CHAPTER 19

Directing Talent

“Many directors expect actors to be like Apple computers: plug-and-play, performing perfectly right out of the box. Writers work for months on a script; directors take weeks to create their vision. Actors are often cast only a few days before the shoot and have little—if any—time to prepare. Actors need time to catch up to everyone else on the crew. They are not machines; they are fallible humans desperate to do their best. Actors must feel safe and supported on their creative journey.”

John Badham, Director

The talent you choose can make or break a production. The face and the body language of a person communicate faster to an audience than any other method. Showing a close-up shot of the face quickly communicates the story as the actor expresses disgust, joy, sorrow, and seriousness. Many video productions totally rely on how well people perform in front of the camera. It is up to the director to get the best performance from the talent. The director must be able to communicate his or her vision for the program and keep the talent motivated and informed. Coaxing the best performance can be tough, but it is well worth it in the end.

TALENT

Although the broad term talent is widely used to refer to those appearing in front of the camera, we must always remember how varied this talent really is. “Talent” covers a remarkable spread of experience and temperaments, from the professional actor working to a script and playing a part, to the impromptu, unrehearsed interview with a passerby on the street (Figure 19.1).

When the director invites someone to appear in front of the camera, that is only the beginning of the story. Since the person’s performance will have an influence on the program’s success, it is important that the director helps in any way needed, to make the talent’s contribution as effective as possible. The television camera can be an unwavering critic. Under its scrutiny, the audience weighs arrogance, attitude, and credibility, while sending sympathy to those who are shy and ill at ease.

For practical purposes, we can divide talent into the professional performers, who are used to appearing in front of the camera, and the inexperienced, for whom the program is likely to be a new, strange, exciting yet worrying event.

Professional performers usually like work through a prepared format. Some, like an actor in a play, will learn their lines, their moves, and the mechanics of the production. Others work from an abbreviated cue sheet near the camera or read running text from the screen of a teleprompter. Some will extemporize from guide notes, others will read from a printed script (Figure 19.2).

FIGURE 19.1
“Talent” generally refers to anyone who appears in front of the camera. That can include a wide variety of people, from anchors to actors to athletes to the man on the street doing an interview.

FIGURE 19.2
News talent records voiceovers for story packages. (Photo by Jon Greenhoe.)

FIGURE 19.3
Talent must be able to concentrate on the work, even with a lot of distractions going on involving cameras, audio personnel, lighting, and other crew members.

The best professionals can be relied on to repeat, during the actual taping, the dialogue, the moves, the pace, and the timing that they gave in rehearsal. The talent needs to know what he or she is going to say and that he or she can modify the delivery of the piece to fit the situation, showing enthusiasm, vigor, calm detachment, patience, or reverence. Talent can take guidance and instructions and follow this through without being confused. Good talent can improvise when things go wrong and remain calm if the unexpected happens (Figures 19.3, 19.4, 19.5).

FIGURE 19.4
Note that while these two sports commentators rehearse, audio and production personnel are working around them, testing their mics and adjusting the talent’s headset on his neck. (Photo by Josh Taber.)

FIGURE 19.5
A “standup” is when talent are placed in front of something that provides context for the story being covered.

IMPORTANCE OF PEOPLE IN THE SCENE

Suppose you are documenting the red carpet at a major awards ceremony. You are trying to describe what it is like to be on the red carpet, or even standing next to the red carpet. You can shoot footage of the extravagant decorations, the glowing lights, and you can capture the sounds. If you begin shooting early enough, you can get uncluttered views of the carpet. Obviously, none these shots really convey the atmosphere as the stars descend upon the carpet.

On the other hand, if you begin shooting as the limousines arrive and the stars begin to descend upon the red carpet to the delight of an adoring crowd, you can capture the mood of the event. While it may be more difficult to capture the footage you want, being jostled by other people, the place now has exactly the right feel to it. This is a reminder that it is worth the battle, in order to help the viewing audience get a feel for what it was really like to be there (Figure 19.7).

FIGURE 19.7
People bring life to scenes, making the image more interesting to the audience. This image captured the atmosphere of the red carpet at the British Academy Awards.

Finally, do not overlook how important people are in giving life to a scene. Rather than pan along an empty sidewalk, it is more interesting to follow someone who is passing (although there is the possibility that the audience may now wonder who this newcomer is, speculating on the person instead of on the real subject).

A shot looking along an empty bridge is likely to bore your audience within a few seconds. But have someone walk across that same bridge, and the scene immediately becomes more interesting. Now you can hold the shot much longer while a voiceover tells us about the bridge’s history.

