20 year independent film veteran, Fred Zara, teaches this course which is designed to help independent film directors gain a better understanding of how best to communicate and work with actors. Working with actors can be somewhat of a mystery for some filmmakers and it can also be intimidating to work with an experienced actor if you yourself do not have a lot of experience as a director.

If you are looking for more natural performances for your independent films to help you become a more effective storyteller, this course is for you. Some independent filmmakers simply do not have the necessary tools to help actors craft their characters and to best highlight the actor's strengths.

Topics that will be covered in this course are:

• Things to do and not to do when working with actors

• Communication tips when working with actors on set

• Different ways you can prepare and work with your actors before you show up on set

• Other tips and things to try to help actors achieve their best performance

• How to use your words effectively

• Strengthening the Director/Actor relationship

In this course students will learn how to collaborate better with their actors and make them more comfortable on set to help them achieve more believable performances in their films.