Question

Difference between directing a stage play and directing a movie

Answer 1

Answer:

A screen director does not relinquish control on opening night in the way that a stage director does. The director remains in control of pace, structure, builds and reactions as he or she works with the cinematographer and editor to stitch together a disparate collection of shots, score, sfx, cgi, audio, etc into a whole movie. The pauses, builds, responsiveness to an audience that actors read and manage on stage are the business of the director in a screen production. Once the actors have gone home there is still major work to do before it reaches the audience.

Answer 2

Answer:

The technical skills for stage work include understanding of lighting, stage management, props, costume, rehearsal techniques, setting structures in place that will offer a basis but not be absolute and reading the psychology of each actor and the actors as an ensemble team in order to support their collective endeavour.

A screen director does not relinquish control on opening night in the way that a stage director does. The director remains in control of pace, structure, builds and reactions as he or she works with the cinematographer and editor to stitch together a disparate collection of shots, score, sfx, cgi, audio, etc into a whole movie. The pauses, builds, responsiveness to an audience that actors read and manage on stage are the business of the director in a screen production. Once the actors have gone home there is still major work to do before it reaches the audience.

The technical skills of every screen director include understanding of cinematography, screen grammar, editing, the logistics of a shoot (and pre and post production), colour, light, music. The psychological management of the set so that actors trust absolutely the vulnerable, subjective state of the space. The adjustment of the actor’s performance is accomplished by subtle active verbs that maintain vulnerability and subjectivity. Rehearsal techniques are quite often, sadly, a luxury in screen work and directors sometimes don’t get a budget to rehearse much if at all. A standard employment for an actor on stage might be 4 weeks rehearsal and 4 weeks performance. On screen it might be a read through then 3 days performance and a quick chat and run through on the way to shooting a scene (for a support actor). - Quroa  by a guy with a PhD in threatre

Explanation: