Indiewood

Mastering Notes and Direction: How Successful Actors and Directors Communicate

• Cinematography for Actors • Season 9 • Episode 3

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In our series with TV actor, producer, and writer Sarah Randall Hunt (1923), we explore her wealth of experience on the delicate art of communication between directors and actors.

How can directors can give more effective notes that will enhance performances rather than confuse actors? Sarah reveals her most powerful direction, how to help actors connect to what truly matters to their character, and what drives authentic, compelling performances.

From practical advice for directors, to seasoned performers and newcomers alike, we explore the relationship between technical precision and creative freedom. Listen now to hear our practical techniques that will elevate your next production and create a more harmonious set environment where both technical excellence and artistic expression can thrive.

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In the world of social media, and fast-paced journalism, knowledge is abound. But with all the noise, finding the right information is near impossible. Especially if you’re a creative working in independent film.

Produced by Cinematography For Actors, the Indiewood podcast aims to fix that. This is a podcast about indie filmmakers and the many hats we wear in order to solve problems before, during, and after production.

Every month, award-winning Writer/Director Yaroslav Altunin is joined by a different guest co-host to swap hats, learn about the different aspects of the film industry, and how to implement all you learn into your work.

"We learn from indie filmmakers so we can become better filmmakers. Because we all want to be Hollywood, but first we have to be Indiewood."

Yaro:

Welcome back to the Indiewood Podcast, a podcast about independent film and the many hats filmmakers wear in order to get those films made. This month, I have a wonderful guest with me on the pod who's an incredible actor, an incredible producer, an incredible writer. I'm not making any of this up, she's got an incredible giggler Sarah Randall Hunt. Hi, we've talked a little bit about your career, about coming from, you know, theater in New York to now being on a huge network drama, cable drama Streamer, streamer drama, listen, yeah, network too.

Yaro:

Yeah, I guess it's a network drama.

Sarah:

Whatever?

Yaro:

Semantics 1923, which is a cool show, and it's been a lot of fun seeing you explore a bigger TV production, because I think your work was mostly like in film and stage Sorry, tv and stage and so I'm glad we have a chance to sit down and talk, because we've talked a little bit about partnerships and I think because we work together and we also married that and we've made stuff together and not like yet divorced.

Yaro:

Yes, that's a success. We still like each other. Yeah, I still like you a lot. I still like you too. I I I'm kidding I'm excited that we get a chance to talk, because not only are we married and creative partners, but we've had some success in being creative partners.

Yaro:

We're still together, we still like each other and I think that's a success in and of itself. But also we work together, like me as a director, me as a writer, you as an actor, you as a producer, and sometimes you know, like I've read the work that you've written and you read all my scripts, thankfully, and still haven't left me. So that's nice.

Sarah:

Look, I think you're awesome and I also think you're super talented. Thank you, I appreciate it. I'm just fishing for compliments.

Yaro:

I also think you're super talented. Thank you, I appreciate it. I'm just fishing for compliments.

Yaro:

He's really good at what he does. This is a good time to talk about notes. No, no, no. This is really cool, yeah, because the more I've helped you with auditions and the more we've kind of talked about scenes that you're auditioning for, I've become a better director. Every actor is different when they get notes, so what they like to receive his notes and I think me before was had a certain way of giving notes to people that were really that really was centered around me as a great, me as a director, and and you were like no, no, I don't need that, like just give me this, give me that. Very simple. And I think other actors also different. I heard a story about Mel Gibson recently where he trusts so much in his collaborators, in his picks' collaborators, that he'll just let them do things. He won't give them notes. I'm sure that there's a bigger, more complicated story behind that, but my question to you is how do you like to receive notes from a director? What helps you best in a scene?

Sarah:

Wow, I love answering this question because no one asks me that Me no, because no, I'm just thrilled to be able to talk about this. So why I think this question is exciting is because you have actors coming from every corner of the world to come together to participate and be a part of productions, and everybody has different training and different approaches. But I think giving a note is pretty universal, or should be, but I think to folks who haven't really had to do it, it can be kind of intimidating because it feels like you have to know everything you need to know about acting. But you don't I mean what I would.

Sarah:

I personally don't get offended if people give me what's called a line reading, which is say it this way but say it with more gusto, or you know like, say it exactly like this, and then they'll say the line some actors will get really upset if you do that, because it's sort of hey, that's my department you know what I mean yeah, um, which.

