How to Self-Direct

They say writing is a lonely profession; indeed, the same may be said for acting. Since the dark days of the COVID-19 pandemic, casting directors and directors around the world have had the grand realisation that time and money can be saved by getting actors to audition from the comfort of their own homes. This has meant that us thespians are often loving, laughing and crying into the soulless lens of our iPhones in the middle of our living rooms. Sometimes, you’ll be fortunate enough to have another actor as your reader. Sometimes you’ll be relying on your friend who works in marketing. Regardless, the director shaping your performance is likely to be you. So let’s talk about how to self-direct.

Whether you’re running the gauntlet of auditioning, preparing some monologues for future auditions, or working on a job you’ve already got, you’ll often be warming up, reading and rehearsing in a vacuum, which is a necessary but risky business. Learning how to self-direct your performance will keep you making inquisitive choices, and to avoid what I call “groundhog acting”: delivering your performance exactly the same way take after take.

I’m working on an audition as I’m writing this article, so I’m going to break down each of the steps that I’m taking and see if it comes out as a coherent article. Wish me luck!

Begin with a Definition

Self-directing is different from pure directing because you’re wearing two hats: that of the actor, and that of the director. We’re blending both the process of an actor and a director into one and, honestly, we should already be doing this every time we’re preparing an audition or a role.

Before we go any further, we need to make a distinction between self-directing and self-criticism. When working alone, it might be tempting to pick apart your delivery and constantly home in on what isn’t working. But, as you have probably experienced, this won’t get you anywhere. When you’re self-directing, you’re being curious, not critical. ‘What would happen if I did this?’ is far more constructive than: ‘That was bad, do it again.’

Actors are self-conscious creatures. In order to effectively self-direct, we need to honour that the way we talk to ourselves about performance has just as much of an impact as the words of others. You wouldn’t tell your best friend that their performance was bad and that they should ‘do it like this instead’, so don’t tell yourself that either. Got that?

Start with Context

Righto! Pick up your script, don your detective hat and let’s get started. To self-direct, you need as much information about the script as possible.

Start with the external context. Who is the writer? When did they write this script? What was happening in the world at the time? What other work have they made? Then dig into the internal context. Perform some deep script analysis and attack the words on the page. Consider your given circumstances: the who, what, where, when, why and how of it all. What is happening in the script in the most basic terms? Your first foray into the script should be purely objective: avoid making any decisions about your character or the other characters. Just

Finally, we go a layer deeper and explore character. Who are they, what do they think about themselves, what do the other characters think about them and what do they want that they’re having trouble getting? This method is taken from Earle Gister—a process that serves actors and directors alike when deciphering a script.

If you’re only given an excerpt of a script, or you’re auditioning for a dish detergent commercial and have approximately half a line of dialogue, you can still use the same research-based approach. In the case of a commercial, look at other commercials for the same product to give it context. Who is directing this particular commercial and what other stuff have they directed? What kind of audience are they advertising to? What is the tone they’re going for? You’ll be amazed at just how much information you can get out of a project brief and a logo.

Make Some Choices

Once you’ve gathered up as many clues as possible, start making some choices about your character. Don’t get too attached to them, however, because chances are you’re going to throw them on the compost before long. This is the point where you have to start thinking like a director as well as an actor. What might feel easy, or fun to play, isn’t necessarily the ‘right’ choice for the character or scene.

Different actors like to approach this step in different ways. I personally don’t use actions as much as I do images: instead of assigning a verb like “I push you away” or “I entice you” to a particular line, I’ll write down what kind of things I imagine when I read the line.

As an example, let’s take a line from the audition I’m working on. “I really like you – I don’t really agree with most of your opinions…” I’m imagining a shy kid in primary school holding a flower that he wants to give to someone he can see playing on the swing set. It’s pretty abstract, and only loosely related to the context of the script. But it conjures up a feeling in me that I think is appropriate to the scene and the character based on what I know about it. 

As you make these decisions, always keep your audience in mind—be they an auditorium full of people or an exhausted casting director. What do you want them to experience?

