By Steve Conway – 21/01/24 – Filmmaker
Maximising Genuine Performances: Tips for Directing Non-Actors in Film Productions
I have a massive amount of respect for trained actors and people who are pursuing acting careers. It should go without saying that trained actors offer specific, professional skills and disciplines that the vast majority of non-actors cannot, in all kinds of ways. But sometimes, for various reasons, like making a low-budget indie film, using non-actors can be invaluable. Here, we will delve into some reasons why, drawing from my experiences working with numerous non-actors, and explore how to get the best out of them.
So, what do I mean by non-actors?
People who are not, nor ever been, trained as actors in anyway, attempted acting before in any serious way, who are not pursuing acting careers, and don’t particularly have any interest in pursuing one. Ironically, the great thing about non-actors is that they don’t act. There isn’t a need to remove preconceived notions, or extensive training, from their minds or bodies to achieve a certain naturalistic performance for specific projects, especially for films.
However, before we explore the advantages, it is important to examine the potential drawbacks and limitations of using non-actors. This isn’t meant as criticism but rather an acknowledgment of likely realities to consider for the filmmaker. Also, keeping these aspects in mind can actually lead to better performances from them.
Tips For Directing Non-Professional Actors
Firstly, they might struggle with delivering lots of scripted lines of dialogue. Chances are they just won’t remember a ton of lines, and if asked to do so, non-actors will likely freeze up, leading to rigid performances that feel forced. This can consume considerable time during shooting days as efforts are made to help them remember their lines, and equally important they will not enjoy being there.
It is important to be realistic about the roles assigned to them and the worlds they are expected to suddenly be in and relate to. This significantly influences the quality of their performances. For instance, in my film based on working-class people in the construction world, the chosen non-actors were ideal for those roles because we all come from or are still part of those environments. However, attempting to recreate a Shakespearean play might not have the same cedibility in the storytelling. Also, while anyone can attempt acting, some individuals are naturally more confident in doing so than others. It is advisable to select personalities and character types for your project from among those who won’t freeze up in front of a camera, and even more, people who are capable of improvisation (see above about not remembering tons of lines).
Consider the impact of an extensive and daunting equipment setup, which might unsettle non-actors and make them feel uncomfortable. Elaborate camera setups pointed at them and a ton of crewmembers behind the camera observing their acting, perhaps for the first time in some cases, could be overwhelming. Additionally, expecting them to deliver lines while moving around or hitting specific marks on the floor may be unrealistic as well. It is advisable not to overload them with too much information to remember while attempting to give a performance. Lastly, do not expect a high number of takes from non-actors. While the best moments might emerge in later takes, pushing for too many could risk losing the consistency or the initial enthusiasm from them.
I am going to add a little caveat here, something that should be considered important when casting non-actors for your film projects. If possible, and I stress, if possible, they should also be people you know well personally, and I will explain why and how this can benefit very low-budget indie films as we continue.
The Power of Raw Performances in Films
As mentioned above and to elaborate, using non-actors for particular roles, particularly those aligned with their real-life personalities, backgrounds or professions can increase the realism with their performances and significantly elevate the production level of a film, as a lot of the time they wont even feel like they are acting at all, if directed well enough. Also, the more you know them personally, understanding their likes, dislikes, sense of humor, body language, and mannerisms, the better you can assess their strengths and weaknesses in front of the camera, and consequently, what you can ask and expect of them to do. This will also greatly assist you during the writing stage, guiding you in the right directions with the script and helping in comprehensive planning.
On most film projects, time is always a factor, organising everyone to shoot at the same time and place can be very challenging, and that allocated time needs to be used super efficiently when it is achieved. Using non-actors who you know well becomes advantageous because in return they understand and know you well, and they will quickly be able to grasp your explanations and directions on set. This mutual understanding can be incredibly timesaving on shoot days. It can also potentially lead to great ideas being suggested by those involved.
Low-Budget Film Casting
This might be a bit generalising, but if a scene isn’t working well during shooting and you need to provide various suggestions to non-actors – altering a mannerism, delivering a line differently, adjusting body language, or suddenly portraying their character in an alternative manner – they tend to accept these inputs without hesitation or questioning, unlike professionally trained actors might. This can be remarkably helpful and time-efficient as well.
Also, and another slight generalisation, by involving non-actors you know well increases the likelihood of their commitment to the project compared to convincing professionally trained actors, whom you lack a personal connection with and might not be able to pay, to endure the entire process with you. Some indie film projects can extend for prolonged periods, often involving sporadic, last-minute shooting schedules, which again, understandably might not be appealing to trained, or experienced, actors whom you lack a personal connection with (and cannot pay).
To add, it is crucial to eventually work with trained and experienced actors, as well as aspiring ones, to face those particular challenges and up your game at some point. But initially, this mutual camaraderie could be quite helpful.
Last but certainly not least, to get the best performances out of non-actors, I cannot stress enough how important it is for them to enjoy the process and to feel involved. This is down to the director, who plays a crucial role in ensuring they feel relaxed, comfortable, and confident during the shooting of their scenes, and being able to set the stage so to speak in the right way for them to be able to offer what you need, of course this also requires immense patience as well with them.
In conclusion, although using non-actors demands consideration of various aspects, there are compelling reasons to lean towards this choice, especially if they are also people you know well on a personal level.
To sum up:
- They can bring a heightened sense of realism to a role, and also help you at the script writing stage, if the non-actor lined up is someone you know well.
- It can be extremely time efficient on shoot days, particularly with explanations, problems and sudden changes.
- It can be very beneficial when attempting bigger productions with a lengthy and sporadic shoot schedule.
Do I Need a Professional-Grade Cinema Camera to Make a Film?
Like most dedicated filmmakers, I shared similar equipment concerns when I set out to create my first feature-length film. This topic is a common point of discussion among fellow creators. Dive deeper into equipment considerations by downloading my free, concise 4-page PDF guide, available here.
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