious. There should "I want the director to "I want them to help be intimacy and trust that respect my opinion and Cathy Bates me become a better actor. we are on a journey and say, 'If you have a better "He should be smart I don't want to be humili- will encounter weird idea, do it.' It becomes a and have been there before ated." places on the way." community effort. The Winter 2002 Dream Appreciation Vol. 7 No. 1 3 DIRECTOR AND DREAM GROUP LEADER director's vision without the way questions are put to This is not unique to dream Several directors have the actor is nothing. Ac- the dreamer. They are meant work. It occurs wherever appeared on the program tors bring life, heart and to be helpful without every be- creative energies can flourish. (The Actors Studio). Here humanity to the film." ing intrusive. They are not The role of the leader in are a few of them speaking information-demanding ques- a dream group is unique in for themselves. Comment tions where ordinarily one only one sense. The leader I have already noted There are two guiding would expect an answer, but is responsible for seeing that what several of the actors principles that structure the are offered as instruments for the structure by means of said about Mike Nichols' group process of the dream the dreamer to use in explor- which safety and help are sensitivity and reliance group. Taken together they ing his or her own psyche. maintained remains intact. upon the unconscious do- encompass what actors seek The question may or may not He differs from the director main. Here are some of in the directors they work turn out to be useful. If it is who usually does not assume Nichols' own thoughts with. The first is designed useful, it still is the dreamer's an acting role in the movie. that highlighted the anal- to generate and maintain decision as to what to share. The dream group leader has ogy to leading a dream the feeling of trust in the The important point here is the same option as others do group. leader and in the process that the dreamer is never to share a dream or not. He that is to unfold. I refer to obliged to share more than he also participates in the same Mike Nichols it as the Safety Factor. It or she feels comfortable shar- manner as other group "The opening scene calls attention to the fact ing. members do to someone else's expresses the theme of the that if the dreamer is to pur- It is this respect for the dream. As the one who is movie. It has to do with sue and expose the feelings dreamer's authority over the more aware of the pitfalls style. Style is beginning that shaped the images of the unconscious domain that that can occur in dream something in a way that dream, he or she has to feel frees the dreamer to do the work, he has the major re- makes things that happen perfectly safe in doing so. necessary exploratory work. sponsibility for keeping the later all follow from the The task of getting to It is the dreamer's own in- process on track. beginning." the unconscious roots of the terest and curiosity that dream is difficult and often drives the process without involves the vulnerability as- any outside authority stand- EADERSHIP RAINING ROGRAM sociated with risk-taking.