This weekend is going to be exciting. I’m filming a scene with someone who has zero experience working on camera—or acting at all. Last weekend, I filmed with the girl in the photo below. She clearly has experience and was amazing to work with. That’s why this coming weekend I’m preparing even more than I usually do.
I truly believe almost anyone has the ability to act. Obviously, someone who has trained, understands emotional range, timing, camera placement, and performance technique is going to have more tools than someone who has never done it before. But I also think there’s something really interesting about working with someone completely new.
Instead of asking them to become an actor, I can write specifically for who they already are. If you create a character that feels natural to that person, then direct them toward the little nuances and behaviors they probably don’t even realize they have, I think you can get something incredibly authentic.
Here’s what I’m shooting.
We’re filming in San Antonio. I wrote a short scene that takes place in a kitchen between a man and his girlfriend. She has something important she needs to discuss with him. It’s a situation almost anyone can relate to, which makes it a great setup for someone without acting experience.
Because I’m writing for someone who has never performed on camera, I also added talking heads throughout the scene. Talking heads are a great way to keep a scene moving if the dialogue ever starts to feel flat. They also leave a lot of room for improv because the actor can explore what the character is thinking without having to worry about another actor interrupting or hitting a specific cue. It gives us another way to discover the character while we’re filming.
What makes this shoot even more interesting—and a little more difficult—is that I also have to film it while performing in the scene. On top of that, my scene partner will have to help me with the camera and focus whenever she’s off camera. This is what we’re filming on. Her first time filming and she’ll be racking focus. Lol.
There are plenty of reasons to avoid doing something like this because of everything that could go wrong.
For me, that’s exactly why I like doing it. These situations force you to problem-solve, experiment, and find creative solutions you probably wouldn’t discover if everything were easy. No matter how the final scene turns out, I think it’s going to be a great learning experience for both of us. Thanks for reading. Interested in hearing more? Click here.
