David Lewis Richardson stepped in to run the workshop at the last minute, and we couldn’t have been in better hands. As well as directing television drama and soaps including Shameless, Eastenders and Hollyoaks, David has directed documentaries, commercials, and music videos, and the workshop was peppered with anecdotes and examples drawn from his professional experience.

The workshop started off with a discussion of the importance of a strong showreel; while showing a broad selection of your work, it also relies on the physicality of acting for moments that capture the viewer’s attention in a short space of time.

Throughout the workshop, David stressed the importance of a relationship of mutual trust and respect between actor and director, and how the director must treat each actor differently.

The directing process begins during casting, and directors will usually already have an idea of what each character will look like. One of the most important functions of the audition process is to see how well the actor can take direction; even if they deliver the scene perfectly the first time, a director should give them other suggestions to see whether they are willing to adapt their performance after feedback. Auditions will also help you to determine whether you can build a rapport with the actor, which is crucial to a successful working relationship.

David stressed that the director must always trust their intuition. If you’re happy with the first take, it’s not always worth doing a second take just for insurance. On the other hand, if your intuition tells you that something’s not right, don’t be afraid to ask for another take. A good performance is simply defined by whether or not you believe it.

Drawing on certain examples from his own experience, David gave some tips on how to work around, and cover up, truly bad acting. Usually the best thing to do is to keep the camera on the better actor for as much of the scene as possible, concentrating on their reactions.

David then turned to the subject of how to direct experienced, well known actors. Even if you’re a little starstruck, you owe it to them and yourself to always trust your intuition and say what you feel; if you’re not true to yourself, any actor will lose respect for you. Even the most successful actors are always looking for direction. Equally, it’s important to listen to the actor’s point of view. Soap actors, for example, may have been playing the same character for decades and will know them inside out.

The workshop was filled with advice and tips from David Lewis Richardson’s hugely varied career, with practical ideas as well as discussions about the importance of intuition and building strong working relationships. Above all, it was a fascinating insight into the many roles of the director.

Laura Swift
Digital Reporter