I'll Be in My Trailer : The Creative Wars Between Directors and Actors

by Badham, John

• ISBN13: 9781932907148
• ISBN10: 1932907149
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-07-15
• Publisher: Ingram Pub Services

Summary

Directing actors is the hardest thing faced by both beginning and experienced directors. Filmmaking hardware like cameras, lenses, and editing machines do what they are told. Actors have minds of their own, often making directors lives miserable.Here is an inspired and insightful must-read for directors at all levels of their craft! Based on the extensive experiences of veteran Director John Badham, as well as no-holds-barred, out-of-school tales from such celebrated directors and actors as Sydney Pollock, Michael Mann, John Frankenheimer, Mel Gibson, James Woods, Jenna Elfman, and many more.Beneath the entertaining and instructive war stories lies the truth: how directors elicit the best performances from difficult and terrified actors. Youll learn how to use proven techniques to help actors give their best performances including the ten best and ten worst things to say and what you can do when an actor wont or cant do what the director wants.Its all here, put into print by a renowned director with stories to tell and lessons to impart.

Author Biography

John Badham is Professor of Film and Media at Chapman University

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	xi
Preface	xii
Introduction by Craig Modderno	xiv
Contributors	xxi
Chapter 1. No Day at the Beach	1	(14)
How to Hide
The Moral of This Tale Is?
Novice Director Meets Richard Pryor
Career in the Dumper
Summary
Chapter 2. Dos & Don'ts	15	(17)
Universal Peeves
Summary
Chapter 3. Comfort or Constipate	32	(5)
The Magic, Please
Summary
Chapter 4. Are Actors Nuts?	37	(20)
If It Looks So Easy, You Try It
Craziness Clarified
Just a Bunch of Children?
"Never Act with Dogs or Kids"
Crybabies Too?
Actors Are Different Than You and Me
Summary
Chapter 5. A Lazy Way to Success — Casting	57	(19)
Stupid Casting Trick #1
Stupid Director Trick #2
Stupid Casting Trick #3
Cut to the Audition
Free Rehearsal
Cast at Last
Videotape — Blessing and Curse
Professionals vs. Amateurs
Trainwreck #5: Cast the Producer's Girlfriend
Summary
Chapter 6. Rehearsal — Panacea or Pain	76	(15)
Bunch 1 — Must Have It
Bunch 2 — Who Needs It?
Rehearsals Are for Wimps?
Train for Spontaneity
There's No Time to Rehearse
Organic Valium
Summary
Chapter 7. Rehearsal — Day One	91	(16)
First Readthrough
That Means No Rehearsal... Right?
Never Invite Guests to the First Reading
When Do You Direct?
Improvisation
Staging During Rehearsal
How Much Rehearsal?
After Rehearsal
Summary
Chapter 8. Killing Acting	107	(15)
The Shifting Sand of Objectives
Non-Actable Directions
Active Action Verbs
Rehearsing Emotional Scenes
This'll Shut 'em Up
Napoleon's One-Minute Manager
Phantom Kibitzers
Summary
Chapter 9. On the Day	122	(14)
What's the First Shot?
Six-Hundred-Pound Gorillas
Forget Them, What About Me
It's About Respect
Summary
Chapter 10. Actors Are Not Apples	136	(8)
Get a Stuntman
Who Made You God of Ideas?
Summary
Chapter 11. What Am I Doing?	144	(19)
Result Directing
Tricky, Tricky
Skip the Bullshit, What Do You Want?
Off the Wall
RX for Stage Actors
Film Actors Can't Throw Stones
Summary
Chapter 12. 911 Directing	163	(33)
Obvious Possibilities
The Dog Ate My Dialogue
This Scene Is Stupid
Can't Play It Truthfully
What Is the Real Emotion
Fear of Failure
They Are Not There
I'm Not Saying This
I'm Not Doing This
Paper Baggers
What If They're Really Crazed?
Playing the Lottery
Scene Stealers & Bad Boys
Meltdown in Malibu
Drinks, Drugs & SOBs
Live a Little
Outside or Inside
Summary
Chapter 13. VideoVillage Idiots	196	(5)
Ohmigod, They Want to Come to Dailies!
Summary
Chapter 14. Wait, You're Not Done	201	(8)
Invading the Editing Suite
Summary
Picture Credits	209	(3)
Index	212	(6)
About the Authors	218