4 ms·

This doesn’t make much sense: actors don’t write their material, they are given it. They can’t write like they speak, and also they can’t improvise

deleted 2y ago
[deleted]
coldtea 2y ago
Actors (especially big names) can and do improvise all the time, in almost all movies. It's rare they say all lines exactly as in the script. In fact often the script gets updated with ideas that came up during shooting including improvised lines.
- flkiwi 2y ago
  A fascinating topic around my family is the playwrights who insist that the play be delivered precisely as written, most of whom are the same playwrights who refuse to allow genderswapping roles (even innocuously), updating pop culture references, etc. They are not the norm, and pretty much everyone understands that performance is as much a part of the creative act as writing, with all the deviations and imperfections that suggests. And that's without even getting to the idea of consciously changing the script midstream that you mentioned.
  - rurban 2y ago
    That's why in almost all cases screenwriters or source novel writers are strictly forbidden on set. The biggest problem are writer/directors who cannot deal with improvising actors. Like a Haneke, who would turn around in his grave if an actor goes against his sacred script. That's why they have 25 shots per scene, and 3-6 months per shoot.
- etse 2y ago
  Harrison Ford says, "I know," instead of "I love you, too" (or something like that) in Empire Strikes Back's carbonite freezing scene. That's an immensely significant and meaningful update.
- assimpleaspossi 2y ago
  Just because you hear that they do, doesn't mean it's always allowed or that it will make it into the film. Sometimes a line just isn't working and an actor or the director or the writer or a grip will come up with something that works and that's what you hear about. Those are exceptions and not the rule. The director has the final say. Often others higher up have the final say. If he wants you to say the line as written, you will say the line as written.
  - coldtea 2y ago
    I didn't say it's "always allowed". There are difficult directors with very specific vision they want to express 100%. It's that that is the exception and not the rule, however. In general it's more common that some lines will change and be improvised by the actors, than not. It's even practical, some lines come off as stiff when the actors tell them verbatim, others just can't be replicated in a longer emotionally charged scene (where the flow and the emotions carry the performance), and so on. >Often others higher up have the final say. If he wants you to say the line as written, you will say the line as written. DUH!
- interludead 2y ago
  Yes, but sometimes, I think the director might ask for the script to be delivered exactly as written
breakfastduck 2y ago
If you watch any side by side of a film audio / final and the script you'll realise what you're saying simply isnt true. It's very rare that a conversation scene mirrors the dialogue exactly 1 to 1. Obviously there will be certain lines where the director wants exact delivery but actors very often deliver a slightly different line than as written. If anything this frequency increases the higher level of profile / skill the actor has. There are countless examples where a director is asked about scenes and defers the credit to the actors for improvising something particularly well or coming up with a better line to convey the same point - they are the ones, after all, in charge of personifying the character that was written. They may feel a different delivery suits the character better.
quartesixte 2y ago
For actors it's slightly different, but the whole "becoming the character" part is, to me, the "writing like they speak" part. By fully inhabiting the character, they will be compelled to speak in the manner written in the given situation. And as the other comments mention, actors very often do alter the lines. Behind the scenes footage and interviews with actors reveal this often happens because they think the screenwriter/director got it wrong in that particular moment -- that their character wouldn't respond like that. The Han Solo example is a good one. Hours of takes saying "I love you too" and then Harrison Ford has a flash of clarity and realizes Han would NEVER respond like that. Calls for a quick take, "becomes Han Solo", says "I know" and the rest is history.

deleted 2y ago

[deleted]

coldtea 2y ago

Actors (especially big names) can and do improvise all the time, in almost all movies. It's rare they say all lines exactly as in the script. In fact often the script gets updated with ideas that came up during shooting including improvised lines.

flkiwi 2y ago
A fascinating topic around my family is the playwrights who insist that the play be delivered precisely as written, most of whom are the same playwrights who refuse to allow genderswapping roles (even innocuously), updating pop culture references, etc. They are not the norm, and pretty much everyone understands that performance is as much a part of the creative act as writing, with all the deviations and imperfections that suggests. And that's without even getting to the idea of consciously changing the script midstream that you mentioned.
- rurban 2y ago
  That's why in almost all cases screenwriters or source novel writers are strictly forbidden on set. The biggest problem are writer/directors who cannot deal with improvising actors. Like a Haneke, who would turn around in his grave if an actor goes against his sacred script. That's why they have 25 shots per scene, and 3-6 months per shoot.
etse 2y ago
Harrison Ford says, "I know," instead of "I love you, too" (or something like that) in Empire Strikes Back's carbonite freezing scene. That's an immensely significant and meaningful update.
assimpleaspossi 2y ago
Just because you hear that they do, doesn't mean it's always allowed or that it will make it into the film. Sometimes a line just isn't working and an actor or the director or the writer or a grip will come up with something that works and that's what you hear about. Those are exceptions and not the rule. The director has the final say. Often others higher up have the final say. If he wants you to say the line as written, you will say the line as written.
- coldtea 2y ago
  I didn't say it's "always allowed". There are difficult directors with very specific vision they want to express 100%. It's that that is the exception and not the rule, however. In general it's more common that some lines will change and be improvised by the actors, than not. It's even practical, some lines come off as stiff when the actors tell them verbatim, others just can't be replicated in a longer emotionally charged scene (where the flow and the emotions carry the performance), and so on. >Often others higher up have the final say. If he wants you to say the line as written, you will say the line as written. DUH!
interludead 2y ago
Yes, but sometimes, I think the director might ask for the script to be delivered exactly as written

breakfastduck 2y ago

If you watch any side by side of a film audio / final and the script you'll realise what you're saying simply isnt true. It's very rare that a conversation scene mirrors the dialogue exactly 1 to 1. Obviously there will be certain lines where the director wants exact delivery but actors very often deliver a slightly different line than as written. If anything this frequency increases the higher level of profile / skill the actor has. There are countless examples where a director is asked about scenes and defers the credit to the actors for improvising something particularly well or coming up with a better line to convey the same point - they are the ones, after all, in charge of personifying the character that was written. They may feel a different delivery suits the character better.

quartesixte 2y ago

For actors it's slightly different, but the whole "becoming the character" part is, to me, the "writing like they speak" part. By fully inhabiting the character, they will be compelled to speak in the manner written in the given situation. And as the other comments mention, actors very often do alter the lines. Behind the scenes footage and interviews with actors reveal this often happens because they think the screenwriter/director got it wrong in that particular moment -- that their character wouldn't respond like that. The Han Solo example is a good one. Hours of takes saying "I love you too" and then Harrison Ford has a flash of clarity and realizes Han would NEVER respond like that. Calls for a quick take, "becomes Han Solo", says "I know" and the rest is history.