Selecting the right talent to fit the script and then helping the talent understand what you need from him or her to make a successful production are two of the director’s greatest challenges. However, when the talent gets it right, with the right script and with the right director, the results can be incredible.

PRESENTING THE INFORMATION

Just because the talent may be an expert about a specific subject does not mean that he or she can present it convincingly to the camera. Ironically, there are times when a talent working from a teleprompter script may appear more authentic, even though the words may have been written by someone else.

How the action is shot is influenced not only by the nature of the subject but by the talent involved. The camera can behave like a bystander who moves around to get a good view of whatever is going on. This happens in street interviews. At best, one hopes that whoever is being interviewed will be preoccupied with the questioner and barely notice the camera and microphone. However, it can sometimes be difficult to relax when one is being besieged by the curiosity of bystanders.

SELECTING TALENT

It is important to find the right person for your project. Sometimes you just have to go with your gut feelings. This may be one of the most difficult decisions that you have to make in the whole production. Talk with the talent, get to know them a little. Building a bit of a relationship will help you see what they are like…if they will work well for your production.

New directors often have to deal with limited budgets, and one of the areas they are often tempted to cut is the budget line for professional talent. There are basically three types of talent for productions:

FIGURE 19.8
Professional talent, such as longtime actor William Shatner shown here in an interview, have the experience to often deliver the lines the first time. While they may be more expensive to hire, they usually do a better project in less time than inexperienced talent.

 Professional talent. Professionals cost more money up-front. However, their quality usually facilitates a better final project, and they usually can complete the project much faster than the two other types of talent discussed next (Figure 19.8).

 University/college theater performance students. Directors can usually “hire” students for very little money or even for free. The advantage is that these students have usually received training in acting and are often willing to work hard just for an experience they can put on their resume. So these students cost less than professionals but may take a bit more time to create the final project, including more retakes.

 Amateur talent. It is always tempting to grab a relative or friend to be the talent on a project. The problem is that amateurs do not have the experience needed to complete the project in a timely fashion or to master the pronunciation.

So, although they may be free, amateur talent may actually cost more money than professional talent if equipment or studio space is being rented for the production. The cost you save on talent may be spent on rental costs, because the amateur can take much more time to complete a script. Not only can you save money by using professional talent, but the overall quality will probably be better.

THE CHALLENGES OF WORKING WITH TALENT

Like every other aspect of production, every person involved, talent in this situation, will have their own ideas about how things will work. As the director, it is your responsibility to guide the project along. However, you need to give them enough space to let them do the job well. Director Kristin Ross Lauderbach once commented that “one of the best compliments I received from an actor was that I gave him a box to play in and he had total freedom to experiment inside it, but I let him know if he went outside that box.” You have to keep in mind that as director, you know the big picture. It is your responsibility to help the talent have the confidence and understanding to fulfill the vision that you have for the project.

When working with talent, the following is important:

 Put them at ease. Explain what will be happening.

 Give them clear instructions, such as where to look and the direction you want the interview to go.

 Keep the area clear of distractions.

 Place items on a prearranged mark.

 Be aware of the time limits.

Inexperienced Talent

Many people who appear to be “natural performers” in the final program are really the product of an understanding, yet creative director. Typical ways of handling inexperienced talent include the following:

 You can put your performers at ease by making them feel welcome, letting them know what they need to do, making them feel that their contribution is an important and interesting part of the program, and assuring them that if anything goes wrong there is nothing to worry about because the scene can be recorded again (unless it is a live program).

 Let them do it their way, and then edit the result.

 Let them reminisce, for example, then select the most interesting or the most relevant parts.

 Interview them in a situation that is natural for them (such as their workshop) rather than in a formal studio setting.

 Whenever possible, avoid showing the talent just standing, waiting for their part. They will feel more at ease (particularly in their own surroundings) if they have something to do. For example, a cook might be cutting up some vegetables before speaking.

 Give them a few instructions, such as telling them when, where, or how to hold the items in front of the camera.

 Use plenty of cutaway shots, so that the program does not concentrate on the talent all of the time. As much as possible, look at what they are talking about. During the editing phase, the cutaways can be cut into the program.

 Some directors keep the tension down by shooting when the talent does not know they are being recorded.

In a scripted program, it may be wise to record the dress rehearsal and, if possible, to run through the material several times, recording everything, so that the director can select and combine the best parts of each version.

