“Finding your camera”: acting technique?

Actors, do you know how to “find your camera”? Do you consider this part of your acting technique?

On stage, many of you know how to “find your light,” so all you need to do now is “find your camera!”

Although I don’t focus on what might traditionally be called acting technique in my coaching and teaching, I do love helping actors develop their personal acting philosophy, their personal approach to acting on camera.

Now…there’s always a funny thing I notice with actors when they start auditioning on camera. I refer to it as “hiding out.” Strangely, actors who normally want to be centerstage tend to move away from the camera, essentially hiding out away from the lens. Literally, actors hide their faces from the lens by looking far away, hanging their head, shuffling away, etc. But, truly, I want you to understand that the camera loves your face! It especially loves your eyes and it really wants to engage with you.

Actors need to intuitively share your face and eyes with the camera.

On set, you will help your Director of Photography (DP) and Director if you can develop a sixth sense of finding your camera. As the camera moves, you can become aware of how to turn into or away from the camera. Purposefully. Your movement to either hide from or let in the camera can become quite powerfully in sync.

On set, there are many moving parts, and your body needs to sense where the camera is at during all moments. 

Let’s study how to do it.

It’s a scene from Inherent Vice, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. Anderson is a MASTER of camera movement and actor blocking. This shot is one slow burn push-in on two actors at a corner table. Owen Wilson is center of the frame and facing flat to camera with his body—his eye contact is looking to his left. Wilson keeps his body open to camera while his face is slightly turned and his eyes are searching Joaquin Phoenix’s face. Phoenix is totally positioned in profile. However, watch the magic of how Phoenix WORKS FOR THE CAMERA. Wow. He has a very keen sixth sense of how close the camera is to him as it moves in, and he completely repositions his body and ends up creating some wonderful visuals. Call it acting technique, call it instinct, call it acting philosophy—my fav!—no matter what you call it, just pay attention when you watch actors work the camera like this!

His skill is that he finds reasons to justify opening up his face to the room around him, which is to the camera.

Watch and study. Then, come back and read my practical tips for you. Watch the clip I’m talking about below. (Seriously, watch it now!)

Got it? It sure was simple and natural, right? A nice slow burn of the camera movement, but super alive and specific and natural from the actors. The pros get it! And so can you.

On set, you will develop the smooth moves that are responsive to the action around you, your chemistry with your scene partner, and the position of the camera. This expertise will come!

In a self-tape, we do have to work a bit differently. We have to make it dynamic inside a fixed frame because the camera doesn’t move (unless I film you with my camera, and then I am quite the slow burn expert at it and it feels quite cinematic!). But, for the most part, you will be in a locked frame setup by filming on a tripod with your smartphone/Zoom/tablet.

In self-tapes, try this:

1. Work backwards. Think about how the scene will be blocked and where the camera might be positioned. What is that image? Can you adapt it and create a sense of that blocking in a small space in front of your backdrop?
2. Immerse yourself in activity and/or the environment. Attention to your surroundings will always help justify opening up physically to the camera.
3. Position your reader as close to the camera lens as possible. Ideally, you want your eyelines in self-tapes to be only a few inches away from the camera lens. This will help the viewer feel intimately involved in the scene, and your eyes. Your face will naturally be open to the lens when the reader is near it!
4. Moving forward or backward within the static self-tape frame can create a sense of movement and aliveness. Of course, it needs to be justified. To do this, think about how you want to accentuate moments within the scene. For example, a wide shot—created by standing away from the lens— might be great to show more physicality in a comedy. A closer shot—created by leaning in or walking towards the camera—could show intensity, intimidation, or vulnerability. Be daring enough to “think like a filmmaker” and move in/away from the camera.

If you always think like a filmmaker, with awareness of the “big picture” you are telling, it will guide you on so many choices!

Jump into an acting class with me, and let’s work out the nuances of your “acting technique”…or rather, your acting philosophy. 🙂

Your coach & cheerleader,

x,Heidi