From Stage to Screen, Made Easy

If the next stage of your acting career is film, you'll want to hear what "Pocahontas" director Daniele Suisa has to say

by Colleen Patrick | Published April 6, 1995

Veteran director Daniele Suissa on film acting: "It's done at the level of the eyes."

Actors who have only trained fox the stage often find out the hard way that film acting is very different. "Basically," says Daniele J. Suissa, "the difference is that for the theater, we must hear the intention of the character. For the camera, we must see the character's intention."

Suissa, who received her formal stage and film training in Paris and Los Angeles, has directed more than 30 stage plays, 10 feature films for theater and television, and hundreds of TV commercials. The Toronto-based director has directed both in French and English, two of the five languages she speaks.

Her most recent film, Pocahontas: The Legend is in English and is scheduled for spring release both in both the United States and Canada. It stars Sadrine Holt (Black Robe), Miles O'Keefe (Tarzan, the Ape Man) and Tony Goldwyn (Ghost).

"Film acting," says Suissa, "is done at the level of the eyes. The eyes should reveal what the character is thinking inside. We should virtually be able to read the actor's eyes like dialogue."

When Suissa works with screenwriters she drops dialogue in favor of character eye expression whenever possible. "After they work with me once, they learn to trust my instincts about these matters," she says. "The script remains true to its intent, but words are dropped in favor of their visual depiction by actors. The fewer the words, the better the script for film."

"Dialogue becomes a subtext in film acting, with the actor's expression being the text. In theater, dialogue is the text, and the actor's actions are the subtext."

Suissa has seen a lot of stage actors run into trouble when they begin to work in film or television. "They aren't aware enough of the lens, so they can go over the top without realizing it.

They are surprised to see that they did not come across on camera the way they thought they would."

Here are some further tips from Suissa for actors who want to learn more about acting for the camera:

• Get as much training as possible in the use of a camera. Find out about camera lenses - how they work and how they affect your performance. You certainly don't need to become an

expert, but you should know how much of your body is being photographed.

• Work on portraying your character's motivation or intent through your eyes. Most actors are surprised how inexpressive their eyes are when they begin to work with them.

• Watch films without the sound. Can you understand what the characters are feeling? Can you understand the basic story and relationships of the characters without the sound?

• Become comfortable with the intimacy of a camera. Frequently, it's only inches away from the film actor,

particularly in close-up work. Think of the camera as an observer. Don't think of it as something that restricts you, or it will restrict your performance.

• If you audition for a commercial, remember the product is the star, not you. Make your use of the product the motivation.

• Don't let action shots throw you. They are taken in short segments because they are intended to come

together in the editing room. Just make certain you sustain the character's motivation throughout.

• Be prepared for countless takes of the same lines.

• For the theater and the camera, the basics are the same. Remember that you are a storyteller. Understand the story. Understand what your character feels and wants. Understand your character's intent and motivation.

The need of the character is always paramount. Forget "performing." For the stage and the camera, become the character...

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COMMENTS | POST A COMMENT

Comment by mpw47 on 3/12/08 at 10:47 am

Thank you for info. I am a 57 year old male that 8 years ago worked in front of the camera instead of behind. I am an Independent film maker but have not made a film yet. I have been in the entertainment field for about 20 years. Usally working on a camera. But when I auditioned for crew work on a film the diretor wanted me in front of the camera. The only problem is remembering the lines .... anyway thank you for your input and I will use some of your suggestions.

thanks
philip

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