Take Direction Quotes

When somebody says, 'Action,' I act. When they say, 'Cut,' that's my job. I've done it.

I've worked with actors who treat the first two takes like rehearsals. And that's okay. If the camera is on you and we're doing a scene where I'm off camera, I'm treating that as a rehearsal.

We just started filming, and after every scene was shot, we had a rehearsal for the next one.

Bob Hope was totally regimented. I go in and say a line like, 'Hi Bob' and I'd have to do it five times, and then Bob would take me to the writers to say the line different ways. He wouldn't let me ad-lib.

I did this film called 'Prom.' It was a Disney movie. And at that point, I didn't know what the hell I was doing. I had no idea how to act. It was purely instinctual. I just remember the first scene I did and the first take, it feeling so right.

I act the way I talk. It probably comes from starting out in Second City, improvisational theater. I can go from take to take. I'll ask for another take.

Live television drama was like live theater, because you moved without thinking about the camera. It followed you around. In film you have to be more aware of what the camera is doing.

A good trick I learnt early on is not to immediately look at playback because once you know the shot, you can see when the camera is on you. It's best to stay 'in it' all the time, and just if it's on you, it's on you, and if it's not, it's not. It's the easiest way.

Some people think it's an easy gig working as an extra, but you often have to stay very concentrated for long stretches in challenging conditions.

We did very little improvisation on camera, and once in a while we did.

I'm the wrong person to not be professional around. When someone calls 'action' and we're in the frame together, I'm gonna run you over. You're gonna get eaten alive.

I like to have the actors do their thing. And then brief them what to do differently in take two.

Filming scenes like that are always odd but I feel comfortable with Josh and care about him a great deal, so it could be much worse. Scenes like that are just part of the job.