Customer Reviews

I'll Be in My Trailer: The Creative Wars Between Directors and Actors

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Actors... can't live with them, can't fire them. Of course, actors are very special people. And of course, the main key to dealing with them is communication. However, finding the RIGHT way to communicate is often very difficult, because the way a director, writer or a producer thinks is very different from how the mind of an actor sees the creative process. (they also differ greatly from each other, but that's a whole different ballgame)

John Badham, director of some huge hits (Saturday Night Fever, Stakeout, War Games) tries to build bridges in this book, even though the title leads one to believe the tone will be fairly belligerent. On the contrary, while there are some stories about extremely bad behaviour here, Badham is being very constructive. In many cases, he puts the blame for an incident squarely on his own shoulders, even when an objective observer would think he did nothing wrong. His main goal is to facilitate the communication between director and actor, by explaining how to give direction in a way that actors can actually use. Badham himself uses the `as if'-technique (i.e. play this scene as if you got to catch the last train) to put actors in the right frame of mind. However, this approach isn't right for everyone (some actors DO want result-oriented direction), and Badham duly notes alternative approaches.
The book also provides a ton of helpful hints for almost all of the problems that can crop up on a set, acting-wise and actor-wise. When dealing with an addict, the only option is tough love. When some actors misbehave just for the fun of it or to flaunt their own power, a swift and just retribution is in order - except when you're dealing with real stars, who are beyond anyone's power to control.

The book also contains lots of interviews with actors, directors and producers who provide insights from all sides of the `war'. There's a lot of on-set anecdotes about Travolta (Saturday Night Fever) and Richard Dreyfuss, among others, and the interviewees include both huge stars, television directors, well-known actors who never made it to the A-list, and producers. The book is completely succesful at what it sets out to do, though of course the problems will remain. But now at least, there's some real help out there for directors struggling to get their cast under control.

Most directing books, I've noticed, are either basic primers (how not to cross the "line") or books of chatty anecdotes by major directors. Sidney Lumet's book is about the only one that gives away trade secrets, and he doesn't give many of those.

Finally John Badham has written the book I was hoping to get to read. I'll Be in My Trailer: Creative Wars Between Actors and Directors is as full of director tradecraft as you might hope, coming from the very crafty director of Saturday Night Fever, Stakeout, WarGames and The Jack Bull. Badham hasn't stopped at his own knowledge; he's interviewed fellow directors like Mark Rydell and Richard Donner, and quoted from interviews with other directors.

The tradecraft I'm talking about includes things like shooting closeups first if you're dealing with a scene that might wear out your actor emotionally (generally you shoot the master first, closeups last); the two points of view about rehearsals; what it means when an actor says, "I want to talk to you about my costume; and how not to waste your casting sessions looking important.

This book only focuses on dealing with actors. I'd love to hear what Badham and his colleagues have to say about the more subtle uses of different lenses, when to shoot at a location and when a studio, six day shoots vs. five day shoots, and other technical and production questions. But that really does deserve another book.

If you want to direct, or if you're just a writer or actor who wants to appreciate all that a director has to deal with, buy this book.

I've had the pleasure of having John Badham as my mentor in film directing, over at Chapman University --- I had no idea that directing is something that can be 'taught'

For aspiring and current directors, this book is a GEM ---- it gives clear instructions on how to dissect a screenplay, for the purposes of best directing, and most importantly, instruction on how best to communicate with actors and other creative staff members

The best part is that the book's directing examples show the 'right-way' to do things and the 'wrong-way' to do things ---- believe me, after reading, most aspiring directors will hit themselves over the head saying "ohhh... that's how you do it!"

For movie lovers, the book is also a great treat ----- Badham's lessons on directing are elaborated through his many experiences on set, making the book extremely humorous and entertaining as you journey with Badham through his mistakes and his successes ----- while it is a book that teaches directing, its entertainment value is one that will provide a lot of fun to any movie lover

It's a quick and informative read that anyone would thoroughly enjoy! The writing is superb and the material is easy to understand and apply ---- Professor Badham - well done!

