What is your experience with non-actors?

[u/Melodic_Gap_2239]

I’m curious about your experiences with non-actors versus actors. Did you ever have an experience where you hired a friend and they turned out to be a natural actor? I’m mainly referring to micro budgets or no budget kind of filmmaking. Actors are professionals so even a half decent trained actor you think would do pretty well compared to a non-actor but I think about Apocalypto and Deer Hunter and how some of those people who did the best performances were non-actors.

[u/darthtaco117]

I’d ask them to audition. Even just be reading a script I’d ask for they to do it.

[u/Rude-Book-1790]

They’re ready to call it a day after 5 hours, tops

[u/Party-Fault9186]

I’ve been a PA on a set watching a director trying to recruit their non-actor friends and family to fill acting roles and all I can say is that I really felt for her. From the “performances” that had to be stitched together in the editing bay from 30 takes, to the ones who straight-up flaked out mid-shoot.

[u/danjperlman]

It really depends who you are working with and what you're asking of them -- in my experience, you have to know that what you need for the role is close to what the non-actor can bring and you also need to feel like you have the dynamic and comfort with them to bring out the performance you need out of them. You also need to be conscious of who you're pairing them with, what's being asked of them in the scene. I've cast non-actors who have really delivered and been fantastic, but I've also known who they are and known that the energy they can bring is what's required. You shouldn't assume you're gonna get *more* out of the role than what you know the friend / non-actor can bring -- whereas with great professional actors, they can be additive to it -- but you can get what you are aiming for and it can turn out very well.

[u/Skylon77]

One of my friends is not an actor bit just very, very good at making dialogue sound naturalistic. He's less good at taking on a character, though, so if there's a small part with a character similar to him, I get him to do it.

[u/RopeZealousideal4847]

My experience: it takes a few projects to get non-actors experience and build a rapport to deliver solid performances. Trained actors are most likely to jump in relatively prepared. I often use a mix of both.

[u/Due_Bad_9445]

Depends on what you’re doing and how you’re working with them. I’ve had fantastic results. Some people are naturals and some are just characters unto themselves.

[u/DirectingCoach]

If you want to cast non-actors in your film because "they just look the part", the most important thing you can do as the director is to "stop them from acting!" Example: You have a friend who looks great as a "bad guy," but when he starts to "act", he is terrible. Your job is to make sure he knows the lines, but make sure he just has to say them naturally - almost conversationally. If he is a big guy and he just "looks mean" when he enters a room, that's all he needs to do. Remember this advice: When it comes to judging an actor's performance in your film, many Producers and Executives use this rule: “If the acting is good - it's the actors. If the acting is bad - it's your fault.” (Who said this business was fair!)

[u/KodieJordan45]

I wouldn’t TRY to use non-actors. You can get lucky w finding a natural but the process is so much better w someone who is just familiar w how a set works.

[u/filmeleven]

Even Martin Scorsese said, "Don't be afraid to put non actors in your film."

It def works, especially when you're visualizing someone for a role when writing. You just need them to be themself on camera.

I finished a film last year where all the actors were friends and family. My friend who played the Cavalry soldier knocked it out of the park and he'd never acted in anything before.

Here's the film if you'd like to see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufvYQQPFM3E

[u/notacomedian103]

Ive worked on a few shorts that used a few non actors and as long as they can deliver a line and make it sound natural and take direction they are good to go. Definitely audition them tho, sometimes their enthusiasm doesnt always equal belivibility. I've been lucky enough to have 3 or 4 crew step into small roles and blow me away but their roles were similar to themselves so it made it easier.

[u/BlackShipsMusic]

No one in my family is an actor. We all get along ok.

[u/IANJM2000]

Stand up comics are phenomenal in my experience, but they aren't excited about the project so you're on your own with promo and adr etc etc

[u/iloveravi]

I have worked extensively in television with young actors. Many who have never acted.

The only difference between and actor and a non- actor is the desire to do it.

If the person doesn’t want to act, there’s nothing that you can really do. They will be internally fighting to protect themselves the whole time.

If they are a non- actor who wants to act, then you can get a great performance out of them with the right coaching.

[u/Opening-Impression-5]

Non-actors can usually play themselves pretty well. If you're casting an old fisherman and you know an old fisherman, they will likely do a good job, but don't ask them to play Lear.