STAY TUNED: The ‘It Factor’

Q: Directors I’ve spoken to in the past have said a lot of directing is really casting. Whether that is true or not, some actors have “it” and sometimes they need something to make “it” pop. You’ve spotted that “it” and captured “it”. What is “it” and how do you find “it”?

A: In my opinion, casting is where the directing begins, not where it ends. I feel there is a craft that is entrusted to the actor by the director, and there is also a craft expected while directing actors. So for me, it’s impossible to answer this great question without looking at craft. The ‘it factor’ is a real thing. It’s not something that can be taught. I guess the word that applies, albeit something you would hear out of Frank Sinatra’s mouth more than now, is “charisma.”

Charm can be taught, charisma can’t. Some people just got it, most don’t. It’s an energy you’re born with, a magnetism. You can feel it in some actors, but even most actors don’t have it. Even some big stars don’t have it. But we can all feel it when Denzel comes on the screen, for example. And in his case, he is a serious actor who has also developed and continues to practice his craft. So the ‘it factor’ is a thing and I suppose if an actor has it and is good, you may cast that actor over another one. But I would never cast someone on magnetism alone. Although there are a lot of misconceptions about it, acting is a real craft. There are a hundred things that can come up on set or in the theatre, that only your craft can save you from. I was directing FOOL FOR LOVE in NYC, and the bed broke. The metaphor for the whole thing was the bed, so the audience thought that was my direction.

A bold choice. But in fact it was the actors craft that saved that moment. We had worked so hard developing the characters, they were living in the moment and were able to go with it, with ease. I suppose both of those actors have charisma in life. But it sure wasn’t their personalities that kept that moment alive, it was their commitment. When you’re on set and you’ve been waiting in your trailer or wherever they have you, for 12 hours before an emotional scene, and you’re tired and confused and tense, if you’re banking on your charm, you are in trouble. An actor has to know how to use what is going on in his instrument and give it to the character. This is advanced technique and you need to keep practicing it. I feel bad when actors get cast for their personalities alone, because there’s no longevity in that. An actor’s job is to create characters, many characters, a lifetime of characters. That’s the joy, that’s the interest, the craft. You need technique for that, whether you have “it” or not. It’s a misconception that acting is about looks and personality. I’m not going to lie, it can help, but it can hurt, too. Sometimes you don’t get a role because the character doesn’t have that ‘it factor.’ So really, it is finally about knowing how to act. Concentrating on what’s interesting to you about the life of the character, rather than how you appear to others, is going to be a much more satisfying use of your time and energy. I love charming, kind, generous actors. They make the world go round. Especially my world as a director – nothing like it. But as an actor, concentrate on your training. Being good is what’s going to get you work.