HAPPY BUYING!!!

Given Mr. Badham's career, the stories he has to tell, the experiences he can draw from, are varied and plentiful. The book is a terrific guide for any aspiring or established director who needs information about working with actors. Mr. Badham provides numerous entertaining anecdotes to illustrate his points, making the book a thoroughly enjoyable read. He also includes quotes from a variety of actors, directors and producers. The book is insightful, informative and easy reading.

For those of us who can only wonder at the glamour and intrigue of show business, getting a behind-the-scenes look at what the glitterati doesn't reveal can be quite an eye-opener, and an illusion-shatterer. This book serves up a heap of insightful anecdotes, advice and wisdom from actors and directors working in the business, from difficulties in playing the part to the results of communication breakdowns to struggles with egos the size of small countries.

Director John Badham (WARGAMES, SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER) collaborated on this book with Craig Modderno of the New York Times, and together they uncover the reality behind the camera lens as thespians and directors alike deal with nasty temperaments, forgotten lines, insecurities, casting mishaps, faux pas while shooting, hostile invasions in the editing room, respect and lack of, stupid scenes, even more stupid casting tricks, and a host of other subjects that are part of the day to day process of making a film that we never hear about (unless someone gets hurt) since they don't involve walking the red carpet in a designer dress.

But what they do involve is the real human side of performing, whether you are in front of or behind the camera, and how that performance is a collaborative effort that requires the most delicate touches at times. We get plenty of lowdown from those in the biz from actors like Ed Asner, Gary Busey, Jenna Elfman, John Travolta, Candice Bergen and John Cusack, to directors like Randal Kleiser, John Frankenheimer.Michael Mann, Oliver Stone and Roger Corman (among so many others). We even hear from those who have worked both sides - Mel Gibson, Betty Thomas, Michael Chiklis.

My favorite story was from Badham himself, recounting his decision to not work on THE WIZ and it really reaffirmed my faith that some of the people working in Hollywood have a deeper integrity. But other stories suggest bigger egos than hearts, and readers will be sucked in to these tales of tantalizing truths about a business we so often think of as all shiny and glossy and perfect. Whether you have any intention of ever becoming a director or actor really matters not, because this is a highly entertaining and eye-opening book about a part of human culture that touches us all.

That's entertainment. CUT!
Marie D . Jones, Book Reviewer, [..]