Sarah:

So that's something to be mindful of, um, but I think the most successful notes are really if you had it's like that mark twain quote, where where he writes a letter and he's like excuse me, on the length of this letter I didn't have enough time to be brief. So it takes thoughtfulness to be brief and to condense what you're thinking and feeling about something down to one thing. But if you could say, if you can kind of put yourself in that person's shoes, so the character that they're playing, and say, like a project I just did with someone, the director came over to me and he goes you're as much a part of this as he is, you're guilty too, and walked away and I was like you're so right, I'm also guilty, or like. Another way you can get that exact same note is not guilty enough, not like.

Sarah:

And that note as an example is fantastic because what it is is stakes yeah it's all about stakes and oftentimes, when we're off as the actor, we've done this interpretation, we've read the script, we've even auditioned and gotten called back right, and so we're coming into a situation that we think is supposed to be the thing, and often we are told as actors do exactly what you did in your audition tape on set. If you have a larger part, if you have more time on set, you're going to get to play a little bit more, right, and I think it's the actor's job to interpret the note. So don't stress about it, but experiment and and create a dialogue and be like how was did that? Does that resonate with you? Do you understand? Does? Is it clear what I'm saying? You know? Do that full check of understanding that we talked about? Um, but I think it always has to do with you know, comedy, elaborate faster, funnier is the whole thing. But also in drama it's like so elaborate more on that comedy.

Sarah:

Oh, yeah, yeah, sure so For people who don't know. I mean, I think they're very you said comedy faster.

Yaro:

No, I'm joking.

Sarah:

Sorry, instances.

Yaro:

Mm-hmm.

Sarah:

Where, like, how long you take is the joke, but most of the time if you just speed it up it's funnier, okay, so just get it out. Um, I also think there can be things such as too fast, um, where you're going so fast we can't even keep up with what is going on, right, and sometimes that's about actor nerves. So the way to combat that, for example, would be like can you take a breath? I also want you to take two or three more big breaths before you launch into this speech that you have to get through quickly. But if you're going like this, I'm getting really here like you're not hitting the intention of the text. So, anyway, um, louder, faster, funnier is just meant to be.

Sarah:

It's mostly a stage thing, I think, but I do think there's something. I'm not going to do it to everybody, but basically, if I were just to listen to my kids, it would be funnier than if I were just like yeah, yeah, but also like that's all, that's just a, it just a, it's just like an anecdote, right, the anecdote that people say it's not the be all end. All the fun part about comedy is surprise.

Sarah:

That's always the thing. So if you're directing comedy, look for the surprise, look for absolutely gigantic stakes in the stupidest of places, and sometimes this won't necessarily be in the script. It might be something that you add that is a physical gag. With regards to drama, I think it also comes down to stakes and investment, like how much does this mean to you that you're losing this thing or this person's walking out that door? I don't feel it enough. I need and that is a perfectly acceptable note to say and part of this is all coming down to taste and I think here's another thing I'm a big actor. I went to musical theater school, I'm a singer, I'm a theater dork, and I've also been on my own journey on trying to play within the confines of a camera.

Sarah:

A frame yeah of a camera, a frame, yeah, a frame. And what I've come to understand is I literally, if I just think it, that is enough.

Yaro:

And it shows on your face yeah, and a lot of times when you get theater actors.

Sarah:

I'm just throwing out some other ideas if you want to know more about how to do notes.

Yaro:

No, please. This is more educational for me than anybody else. Fantastic.

Sarah:

So I think with theater people or people who are giving you too much, it's like and don't do it in front of everybody, always depending on the person but like you can lean forward and just say, hey, you're doing great, I need less than you do better. You got this you know like, and if, if your actor is rattled, that's a great thing, like positive reinforcement for that person. If, um, and sometimes people just need to ship one out and then the second take is golden. Sometimes people are like I don't want to do 87 tapes and you'll kind of get to play and understand their temperament as you work with them over a period of time on some of those more nuanced things and then you can tighten up your working process together. But if you're with someone for a short period of time, yeah, I would definitely say get down to the kernel of what you're trying to say, which is usually about stakes, it's usually about what they need or want and this is in comedy or drama and keep it simple, stupid, yeah.

