Directing film or television is a high-stakes occupation. It captures your full attention at every moment, calling on you to commit every resource and stretch yourself to the limit; it's the white-water rafting of entertainment jobs. But for many directors, the excitement they feel about a new project tightens into anxiety when it comes to working with actors.
In the years since the original edition of Directing Actors was published, the technical side of filmmaking has become much more easily accessible. Directors tell me that dealing with actors is the last frontier — the scariest part and the part they long for — the human part, the place where connection happens. Weston's books help directors scale the heights of the actor-director dynamic, learn the joys of collaborating with actors-and become an 'actor's director.'
Author Biography:
Judith Weston has been a teacher of directors, actors, and writers since 1985. Her students include: Alejandro G. Iñárritu, Birdman, Biutiful, Amores Perros; Ava DuVernay, When They See Us, Queen Sugar, 13th, A Wrinkle in Time, Middle of Nowhere; Taika Waititi, Thor: Ragnarok, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Boy, Flight of the Conchords; Steve McQueen, 12 Years a Slave, Small Axe, Shame, Hunger; Deniz Gamze Ergüven, Mustang, Handmaid's Tale, Perry Mason; Alma Har'el, Honey Boy; Andrew Stanton, WALL-E, Finding Dory, Finding Nemo, Better Call Saul, Stranger Things; Pete Docter, Soul, Inside Out, Up; Steph Green, Watchmen, The Americans; Fred Toye, The Boys, Westworld; Ritesh Batra, The Lunchbox; Caitriona Balfe, Outlander; Lawrence Trilling, Goliath, Rectify; Vicky Jenson, Shrek; Mark Fergus, The Expanse; Terry Zwigoff, Bad Santa, Ghost World; Patricia Cardoso, Real Women Have Curves, Queen Sugar; Andrea Toyias, World of Warcraft; David Chase, The Sopranos
