Actors' meeting revisited

I enjoyed our meeting on Monday with the actors. Monday happened to be the hottest day of the year so far (at 102 degrees), but it was only a balmy 86 at noon when we met.

We began by discussing the differences between action on stage vs. acting for film, which mostly boils down to subtlety. For example, we didn't think Clint Eastwood would make a good stage actor because he acts with his face, so to speak. He can say more with the arch of an eyebrow than most people can say with a speech. Anyway, what we don't want is stage projection because that will seem ugly and exaggerated on film.

We also asked them how they saw their characters. I liked this discussion because, as a writer, I am always interested in how people react to my work and interpret characterizations, etc. I liked their insights, but I also pushed them to try to understand why their characters were the way they were...what happened to them to make them act the way they do? That sort of thing.

I'm not really a director, but as the writer, I guess I'm in charge of inflicting whatever "vision" I can on this project. I am well aware that I might not be able to if I work with different people in the future, so I plan on taking advantage of this opportunity. In a good way, naturally.

The next steps involve organizing rehearsals for the week before the coffee house shoot, as well as organizing the "Poetry Jam" that will be taking place in the background of the scene.

I am having a ball, by the way. :)
m