If sections do not edit well, the interviewer can record a question or a statement later that will bridge what would otherwise be disjointed material. With care, this can be done quite well, even though it was not part of the original interview.

The Host

Many of the problems of handling inexperienced talent can be reduced if someone who is familiar with the production routine offers support. The person who serves as the host will probably meet the guest beforehand, help the person to feel at ease, and explain what will be happening during the program (Figure 19.10). The host can also gently guide the guest through the interview by posing the questions within the right context: “Earlier, you were telling me about…” or “I wonder if we could look at…” or “Isn’t the construction of this piece interesting?” The host can move the program smoothly from one topic to the next. Especially when shooting intermittently or out of order—both very confusing to the novice talent—the host can be very effective at guiding the guest through the production.

In situations where the talent will be discussing an object that must appear on camera, the host can help the guest know how to handle the object. Instead of the nervous guest holding the prop in a way that does not work for television (partly hiding it, reflecting the lights, or moving it around in a close-up shot), the host can tactfully take it from the guest to look at it and then hold it in a way that facilitates a good camera shot. At times, the host can also look in a nearby monitor to check the shot.

FIGURE 19.10
One of the hosts from NBC’s Today show, sitting in the light shirt, is prepping his guest for the next segment of the program.

The Off-Camera Host

Talent do not always appear on camera. Some hosts are required to sit in a booth and commentate while watching the event on monitors. As pay-per-view Internet extended versions of broadcast programs continue to grow in popularity, this practice will increase. The problem with offcamera broadcasting is that the talent needs to keep the excitement in their voice and act as though they are there. This can be difficult at times when the talent may not even be in the area of the event. (Figure 19.12)

FIGURE 19.12
This reporter is in a trailer at an event, commenting on a sporting event broadcast worldwide on NBC.com. Keeping your energy going as a commentator, when you are not actually at the event, can be difficult.

WHEN THERE ARE PROBLEMS

There are times when the invited guests simply do not live up to expectations. Perhaps he is too stiff. Or maybe she is so hesitant and nervous that she does herself little justice. Then there are the guests who overcompensate and become loud and obnoxious. In a live show, there may be little opportunity to actually replace someone. If there is a rehearsal and it is obvious that the guest is not going to work, it is possible to cut that individual from the show. However, doing so can create a difficult situation. It may be possible to tape the segment instead of going live, in the hope you will be able to use at least some of the person’s contribution. If a shaky performance becomes a serious issue, it can be cut in postproduction.

Other ways to deal with a problematic guest is to simplify or to shorten the person’s segment. You can use multiple cutaways, such as close-ups of details, to cover the edits during postproduction. If necessary, these cutaways can be shot after the main show is recorded.

Another approach is to have the host present the items in the program while continually referring to the guest. For example, the host could pick up an item, hold it to camera, and remind the guest of the information they discussed before or during rehearsal. At worst, the guest has to do little more than say yes and no.

As a last resort, you can use a voiceover track for the guest’s segment and use video images of the subject matter.

RESEARCH

For decades television reporters, commentators, and anchors, along with newspaper reporters, were the main source of information for the public. Today, with a large number of competing cable channels, blogs, websites, Facebook, and Twitter, commentators have the difficult task of being innovative every time they are on the air. Whatever event you are covering, success is usually based on research. Talent has to be able to comment on the issues of the day and be able to descibe and interpret the event to the listeners in a knowledgable way. If your talent does not understand the subject, the audience probably will not understand it.

WHAT SHOULD TALENT WEAR?

Talent often ask the question: “What do I wear to this shoot?” Good question. Here are some basic guidelines:

 Appropriateness is key. The clothing needs to fit the situation. If it is a studio interview, you want the talent to wear nice clothes and polished shoes. If they are on location at a car race, you won’t want them in a suit. If they are on a dramatic set, they need to dress to fit the character, which may mean dirty shoes, T-shirt, and jeans. The clothing needs to fit the situation.

 Wear low-contrast clothes. Contrasting colors are a major problem. Video cameras see differently than the human eye. Cameras cannot handle the contrast between light and dark objects. When the camera shows detail in the light object, the dark becomes indistinguishable. The reverse is also true, when detail is shown in the dark, the light colors become washed out, losing all of the detail. Contrast is also a problem for clothing and skin tone. Very light-skinned people should stay away from black or dark clothing when on television and dark-skinned people should avoid wearing white or very light colors such as white, pink, and yellow. White clothing, including shirts or blouses are discouraged for television.