Yaro:

Yeah, I think I overcomplicate notes sometimes because I spend a lot of time working with people who are non-actors and I was like I need to get this out of you, because they didn't have the training to you know more, and they're like I don't know what that means and that those notes are always sometimes, I think, difficult to convey in simplistic terms, like, oh, I need you to do this. You know, and I think one of my favorite notes is from Ang Lee I forget what movie he was doing, but an actress came up to the door and it was like a family drama about.

Yaro:

I forgot it had been so long. And so this mother was approaching a door to her daughter's room or son's room, I forget which and the blocking was she reaches out, doesn't touch the door and walks away and she goes no, no, as a mother I feel like I would open up this door. And she fought back against the director and just looks and goes, no, no, no, too much shame.

Sarah:

And she's like, oh my god, I get it because it was just like it was a whole job, but that's the same thing as the director that's talking about too. This is your fault. Yeah, this is your fault too, you know, I think take some responsibility here.

Yaro:

Miss character you know what I mean. I think giving those notes are that's something that comes with experience and knowing the material and, as a director and I would.

Sarah:

I would also just happen to say I think it doesn't hurt to read one acting text yeah to understand how actors are being taught to talk about acting because I think what would you recommend for directors?

Sarah:

oh my gosh, the intent to live, larry moss is one of my favorite books. I think anything by stella adler is fantastic, even the way she talks about um. There's a couple books like. There's one on Ibsen, strindberg and Chekhov. This is all heady stuff that like, if you're not a theater dork, you're not going to.

Sarah:

You can feel like whatever, um, but the way she talks about actor preparation is so beautiful, um, and we're basically little historians, um, um or a little, you know, I think, especially in drama and especially period stuff. But, um, I think that, uh, yeah, the Intent to Live is fantastic. I think Stella Adler, um, lee Strasberg, uh, uta Hagen, um, basically any of those would be really fun. Just grab one, but start with Larry Moss because he's, I think, really approachable the way he talks about it, and then you'll kind of understand that, especially with the drama. It happens with comedy too, depending on the type of actor, but they're building a backstory for the character. That and again, there are some actresses that do not do any of this stuff and they are hugely successful at it.

Yaro:

Yeah, and sometimes it's just about impulse, but even when you're understanding what goes into that impulse, I think that helps you you know what I mean, I do and and I I want to also ask how, what advice you would have for directors who may be dealing with actors who are new or who aren't, actors, who have been acting for one reason or another, because sometimes in the indie world we do find ourselves in places where, like the talent we have, they're talented and sometimes they're just new. And what do we say early on, sometimes in order to be good?

Yaro:

you have to be bad at something yeah, I'm not saying they're bad actors, but they're still, like you know, finding their sea legs, yeah. So how would a director give a note in that instance where they're like I want you to be Not better, that's not a good note, like I want this moment to be louder and have more stakes. How would you communicate that to somebody who doesn't communicate as an actor?

Sarah:

Well, I would start with the inverse, actually, if you don't mind, because I think what's harder as a beginner is being effortless and being every day. I actually think for that I'll speak for myself that I was felt like I had to do something and show my homework, which I think that can be a note.

Sarah:

You don't have to show me. I believe that you did the preparation and you deserve this part. You know and that could be kind of said you have to be careful how you say that, but, um, but I would say, definitely in a scenario where you're like trying to get the intimacy of the scene or something that's super simple is like whisper at me yeah, okay, I don't, I don't need like and just don't, even don't do. Just think about it, just see that moment and don't, you don't have to do anything. Your face, your eyeballs are all catching that. That's all of these eyeballs are catching what I'm trying to say, you right?

Yaro:

now there's three cameras pointing at it.

Sarah:

If you watch the event you'll understand. But um then, on the inverse of that, if you're trying to goose somebody up or to get them more passionate about something, it's difficult. If you're trying to goose somebody up or to get them more passionate about something, it's difficult because you're flirting with a person, psychology. So I would be very sensitive to that fact. So I wouldn't say, tell me about your mother or tell me about you know, I want to know more about the relationship with your father and do that into this like don't do that right. But you can say I don't like if, if there are, like it seems for a marriage, like if the stakes are not there for those scenes with those two characters, scar Jo and.

Yaro:

Adam driver.

