This is sometimes a problem of mine. On one hand, I feel being blunt is simply being honest; on the other, I am aware that it can appear . . . insensitive. My friend Suanne says I hold the record for the shortest phone calls EVER. True.
If you’ve been on set with me, you’ve heard me bark, “Faster!” at the actors. Now I know that’s blunt . . . but it gets results. Yet I’m not stupid. If I know an actor hates going for results, I will take the time to discuss the motivation of why his character needs to get his information across faster. It just takes longer. And while I’m talking, the actor is not acting . . . and my experience is that actors would rather get back to acting than talk about their acting.
Directors need to know how to be direct in order to get the job done efficiently and quickly, especially in television. But directors also need the empathy to sense when some extra time, some sensitive listening, and some space is what an actor needs to feel safe.
A director is
- A shrink
- A problem solver
- A scheduler
- A re-scheduler
- A time keeper
- A result getter
All the while being a storyteller!
So I have found a balance. And learned that one of my most important skills as a director is being able to read the actor and meet his or her needs. More often than not, I start what may be a longer explanation, hear the actor say, “Got it,” never finish my sentence, get myself off the set, and watch the magic!
