Changing Direction: A Practical Approach to Directing Actors in Film and Theatre

Lenore DeKoven has had a distinguished and varied career in film, theatre, and television on both the east and west coasts. From 1988 to 2008, she taught in the Graduate Film Division of Columbia University’s School of the Arts, and has also taught at UCLA and New York University. She is a member of the Directors Guild of America, a former Vice President of the League of Professional Theatre Women, was one of the Founders of NY Women in Film and TV, and has directed and produced plays and television in New York and LA. In 1981, DeKoven created Our Workshop East, a development gym for actors, writers, and directors.

1. Introduction

2. The Actor and Training

3. The Actor's Vocabulary

4. The Text and the Throughline

5. Anaylsis of Script

6. The Character Outline

7. The Casting Process

8. The Rehearsal Process

9. The Actor and the Camera

10. Film and Theatre: Differences and Similarities

11. What do the Actors Say?

12. Tips to the Director

Appendix: Additional Exercises for Workshop or Class

Appendix: Suggested Reading and Viewing