From the course: Working with Actors & Non-Actors in Video Production
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Action verbs versus adjectives
From the course: Working with Actors & Non-Actors in Video Production
Action verbs versus adjectives
- Your ultimate goal is to have your talent's performance be truthful. And one of the best ways to help them achieve that is to use action verbs instead of adjectives when providing them with direction. This helps your talent do what's called being in the moment, focusing on the details of what's happening right now in the scene. Directing with action verbs rather than using adjectives let your characters do things rather than just say things. Be excited or be disappointed or be sad makes actors make faces, not actually experience emotions in the moment. When you don't use action verbs, performances come off as false and definitely one-dimensional. Using adjectives just describe the result. Actors will focus on achieving just the result you want, that they're sad, and not being a character that's interesting. Instead of, let's say, be angry at Bill, for example, as a direction, try accuse Bill of cheating on you. Or you could even use an opposing verb for a really dramatic effect…
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