Oftentimes in the video world, you’ll find yourself working with non-actors in a scripted piece. There are both pros and cons to working with non-actors, as well as some strategies that can help them give the best performance possible. The biggest pro a non-actor has going for them is authenticity. You can get fun, unexpected choices and strange reactions that an actor may not think of. And the biggest con is that they are not as practiced in the mechanics of being on camera. Hitting a mark, giving multiple takes, having lights shined in their eyes will all be new experiences for them and can put them in their head. Your job as director is to remove as many of these roadblocks as possible so that they can feel at ease and be their authentic self on camera. Here are some tips for making it easier for a non-actor to give a relaxed performance.
Reframe your shots in post
If you need them to hit a mark for framing, think about widening your shot and framing them in post so that they don’t have to be as precise in their movement.
If you need a wide shot and close up, maybe you can create a close up from the wide by punching in so that you’re not forcing them to do as many takes.
Be encouraging
Lots of non-actors are nervous about being on camera and are quick to criticize themselves. You need to counterbalance that with your direction. Give them praise. Let them know that you have their back. Emphasize what they are doing well before telling them what to do differently. Try to tell them what TO do, as opposed to what NOT to do.
Set expectations
Many non-actors go into a video shoot without a sense of how long and repetitive the process can be. Let people know ahead of time what’s going to be required of them. Tell them that just because you have them do another take, that doesn’t mean that the previous take was bad.
It’s better to overestimate how many hours it will take to film with them. No one will ever be annoyed that you finished earlier than you said you would. But keeping people longer than expected can quickly kill the mood.
Don’t over work them
Most non-actors won’t have the same stamina that a professional has. Find ways to limit the number of shots and takes needed for a given scene. Doing too many takes can start to have diminishing returns and make them feel discouraged. Figure out which lines need to be verbatim and which ones don’t so that you don’t waste time getting a line exactly perfect that doesn’t need to be.
Don’t give too many notes at once. Keep it simple. You can always add a new note for the next take to build on their performance.
Make it fun!
Being on set is probably a new experience for them. Lean in to that excitement and make the set an inviting atmosphere. Play music, have plenty of crafty available, be playful. Let them collaborate and make suggestions so that they feel like they are being asked to contribute rather than simply replicate something an actor could do better.
A shoot will often take on the energy of its director, so it’s important that you have fun as well! Especially in a corporate setting where the subject might also be the client, having a positive experience making the video can be just as important as delivering a great final piece.
So there are some tips for working with non-actors. And honestly, a lot of this applies to working with professional actors as well! Everyone wants to be treated with respect and feel like they got to contribute their best. Not only does it make the experience better, but it often gets the best results too.
Philip Amler (Producer/Editor) has produced and edited pieces for Illinois Lottery, Medline, Portillo’s, the Pritzker Traubert Foundation, Ace Hardware, United Airlines, and more. He’s also performed at The Second City and iO Theater.
Related Posts