Sarah:

Yeah, like if you're doing a scene like that where there's a fight, when you have fights in real life, it is like your body doesn't know it's not fight or flight, life or death, because this feels that important, especially the more you love and care about somebody, um, or the more terrified you are, or something like that. So I would say a note that you could give is like I don't know what your preparation around this was, but I need higher stakes and that doesn't really translate them to say who's somebody who you really hate. Don't tell me Yell at that person. Okay, right, I don't want to hear what's happening inside of you, but I need you to. Who is like? I want you to think right now of the person you hate the most and I'll let them have it and then see what happens. What do you think?

Yaro:

I think I'm becoming a better director. I'm glad this is useful. This is all really because I'm someone who works with talented people and then people that are still coming up through the system, the world of creativity and, uh, everybody like that demands. I don't think that's the right word and maybe that requires, but everyone, I think, needs a different approach to how you give notes I think some directors really have their own way of doing it.

Sarah:

Maybe that's where people clash sometimes but I I think that also comes down to director tone. Right, and I don't mean the tone in which they said that feedback, I mean the tone that they're going for with regards like david lynch is completely different than mel brooks. Yeah, do you know what I mean? And like, the way mel brooks gives a note is going to be completely different than the way that david lynch does.

CFA:

Yeah, do you know what I mean?

Sarah:

and there might be some moment laugh. But the how and actors. I would say that too, the way someone comes at you and gives you a note is also a clue like how they're talking to you. If they're trying to, you know, like all of this is in input and information, and actors are hopefully training themselves to be sensitive beings that are like little. What are those? Little sticks, oh um, like uh little whatever you know what I mean thrombometers uh the Richter scale measuring things.

Sarah:

Yeah, it's basically that you can, yeah, catch up on the vibrations of what's going on, yeah, but um, but yeah, I would just definitely say that, like, tone is definitely a thing as you're preparing for auditions and you're preparing to be on set of something to be mindful of in what choices you're pursuing. But you have been chosen as the actor for the entire body of experience that you've had in your life and the colors that you're painting With and also what you've presented up to that moment. That has resonated with that director. So you know, I think you can kind of, if you know the body of work of somebody that you're working with, you can kind of more predict what you might be walking into. So that's a little bit of a preparation thing. But I think when you're a young director and you don't have an ovo that people are looking at, that's on you to start to paint that with this person and they're your toolbox, they're your paintbrushes.

Yaro:

They're your tool box, they're your paintbrushes, I think they're your watercolors, whatever you know, your paints, yeah, of any medium that work. I think it's what we, just what you just said and what we're talking about with this, with this. You know, conversation notes really goes back to preparation that we talked about, how necessary that is, how necessary it is to communicate, how necessary it is to communicate, how necessary it is to listen, but also double check about intention and communication.

Sarah:

I think those are all important things and, as an actor, if you don't understand the note, you can just straight up say I don't understand the note, I'm really sorry, I don't know what I'm supposed to do. And a good director will be like, I guess, and you know, make it about you. I'm sorry, I'm just tired, you know, just be like I don't understand.

Yaro:

I don't understand, I don't understand. Is a complete sentence or?

Sarah:

correct, or I'm not sure if I understood what you said. Is it like this? Is this the thing that I, oh no. And what usually happens is, when you say something like that, back you go. Oh no, but I like that, go, do that, you know, and then you're playing.

Yaro:

Because sometimes I think, directors who get mad or, you know, actors who get mad when they're not being heard there's a bit of an ego, but maybe like a wound or something in that instance where, like you don't hear me, I feel like attacked, you know, like it's somehow my fault, and I think that's also something to kind of really try to juggle in your career, because you will meet people that when you, for example, say I'm sorry, I don't understand that note, they'll take offense to it, sure.

Sarah:

Some people who you meet in the world, you're going to be oil and water with them. There's nothing you can do about it. I mean, there are things you can do to mitigate it, but some people just don't mesh as well and, artistically, I would venture to guess the things that you're interested in doing don't match with the things that that person's interested in doing. You know by and large, but it could just be. You know, somebody had a rough day. Stuff happens and I think problems happen when things aren't dealt with and I think when, if you're feeling disrespected or if you're feeling like somebody's not hearing you, or if they're going above you or something. I mean sometimes you just got to swallow it, yeah, and get through the project, and sometimes you got to address it. And I would say that's conditional to how much you want to work with this person again and how much you want to, how long you're together and how much you can be objective when you're giving that note or expressing that feeling. Does that make sense?

