[Watch the video interview on YouTube here]
Film Courage: Why do you love asking an actor how the scene plays out?
R. Ellis Frazier, Director, Producer, CEO at BADHOUSE Studios: First thing I do when I get to the set or when I get ready to do a scene, I always ask the actors:
How do you see it playing out?
I do not come in heavy-handed with:
Okay, here’s what we’re going to do.
I want to know how they see it play out.
One of the reasons is that the actors are, from my experience, usually very involved in their own character. They know it better than I know it. If I tell them:
-Here’s where you’re going to stand
-Here’s where you sit
-Here’s what you’re going to do
Then it’s going to look a certain way.
I have this theory that we are using these new cameras now 4K, 8K, 6K cameras. They pick up everything. A lot of times they’re picking up blemishes and some actors don’t like that and stuff like this.
But I have this theory that they also pick up when you don’t believe it, they can tell. It’s always best to let the actors get onset and figure out the way it plays out amongst them in the most organic way.
My job is to capture it, not to over-direct it, because if you over-direct I can see it and people can see it. Let it play out.
Then while they’re letting that play out, I’m telling my director my DP let’s do a…(Watch the video interview on YouTube here).
BIO:
R. Ellis Frazier is a producer and director, known for Across the Line: The Exodus of Charlie Wright (2010), The Line (2009) and Misfire (2014) and many more. Frazier is the CEO of Badhouse Studios Mexico.
CONNECT WITH R. ELLIS FRAZIER
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