ABSTRACT
Now we come to what I consider to be the most fun part of the work, the period of rehearsal during which we can experiment, explore, discover, and collaborate. In the theatre it is usually a period of at least 4 weeks during which actors and director can, scene by scene and layer by layer, put together the components that will lift the text off the page and make it a living, breathing event. The film director too often either cannot or will not avail himself of this most important step in the process because of time and money concerns. But I always urge my film students to fight for at least a week or two of rehearsal no matter what the obstacles may be. There are some notable film directors who do not rehearse ahead at all. They use the period immediately before shooting each scene, often while the lighting team is doing their work. (This is where the shorthand communication of needs and actions can come in very handy!) I believe the renowned Alfred Hitchcock fell into this group. There are other notable directors who have insisted on a minimum of 2 weeks of rehearsal time, such as Sidney Lumet and others with theatre background. I’m told that Oliver Stone took his cast to Vietnam for 6 weeks of rehearsal before shooting the celebrated war picture PLATOON. And again, we know that Joe Wright gave his actors 4 weeks of rehearsal on DARKEST HOUR. Since I feel that this period is the one in which the director and the team can really let the creative juices flow, I can’t imagine why anyone would want to be deprived of the opportunity of including it in the process.
