This is second edition of The Art of Directing Actors book. The book may look like other books you have seen, but there are some important differences which will make it easier and more helpful:This handbook- concentrates on the most common mistakes made by film and theater directors and actors ("20 examples of the result-oriented and general directions"). We sought to keep the guide complete enough to answer all your questions without becoming thick enough to become a doorstop. The Art of Directing Actors has all the tools you need to effectively direct actors and to create memorable performances.- presents directing actors as a practical psychology: the art of managing human behavior.- explains modern and classic methods of directing actors (17 methods or tools of the director and actors). You will have a complete and versatile toolbox for use in any film or theater production. You need not look in other books to find these tools.- presents a comprehensive source-book for directors and actors. It contains a full list of action verbs with a thesaurus and a classification of action verbs, examples of a full script breakdown with spines, needs, objectives, actions and adjustments.- gives the practical application of the tools (The Bear, The importance of being earnest). You will have the script breakdown of the classic plays of Anton Chekhov and Oscar Wilde.- offers exercises in a useful format. In order to apply your understanding of various methods of directing actors, explore the relevant exercises.

Demonstrates what constitutes a good performance, what actors want from a director, what directors do wrong and more.

The collaboration of director and actor is the cornerstone of narrative filmmaking. This book provides the director with a concrete step-by-step guide to preparation that connects the fundamentals of film-script analysis with the actor’s process of preparation. This book starts with how to identify the overall scope of a project from the creative perspective of the director as it relates to guiding an actor, before providing a blueprint for preparation that includes script analysis, previsualization, and procedures for rehearsal and capture. This methodology allows the director to uncover the similarities and differences between actor and director in their preparation to facilitate the development of a collaborative dialogue. Featuring chapter-by-chapter exercises and assignments throughout, this book provides a method that enables the director to be present during every stage of production and seamlessly move from prep to filming, while guiding the actor to their best performances. Written in a clear and concise manner, it is ideal for students of directing, early career, and self-taught directors, as well as cinematographers, producers, or screenwriters looking to turn their hand to directing for the first time.

"William Ball, founder and general director of the acclaimed American Conservatory Theatre, engages his audience in a wide-ranging discussion of the director's process - from first reading through opening night. Mr. Ball offers a candid, personal account of his method of working - including the choice of a play's essential elements, preproduction homework, casting, and rehearsal techniques"--Cover.

Directing: Film Techniques and Aesthetics is a comprehensive manual that teaches the essentials of filmmaking from the perspective of the director. Ideal for film production and directing classes, as well as for aspiring and current directors, Directing covers all phases of preproduction and production, from idea development to final cut. Thoroughly covering the basics, Directing guides the reader to professional standards of expression and control, and goes to the heart of what makes a director. The book outlines a great deal of practical work to meet this goal, with projects, exercises. The third edition emphasizes the connection between knowing and doing, with every principle realizable through projects and exercises. Much has been enhanced and expanded, notably: aspects of dramaturgy; beats and dramatic units; pitching stories and selling one's work; the role of the entrepreneurial producer; and the dangers of embedded moral values. Checklists are loaded with practical recommendations for action, and outcomes assessment tables help the reader honestly gauge his or her progress. Entirely new chapters present: preproduction procedures; production design; script breakdown; procedures and etiquette on the set; shooting location sound; continuity; and working with a composer. The entire book is revised to capitalize on the advantages offered by the revolutionary shift to digital filmmaking.

Elia Kazan was the twentieth century’s most celebrated director of both stage and screen, and this monumental, revelatory book shows us the master at work. Kazan’s list of Broadway and Hollywood successes—A Streetcar Named Desire, Death of a Salesman, On the Waterfront, to name a few—is a testament to his profound impact on the art of directing. This remarkable book, drawn from his notebooks, letters, interviews, and autobiography, reveals Kazan’s method: how he uncovered the “spine,” or core, of each script; how he analyzed each piece in terms of his own experience; and how he determined the specifics of his production. And in the final section, “The Pleasures of Directing”—written during Kazan’s final years—he becomes a wise old pro offering advice and insight for budding artists, writers, actors, and directors.

Based on the author's experience of presenting directing and acting workshops around the world for over 10 years, this book is a creative exploration on how to access and stimulate the filmmaker's most precious assets - instinct, imagination and intuition.

An accessible edition of a classic guide to film and theater directing offers insight into the craft's unique challenges from managing personalities and anticipating problems to working with a script and the key elements of staging, in a primer that also features life lessons gleaned by the co-authors throughout their careers. Reprint. 30,000 first printing.

(Applause Books). A master actor who's appeared in an enormous number of films, starring with everyone from Nicholson to Kermit the Frog, Michael Caine is uniquely qualified to provide his view of making movies. This revised and expanded edition features great photos, with chapters on: Preparation, In Front of the Camera Before You Shoot, The Take, Characters, Directors, On Being a Star, and much more. "Remarkable material ... A treasure ... I'm not going to be looking at performances quite the same way ... FASCINATING!" Gene Siskel