Sarah:

No totally yeah, my husband's a great screenwriter, he's a director, he's also an editor and colorist and he's also DP'd on some things yeah.

Yaro:

Oh, we'll see it here and produced stuff. I will say, like I know how to work a camera, I know how to color, but I wouldn't call myself those two things. No, but I wouldn't call myself those two things no, yeah, because I haven't devoted as much time to those things as I want to, and so I can do those things and I would like to continue, yeah, yeah, but I don't know if I'm ready to call myself those things, because there are people out there that do them so well.

Yaro:

Okay, so this is the man who like oh, did you write a script and you're a writer, so like.

Sarah:

But at the same time, I appreciate the tone of what you're saying, which is I have experience doing these things. You have a great deal of knowledge in it, but you wouldn't call yourself like I'm a the hot or need to be the most fabulous for your Oscar short Oscar film. You know right. But you have a deep understanding many facets of filmmaking and one of the things that I think in as as a filmmaker and in my development. I'd be curious your thoughts about editing from a budding director's standpoint. I have so many questions for you from directing from a budding director's standpoint, editing and also from an actor's standpoint, editing what can we do to make the editor's job easier?

Yaro:

so, as an actor and a budding director, I think an editor's job, at least from from my perspective has always been to piece the things together that other people made and if they did a good job like, for example, if I'm directing a short and I did a bad job as a director and I'm editing this short and I'm like, wow, yaro did a bad job.

Yaro:

And it's not like I don't know if good and bad job is the right word for it, but, like you know, with an editor, I need my scenes to make sense, I need them to have good coverage and I need them to be interesting. So like, for example, if there's one shot where it's a single camera move and everything's in one take, I don't need to do anything as an editor, I just need to get into that scene and then get out because that scene's doing the work on its own. And so when I say things like, oh, you know, everybody needs to do a good job on set, it just means like do you have you given the editor enough material, and material well done enough to let their job be more about the creative instead of problem solving? Because sometimes I found myself in situations where I'm more problem solving. Right, continuity is off, you know, someone's using their left hand instead of their right hand, the language is off, someone's using different words, like those things might be like, oh, it's fine, we'll fix it in post, but then you're causing an editor obstacles to overcome instead of allowing them time to creatively play.

Yaro:

And so things like hitting your marks I think it's important for an editor and this is like really kind of baseline technical stuff, because from a performance standpoint it means just know your lines, know your marks, know your lines, know where your eye lines are, know where to look, know where to stand, know what to say, that's it. And if those things are repeated, and sure, maybe the performance is altered, maybe something. If it's repeated from angle to angle is what I mean it's so much easier for the editor to cut those things together and then they can look for nuances within the story, within the performance. They don't have to be like oh well, this they, instead of walking to the left, they walk to the right and now like this shots just unusable because it doesn't fit from a continuity standpoint and granted, sometimes people don't care about that, they're like whatever, continuity doesn't matter, and they're drinking a cup of tea and they're not drinking a cup of tea.

Yaro:

The tea's halfway across the room Because the story makes sense. But then it's still one of those things that takes you out of the story when a teacup teleports across the room. So I think that's my biggest pet peeve when I'm editing and I'm seeing footage, and this goes for the director and for the actor and for the script coordinator. Sometimes you might not have one, and that's a judgment. But if things just don't match up, I'm then trying to problem solve them.

Yaro:

And I'm not being creative in that way, so that's always been hard. But for performances I think also like being an editor and seeing the stuff that I've made it really and I think everybody should edit their own stuff. Everybody should direct their own stuff at least once and edit their own stuff, because as an actor, for example, if you like, made your own short and it's you and you, uh, and you edit, you edit the short. You can then see what you're doing on set and how it cuts together in the in the editing room and I think that's important.

Sarah:

Oh my god, that first edit as an actor producer was like which. Which uh, my first short.

Yaro:

It's just like so hard to see the first edit of your first no, so say that one more time, because you use the microphone to bonk your ears.

Sarah:

It's so hard, especially if you're on camera. But it is really hard to see the first edit of your first film. Yeah, because it feels bad. Yeah, and, by the way, I think every single time I'm like, oh god, here comes the first edit. That's like.

