Working with Stubborn Actors: How to Get What You Need

So, you’ve just been told that you are directing your first feature and they’ve got some Hollywood A-lister to take the lead.

You’re thinking that since they have been in the industry for a while, all they’ll need is a neat little script, that you will leave them to their devices and that finally, you will have the film you have always dreamed of.

Then the worst thing happens: you discover that you’re A-lister has an attitude problem, which means as the director, you have to deal with the outrageous demands, the tantrums, and everything else which could slow down and completely dull the shooting experience. Since refusing to work with the famous actor is not always an option, here are a few ways in which you can get what you need from them.

Establishing Your Authority

In any film set, there is a hierarchy that has been tested and proven to have the best results. You as the director of the film should always be at the top of that hierarchy and everyone else on the set should be an extension of your vision. This balance may be threatened sometimes, especially during times when the actor has such a huge reputation, but you still have to figure out how to make them gel with everyone else and take instruction.

If you are unable to do this, you will end up with a film what has really impactful intense scenes, but when the parts come where the actors have to show raw and intense emotion, everything flops because they are impossible to direct.

It is possible that sometimes even directors get star struck and they end up making exceptions to their rules because after all, if an actor has won three Oscars, they know what they are doing, but the truth is that you need to be reasonable but firm with everyone on the set.

When the acting technique gets in the way

There are different acting techniques which actors are trained about when they enroll for acting classes. Most of the times, actors adhere to the first technique which they learned with varying degrees of success in it.

At times, it could be a great thing for the film and at other times, it might just be the thing which is making the acting class impossible to handle. Here are some examples to think about:

Dealing with Actors trained on the Meisner & Strasberg method acting

Everyone knows that Meisner wanted actors to get out of their own heads when acting and react instinctively to their environment so that they could portray natural reactions on set. Strasberg on the other hand, derived his technique from Stanislavski.

Strasberg encourages actors to intensify the feelings that they are supposed to elicit in an acting situation by creating a connection between the event on the script with an emotional memory that they have. For instance, if an actor is mourning the loss of a loved one, remembering a time when they actually lost a loved one and bringing back those emotions of pain and loss.

While it is true that method acting has a lot of its own advantages, it also comes with its own set of disadvantages and at times, it can be injurious to the actors. There was a time when it was said that Dustin Hoffman used to run around Manhattan before filming a certain movie that needed him to look exhausted so that he could achieve the true state of exhaustion.

While this might seem like a smart way to achieve the true state which you are aiming for when directing, first, the actor will be taking quite a chunk of the set time to get into the state that the method needs and second, what if the script calls for an actor to look like a Junkie? Will you allow them to start shooting cocaine up their nostrils to achieve that realistically high state?

The point is, while there are massive benefits which come from these acting techniques and methods, there are situations which will need you to be the boss and call the shots.

Sometimes, all the actors need is for you to lead them through scenes and as long as you are firm and objective about it, you will get them to show the emotion which the scene needs them to display.

Knowing when to let it go

Most of the misunderstandings which happen on set are because someone has a huge ego. These are issues which can be resolved depending on the situation. For instance, if a few days after the casting you realize that a certain actor is too hard to deal with, it will be easier to cut your losses and recast the role than when most of the scenes are already done.

Take an acting class

There is no better way to understand where the actors are coming from than if you personally experience their training. While this may sound crazy and totally out of your comfort zone, you will realize that there are lots of valuable lessons which you can learn when you take the class. It will open up your worldview about the actors, and you will start imagining situations from their perspective, which will be very great for you and also for everyone that will be under your direction in film-making.

As earlier stated, most of the acting classes that you will find out there are based on theories from Stanislavsky. If for instance, you take classes, you will understand why the actors are so stuck to their method, and you will actually be in a better position to tell them how they can tune their method acting to deliver the scene that you need acted.

These are just a few of the techniques which you can use when trying to shoot a film with stubborn actors. Always remember that most of the time, the solution to a problem on set lies in collaboration.

At other times, you will discover that minor issues such as rivalries between the actors are the reason they are not delivering or they are trying to drag each other down. When you figure out the exact cause of the problem, it will be simpler to handle them and get a resolution.

When all else fails, it does pay to call the actor aside, explain to them how they could improve the act and watch for progress. Regardless of how stubborn an actor may seem, they will always have a general desire to deliver their best performance and the moment you show them that you are there to help them attain that, they will start cooperating.