Sightless and Silent

Even if you’re not filming a self-tape audition, get warmed up, set up your camera and your blue screen and record the material you’re working on. Record a few takes back-to-back and don’t stop. Even if you mess up a line or feel like you’ve fallen out of the moment, just keep going. No one else will see this part except for you.

Next, play the takes back with your eyes closed and listen to the audio. Try to imagine that it isn’t your voice that you’re listening to. Pay attention to the vocal nuance and the reactions you have as you listen. After that, watch your performance without the sound; imagine you’re watching a total stranger and pay attention to the physicality and expressions of the body.

Lastly, watch the takes as normal with sound and video, still pretending that it isn’t you on screen, Watch for clarity, truthfulness and variety in the performance.

This somewhat dissociative exercise is a way of placing ourselves in the director’s seat.  We can ask questions like ‘Does the emotional arc land?’, ‘Where is the turning point in the scene?’ and ‘Am I playing the moment or the result?’ without passing judgement on our performance. If the answer to any of these questions isn’t the one you want, get curious and ask more questions, ensuring they are actionable. ‘What if I played “to ignore”?’ and ‘What if I imagined this instead of that?’ are great examples of positive, actionable direction.

From the Top

Once more with feeling. Run the scene again a few times, keeping in what you want to explore more of, and be sure to film it. At this point in my efforts to self-direct, I like to record my notes on paper—just as a director would of me in a rehearsal room.

What worked better that time around? What felt different? Were there moments that felt honest, hokey or pushed? There is a balance to strike in this process; you don’t want to be too critical, but you also don’t want to be to complacent either.

So aim to be objective. Something you can do that often helps with being objective is to remind yourself what you want the audience to get out of it. You should also consider the tone of the piece, the genre and the rhythm of the story. Are each of those components shining through your performance? Would someone who has never seen or heard this piece before be able to tell their friend what it was about? If the answer is yes, you’re on the right track.

An Outside Eye

I know this article is all about working in isolation, but if you do get the chance to show your work to someone you definitely should. Go through the process I’ve outlined above as many times as you like, then pick a take you’re happy with and send it to a friend or coach: someone who has experience. (StageMilk’s very own Scene Club offers monthly feedback for exactly this reason!)

External opinions are invaluable when it comes to shooting good auditions. If I have time, I’ll always shoot a draft tape and send it to my old tutor from drama school to ask for some pointers.

If you’re completely dry on people with experience, show it to your friend who works in marketing and ask them the same questions you asked yourself: what do you think the tone is? What about the genre? And what do you think this piece is about? If their answers are similar to the ones you came up with, congratulations: you nailed it!

The Final Perspective

We’re just about to ready to wrap up and send in our tape, but there’s one final pair of shoes we should try on before we do. The casting director. Casting directors are unique in that they’re often looking at the tiny details, not the performance as a whole.

Sometimes a casting director might see a simple glance or a half-second expression in your performance that captures the essence of the character and that’s what they’ll remember the most. You can’t really force these moments, and in fact you shouldn’t because chances are it will stunt the clarity of your performance.

Instead, let’s return to that esoteric word I just used: essence. When you watch your takes back, do you get a feel for the character? Are there any moments, no matter how minuscule, where you really seem to transcend the script and the given circumstances and something magical peeks through?

Don’t try to amplify these moments in future takes, just notice them and take note. Eventually you’ll build a map of when these magic moments happen and you’ll start to hone in on what exactly gets you there when you’re performing. This takes time and patience to notice. It won’t happen right away, but it’s worth the effort because it gives you insight to what casting might be looking for.

That’s a wrap

Niec work folks, let’s pack it in for the day. A final word of advice before we head home, though…

You can develop your skill in self-directing by actually directing. Whenever your fellow actors are in need of assistance with a tape, you should be the first to put your hand up if you’re serious about getting good. Make sure they want direction first (sometimes people don’t) and if they’re keen for it, follow the same steps we’ve talked about today.  You’ll be well on your way to becoming the most coveted friend in your acting community.

Hope this helped, folks. See you around the traps!