Directing Actors: Practical Notes That Work

Directing actors comes down to giving notes they can play. Tell the actor what the character wants, what they are doing to get it and what is in the way, instead of describing the result you want to see, such as "be angrier". Keep notes short, give one or two at a time, give them in private, and build trust before the camera rolls.

What is a playable note?

A playable note gives the actor something to do, not something to show. Emotions are the result of a character pursuing something and running into an obstacle. If you ask for the emotion directly, actors tend to "indicate" it: they show sadness instead of living through what makes the character sad. Notes that work usually name an intention, an action, a circumstance or a physical task. Here are common result notes and playable versions of them.

Result note	Why it is hard to play	Playable version
"Be sadder."	Asks for the emotion directly	"You are trying to get her to say she will stay. You already know she won't."
"More intense."	Vague, usually leads to louder	"Make him answer you. Do not let him look away."
"Don't be so nervous."	A negative note puts the nerves in the actor's head	"You have done this a hundred times. You are bored by it."
"Make it funnier."	Pushes the actor to play the joke	"She thinks this is the best idea she has ever had."
"Say it like this..." (line reading)	Asks for an imitation, often sounds flat	"This is the first time you have said it out loud."

Technical notes are fine and actors expect them. "Pick up the pace", "hit your mark", "hold the look a beat longer before you turn" are clear and useful. The trouble starts when every note is about the outside of the performance.

What tools do directors use to talk to actors?

Most directors draw on the same small set of tools, all of which give the actor a reason rather than a result:

• Objective: what the character wants from the other person in this scene. "You want him to apologize."
• Action verb: how they go after it, in one transitive verb: to accuse, to charm, to warn, to dismiss, to beg. Verbs can change on each beat.
• Obstacle: what makes it hard. "Your mother is in the next room."
• Given circumstances: facts that change the playing, such as the time of night, who just left, what the character ate or drank.
• "As if" adjustments: a comparison the actor can play. "Play it as if you are telling a child a pet has died."
• Physical tasks: something real to do, like folding laundry while talking, which takes attention off "acting".
• Questions: "What do you think she wants from him here?" often gets further than an instruction.

Judith Weston's book "Directing Actors" is a widely used reference for this approach if you want to go deeper. Much of the scene's meaning lives in subtext, which is why intention-based notes tend to work better than notes on the words.

How do you prepare to direct actors before the shoot?

Preparation starts with knowing the script better than anyone. Break each scene into beats and know what each character wants in each one, so you can answer actors' questions quickly. Then:

1. Talk about the character early. Meet each lead and ask how they see the role before you tell them how you do. Agree on the big things: what the character wants across the film and what they hide.
2. Hold a table read. Hearing the whole script out loud shows where scenes drag and where actors read a moment differently. See how to run a table read.
3. Rehearse the scenes that matter most. Work on relationships and intentions, and leave some freshness for the day. See how to rehearse actors before the shoot.
4. Find out how each actor works. Some want long conversations, some want one word before a take, some want to be left alone. Ask them.

If you wrote the script in Lowerated, the characters page already holds a profile for each character with personality, backstory and motivations, which is a useful starting point for that first conversation.

How do you give notes on set?

On set, give notes in person, quietly, and keep them short. Walk to the actor instead of calling across the set or over a radio. A few habits help:

• One or two notes per take. More than that and the actor plays the list, not the scene.
• Start with what worked. Then give the change, so the actor keeps the good parts.
• Explain why you are going again. "That was the one for performance, we need another for focus" stops actors from changing something that was right.
• Keep your words consistent. If you called the scene's goal "getting the keys back" in rehearsal, keep using that phrase.
• Adjust for the shot. In a wide, physical behavior carries more. In a close-up, smaller often reads better. Telling the actor the size of the shot is a fair note.
• Plan the order of coverage with the actor in mind. For emotionally heavy scenes, talk with the actor and the DP about which setups come first so the strongest takes land where the camera is closest.
• Protect the actor. Clear the set of nonessential crew for intimate or very emotional scenes. For intimate scenes, use an intimacy coordinator. Requirements vary by country and union, so check with your producer.

Never try to provoke real distress to get a performance. It damages trust and is unsafe. Actors can reach strong emotion through the tools above when they feel safe. If you are working with children or first-time performers, the approach changes again. See working with children on set.

Example: notes across three takes

In a short film called "Overtime", a night nurse, Lucinda, tells her younger colleague Bram that she is quitting. The scene is INT. HOSPITAL BREAK ROOM - NIGHT. The director wants it understated: she has already made the decision, and the scene is about how Bram takes it.

Take	What happened	Note given	Type of note
1	The actor plays it tearful from the first line	"She made up her mind weeks ago. She is trying to stop Bram from making it a big deal. Tell him like you are telling him about a shift swap."	Objective and circumstance
2	Lighter, but she rushes past his question "Why?"	"Good, keep that. When he asks why, take your time. You have not said the reason out loud to anyone yet."	Keeps what worked, adds a circumstance
3	She stays light, then stalls on "Why?" and the feeling shows for the first time	"That is it. We are going again only because the boom dipped. Same thing."	Technical, protects the performance

None of the notes mention sadness. The emotion in take 3 comes from the character trying to hide it, which is what the director wanted.

What are common mistakes when directing actors?

• Result notes as the default: "sadder", "more", "bigger".
• Line readings before trying anything else.
• Five notes at once after a long take.
• Giving notes in front of the crew or shouting them from the monitor.
• Saying "perfect" and then going again with no reason given.
• Directing one actor's performance through the other actor ("make him angrier").
• Changing the direction every take without a reason, so the edit has nothing that matches.
• Talking only to the camera team and leaving the actors to guess what the director thinks. Clear blocking also helps, because actors who know their moves can focus on the scene.

FAQ

Should you ever give an actor a line reading?

Sparingly. A line reading can fix a single word's emphasis or help when an actor asks for one, but try a playable note first.

How do you direct non-actors?

Give them real tasks and simple situations instead of acting notes, keep takes short, and roll early because first takes are often the most natural.

What do you do if an actor disagrees with your note?

Listen to the reason, since they often know the character from the inside. If time allows, shoot one take their way and one yours.

How many takes should you do?

There is no rule. Go again when the take is missing something you need, tell the actor what it is, and move on once you have it.

Key takeaways

• Give actors intentions, actions, obstacles and circumstances, not results.
• Prepare by knowing every beat of the script and how each actor likes to work.
• On set, give one or two notes, in person, quietly, starting with what worked.
• Always say why you are going again, especially for technical retakes.
• Keep the set safe for emotional and intimate work, and never provoke real distress.