I'm a screenwriter. I've been one for over fifteen years. Why, pray tell, am I reading a book on the "Creative Wars Between Actors & Directors" - I'll tell you why: IT'S IMPORTANT! It is very important that you, as a screenwriter, know all there is to know about the inner workings of Hollywood. And, yes, that includes the relationships between the Director and the Actor.
Lets say your script gets bought. You are a happy little camper and cannot wait to see your visuals and here your words and watch your story come to life on a screen that's bigger than God and you suddenly find characters that do not resemble those you wrote, speaking words you did not write, in locations that you did not describe, doing actions you did not put on paper. How, HOW did this happen?
Well, John Badham (with Craig Modderno), goes into all the machinations with an extraordinary amount of detail. They explain very clearly how the relationships work and, guess what? If your words do not work, they get chucked out the nearest window. If the location you describe is not available, or is too prohibitive - it gets changed. If the actor does not think (or they're too drunk, or too stupid, or too old) that they should walk across the room and pick up the gun and, instead, have the gun attached to their ankle - well, Director willing, here comes the duct tape and out goes your action.
What you quickly learn in this book is that what you have written, although it is VERY important, and got this whole insane ball rolling in the first place, takes a quick back-seat to the machine that is film-making.
Now, I do not want you to think that Messrs. Badham and Modderno do not give credit where credit is due, they DO give props to the screenplay early on in the book noting: If you don't start with a good script you will not finish with a good movie. and If a director cannot inspire, lead, cajole, or even manipulate his actors to give their greatest talent to the script you will have a mediocre movie. (Italics theirs)
But... Soon after, you'll see the headline: DON'T make the cast say the exact words in the script if they really can't make them work. (BOLD theirs)
Most importantly, though, later on in the book they write - not in italics, not in BOLD: ...the script is way more important than moguls want to admit. Stars don't matter, reviews don't matter, story matters.
It is sentences like those that I want to cut and paste and put in 72 Font and ship with every screenplay I have ever written to every executive in Hollywood. But I digress.
I was looking for screenwriting insight in a book about the relationships between actors and directors. How silly of me? Not really.
Like I said above, it is VERY important to understand how Hollywood works. Some screenwriters in my classes have this sort of "pie-in-the-sky" attitude about Hollywood. That all of Hollywood is sitting on their hands waiting for that one script, THEIR SCRIPT, to somehow, blessedly, come down from on high and land on their desk and speak to them in a way they have never been spoken to before. That it will be bought for a gajillion dollars and will be filmed as is with no changes and will make even MORE gajillion dollars at the box office. Blech. It ain't gonna happen and the sooner writers learn that (by reading books like these) - the sooner they are aware of how Hollywood REALLY works.
So, the book gives SOME credit to the writer - but how does it do on everything else? Well... With Agents and Entourages seemingly more in control of Hollywood now - I would have liked to have heard more about the interactions (both positive and negative) Directors have with them.
I also would have enjoyed more gossipy type stories, behind the scene shenanigans, stories from the trenches than they provide (though they do provide a lot of great stories).
All in all this is an excellent book about the sometimes dysfunctional relationships between actors and directors. It's about time someone wrote this book. Badham proves himself as good a writer as he is a director.

Director John Badham (Saturday Night Fever, WarGames) tells stories of Hollywood as a means of helping directors understand how most effectively to work with actors. More a textbook than a narrative, it's a worthy book with much good advice, but probably of limited use to those who aren't professionals in theatre or film.

Badham writes a great and fun book that any director would enjoy. He gives hints about how to work with actors that are very helpful. It's also just a fun book if you like to learn more about Hollywood culture and you are just an all around movie fan. Buy if you love movies!

I am a screenwriter and a director. I am also a screenwriting professor at Towson University. "I'll Be In My Trailer" is one of the best books written about real world directing. Each semester I also recommend it to my screenwriting students because the book shows what directors, producers and actors need and want from screenwriters. Ultimately, the book is full of secrets for directors and how they can work with actors on their performance, plus how directors can be a helpful shrink and a wise politician on set to ultimately get what they need from actors, producers and their crew.

Outside of John Badham's advice, and war stories about directing Saturday Night Fever, Blue Thunder, WarGames, Dracula, Stakeout and countless TV episodes, Craig Modderno has interviewed some of the most successful directors in the business about their directing secrets and on set problems and solutions. Learn from their secrets and learn from their mistakes! This is a great book if you really are serious about directing. Buy it. You won't regret it.

Cary Anderson
"Chad and the Alien Toupee," "Some Dogs," "Reformed Tramp" and "The Making of Spotlight" on Funny or Die

It's been a while since I read the book, so let me endorse it by sharing with you the comment I remember telling others: I learned more about directing in a few weeks (by reading this book) than I did in 2 1/2 years at my film school! (And I'm keeping my school a secret. Not ashamed at all, just don't want to partake in any "liable".) As it turns out, the author teaches at my school but I never had him for an instructor.
This book not only teaches principles, but uses real-life situations and examples as experienced by the author. In fact, there are several contributions by actual actors/directors - submitting their personal point of view on various directing techniques that they have found either work or don't work on them when they are on set.
As I recall, the principles are not nearly as detailed as in the book "Directing Actors" by Watson (which would normally diminish the number of stars the book would receive), but this one holds its own as a compliment to such books; Badham doesn't give step-by-step "how-to" direction on directing (pardon the pun) so much as he gives advice and pointers obtained from experience - which can be invaluable. That's why in its own right it received 5 stars.