Directing Actors

One of the most important factors in making sure my music video looks realistic, to make the storyline believable to create the atmosphere I wanted is to get the acting on point. I've learnt even with amazing actors without directing them, almost shaping them into the character you want, it may not look realistic and too 'clean cut' / staged.

So directing is a huge importance in film making, especially when actors are included in music videos, I researched different film directors as they work with actors in oppose to performers, which would be more suitable. I also researched different techniques and key factors in directing to help me.

One of my favourite directors is Martin Scorsese. He directed films such as Shutter Island, Goodfellas and Wold of Wall Street.

I decided to research video's showing how he directed, coming from actors and colleges he worked with. It showed me his personal methods to really get the actors intimate with the characters they were playing. A particular movie I was interested in was Goodfellas. It touches on all sorts of emotion. With particular scenes of emotion that has resulted from the intoxication of drugs, including paranoia, distress and anger. This was very relevant to my music video scenes, so I thought I would pay particular interest in this film. This is an example video of what I watched to get this directing advice.

                           

I learnt from this many techniques, including passion for ideas, giving actors input and relating the storyline to the actors as good as possible. Including the significant line of 'he told me not to act like them, but behave like them' which would be very relevant to my music video's characters.

I also looked at advice videos for further points to direct to the best of my ability.

                           

I have made points on what to do to get the best out of my actors.

1) I made the actors watch certain scenes out of  'Goodfellas' to point out certain emotion that works good. Also snippets of 'Dallas Buyers Club' to get them to understand the hillbilly, away from society type of theme. Also, strangely, 'The Pirates of the Carribean' to show them the way Johnny Depp perfectly portrays the 'drunk' attitude of Jack Sparrow. All of these little pointers can help them represent the characters. Of course with added flare from their own interpretations.

2) I ran the Actors through all the scenes with the actors and the different scenes prior to the shoot, and constantly remind the actors of the scene whilst on set.

3) I constantly speak to the actors, retaking shots with slight different emotions. 

4) I will be open to questions and personal opinions.

5) I will need to have patience to pull this off.

All these directing tips will help to make my music video realistic and make the storyline believable.