Yaro:

Oh, it's always hard to watch just because it has to go through several passes first before it feels like the thing and people forget that a movie isn't just the things you record and the image you record and the line that you say when you get into post-production. There's so many layers that people don't think about. You have color, you have the edit itself, you have title cards, you have VFX, you have cleanup, you have audio effects, sometimes they itself. You have title cards, you have VFX, you have cleanup, you have audio effects. Sometimes they'll just record your audio right, and then they will like completely rebuild the soundscape, like the city, the cars, the footsteps all just re-recorded by somebody else, like in a basement, like wearing shoes on their hands.

Sarah:

Oh my God, I don't know how sound engineers do it. It's like it's sound editing where it's heard.

Yaro:

Yeah, I've tried my hand at editing some foley. It's hard, even doing voiceover editing. I'm like nope, I'm out. This is so hard. Yeah, except like, for example, on Chicago Fire, you had some lines that were ADR.

Yaro:

Oh my gosh, even like looping with like yeah yeah it's difficult, uh, and, but it's a necessary part of it. I think when you as a director, as an actor or as any creative that's part of the process can maybe like oh hey, I I know that this is going to be a difficult moment on set for the editor, so let me try to see if I can kind of like make their job a little easier. Don't make it all about. You know their, their work, because you have a job to do as well. But, for example, if you're an audio recordist or audio sorry, what are they named Sound recordist? Is it a sound recordist? Sure, the person recording audio on set. Right, you know, instead of like micing up one actor, mic up both, put a boom there, do that like. Maybe it's a little bit longer, but if you have the opportunity, that saves so much time can I, we, can?

Sarah:

I ask another question? As an actor like I, I just love playing, but I'm also so conscious of like, not screw up the edit. So I want to make different choices every single time, but I'm also trying to be careful of making sure that I'm not making somebody else's job harder. Do you have any thoughts on that?

Yaro:

If there's blocking. That's like a conflict. Like you walk in, you sit down, you cross your legs, you pick up a cup, you sip. If that's an important part of the story, stick with that. Everything else I don't think is a responsibility, because it's the script coordinator and the director. It's their job to make sure that they have coherent material for the editor. Coherent material. There we go. Coherent material for the editor. It's not your job. That's kind of, I think, a relief for some, or should be a relief for some.

Yaro:

It doesn't matter, you're there to perform and to bring this character to life and you are going to get blocking and lines and a line. That's all you need to worry about. And if the director doesn't see an issue, if the script coordinator doesn't see an issue like on a big set, I mean, if you're really worried about it bring it up. Yeah, you know, if the time allows, if no one's like freaking out, if it's just you and your best friend making a movie in like your bedroom, exactly, yeah, I mean like whatever. But then I think you have to be more conscientious of what you're doing, sure, because then the script coordinator job also your job, director's job, kind of half your job too, too. Yeah, yeah.

Yaro:

And you might be editing the thing, so yeah, Can you?

Sarah:

yeah, I have so many more questions for you as a director. Okay, but do we have time for them? No, we don't.

Yaro:

Shoot, I'm sorry. We can talk about things. We have a lot of stuff to cover, okay, because I love the momentum of your career and I want to talk about that because it's mirroring mine a little bit as well where we have momentum and then we don't, and then we have to find it again, and then we have momentum and then we don't. So I think that's really a fun thing to explore for creatives, yeah. But I'm glad that we got a chance to talk about notes, because I love talking about notes with you. It's a lot of fun.

Sarah:

No.

Yaro:

notes on notes no notes on notes, high five. Anyways, thank you for listening everybody. Have a good weekend. Have a good week, because Monday I guess, if you're listening to this, when this came out, thank you for listening and we'll see you next week. Bye. Thank you for listening to the Inuit Podcast. You can find the podcast and anywhere you find your podcasts or on the CFA YouTube channel.

CFA:

From the CFA Network. Cinematography for Actors is bridging the gap through education and community building. Find out about us and listen to our other podcast at cinematographyforactorscom. Cinematography for Actors Institute is a 501c3 non-profit. For more information on fiscal sponsorship donations because we're tax exempt now, so it's a tax write-off and upcoming education, you can email us at contact at cinematography for actorscom. Thanks.