A Sense of Direction: Some Observations on the Art of Directing [Paperback]

William Ball (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 196 pages
• Publisher: Drama Publishers (October 1984)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0896760820
• ISBN-13: 978-0896760820
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #46,716 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An impeccable and indespensable document, July 26, 2000

By 

J. Remington "John Remington" (Adams, Oregon USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Sense of Direction: Some Observations on the Art of Directing (Paperback)

Mr. William Ball, the former artistic director and founder of The American Conservatory Theatre in San Fransisco, boils down almost forty years of teaching, acting and directing experience into possibly the most effective,educational and practical document about directing. I shudder to use the word text book as that term implies dry academia- an approach which leads to the the death of the theatre- but really this book is indespensable to any theatre director. Ball lays out in a logical, simple and jargon free manner the nuts and bolts of building a balanced right and left brained community which has complete and utter access to the creative impulse. Everything in Ball's book is transferable, practical (sorry about using that term again but it is true)and impeccably rendered. For any theatre director, I strongly suggest purchasing this book as the foundation of any library. Five out of five stars.

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A MUST READ FOR EVERY DIRECTOR, October 19, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: A Sense of Direction: Some Observations on the Art of Directing (Paperback)

This is the best book on directing that I have read. Not only is this an excellent book for directors, but also the chapter on OBJECTIVES is a MUST read for every actor.

Bill Ball gives a step by step process from beginning to end on the art of directing. From blocking, objectives, subtext, and helping the actor to create the inner life of their character to fittings, production meetings, and working with designers, the information you will find in this book is invaluable! No longer do you have technical rehearsals that are disasters. By introducing all sound cues, including music, early on in the rehearsal process, the "Kinks" are worked out at a very early stage. Tech rehearsals then become run throughs--building upon what was done in rehearsals and providing the actors with a non-stop run through, which is so vital for the actors in order to maintain the sense of the through-line of their character.

BUY THIS BOOK! YOU WON'T BE SORRY!

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great passion communicated with cool logic, December 17, 1999

By 

Jonathan Leach - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Sense of Direction: Some Observations on the Art of Directing (Paperback)

A wealth of practical insight. It could serve as a model for all "how to" books: utterly clear, in stark, spare prose that nevertheless conveys enormous passion for the art. I picked it up as part of a workshop at the Yale Drama School, and have reread it many times. It's a kind of checklist of decisions that must be made by the director, from the most profound philosophical ones to the nuts and bolts of costume design. Mr. Ball's voice here is the one that any director would want to provide his actors in rehearsal: calm, clear, thoroughly informed, and obviously in command.