 Blue is universal on television. The clothing color that seems to work best on television is a medium blue.

 Watch the details. Socks or stockings should be high enough so that they cover the leg when crossed. Collars should be positioned correctly. Hair should be in place.

 Minimal jewelry is used on television. Generally talent wears small jewelry since large shiny objects cause glares from the lighting. Small chains or pearls are usually nonreflective. There are times that even watches can cause problems.

 Street makeup is usually appropriate. HD cameras are so sensitive that they no longer require the heavy makeup used in early television. Of course special makeup may be required in order to fit a certain look or character.

REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. What are three of the challenges of working with talent?

2. What colors work best on television when selecting clothing?

3. What are two ways to deal with problematic talent?

4. When is it sometimes less expensive to hire a professional talent than one of your friends?

INTERVIEW WITH A PROFESSIONAL: SARAH LECKIE

When shooting people, what do you think about? What do you look for? Most of the action I film is people sitting and talking, which can get really boring. Because the action is extremely boring, I have to liven up the shot with something interesting. So I have to look for interesting angles. I usually try to look for something I can juxtapose the action with, e.g., a guitar in the foreground or something. You can’t just think about the action. You have to think about what surrounds the action and whether or not it’s relevant to the shot or will make it more appealing or more understandable.

If I am filming someone playing soccer, I have to think about how relevant the context of the action is to the image. For instance, if I am filming a soccer game at a stadium, people know what stadiums look like and don’t need a lot of stadium shots; I can focus on close-ups of the action. However, if I am filming a soccer game inside a prison, I’ll probably want to widen up my shots to shoot the context of the prison. It will make the shots more dramatic.

What are challenges to shooting people? Usually the challenge is to get people to not look at the camera; to get them to act like I am not there. Communicating exactly what I have pictured in my head and getting them to see that image, can be extremely difficult. Also, getting the camera actions perfectly lined up with the people’s actions is a challenge. For instance, if I am rack focusing or zooming or tracking while they look away and then at the camera, the timing has to be perfect! This is difficult.

How do you get people to do what you need them to do in your productions? I usually have to do a lot of coaching. I have to be able to not only tell them what to do in an interview, but often I have to take the time to show them exactly what I want them to do. It takes a lot of patience.

FIGURE 19.13
Sarah Leckie, Director/Videographer

Sarah Leckie is a corporate television producer/director who creates international documentaries.

INTERVIEW WITH A PROFESSIONAL: MORGAN SCHUTTERS

What is your job? I report the news: Daily pitch lead-able story ideas, shoot, edit, interview, set up and coordinate contacts/work my beat, report, go on camera for live news, newsroom shots, out in field, or in the studio reporting.

What do you like about your job? I love my job because I get to meet new people every day and develop contacts with which I get to develop a relationship with… It is fast paced, I get to use my energetic personality and talkative friendly nature. I really enjoy the fact that it is never the same old routine—it’s always different and new and exciting, always fast deadlines and pressure. It’s stressful, but I like the stress and pressure. I love talking, and writing, and telling people’s stories.

What are the types of challenges that you face in your position? It’s emotionally draining. I arrive at work already tired and leave work tired and the same cycle of exhaustion—physical and mental—is constant. The stress is hard to handle sometimes. With tight deadlines, you sometimes feel your work is never good enough; you’re constantly criticized on your appearance, writing, editing, etc.

How do you prepare for a production? I focus, focus, focus, and I do not relax, stop to think, or even catch my breath until I am done with my LIVE story or whatever my deadline is that day. Often there is barely enough time to even touch up my hair and makeup before I go live so there isn’t much preparing—but I always try to read my script through at least once before I say it and I always try to memorize my lead; it’s more conversational that way.

What suggestions or advice do you have for someone interested in a position like yours? If you want to be a reporter or in the news industry in any way, you better be tough, have a thick skin or are willing to develop one, be willing to work long hours for barely any money, and face constant criticism from people outside the industry and inside it. You can’t let anything get you down. You have to keep your chin up and if you don’t love it, don’t do it. You have to have 100 percent passion for this career to survive. There are thousands of others just like you who want the same job you have. You’re easily replaceable. The more internships the better with this job. You can never ever have too much experience. Also the more mentors and contacts within the industry who are willing to help you with a tape and guide you along your journey of improving, the better, because you need genuine support in this career.

FIGURE 19.14
Morgan Schutters, Reporter

Morgan Schutters is a reporter for KODE/KSNF in Joplin, Missouri.