Listen to Quentin Tarantino Talk Directing Actors on Set

Tarantino is famous for a lot of different directorial flares. And his penchant for feet. But so much of his prowess is not what we see on screen. It's everything he does during shooting.

Like many other directors, Tarantino works with actors extremely well, trying to pull the performance he needs from them in order to make the best movie. This is a collaborative effort that Tarantino says cannot be done if you become part of the audience and forget you're making a movie. 

During a seminar with AFI Conservatory Fellows, Tarantino talked about how he directs actors on set and why he thinks it's necessary to be an active member of the scene. Check out this video from the American Film Institute and let's talk after. 

What I love about Tarantino is that he is completely open with his process as a filmmaker. We've seen the movie nerd side of him many times, but there's this sheen and excitement when he talks about making things that's contagious for the crowd. 

As far as directing actors is concerned, Tarantino has a very unique outlook. Don't spend too much time in video village. Framing is important, but you can get lost in just watching TV and becoming part of the audience, and not becoming a director. 

Tarantino gets close to the camera unless an actor tells him not to. He watches the performance and provides direction as needed.

The idea of being close to the camera is simple to understand. That's where the action is. That's where he can see the performance he wants to note. He gets ideas from the foreground and background. Tarantino stresses the idea that you are a director, which means you are a creator, not an audience member. Spending time watching the monitor can dull your senses. 

I love how active this advice is—I think we can all get caught up in ideas happening on screen, but we often forget that once the frame is set, it's okay to get in there with the actors and to direct. Directing is an active job, not passive. You can fall into being a watcher, but participating matters so much more. 

Let me know what you think in the comments. 

Source: AFI