A THREE-DAY DIRECTING WORKSHOP
WITH GRAHAM SIBLEY
NYC: November 20, 21, 22
"Graham is not only a generous and knowledgeable teacher, but also a fun, empathetic, and wonderful human. As a director striving to be an actor's director, Graham's class provided me with additional tools that I can employ on set while working with actors. The same could be said for using these same tools as I write and create characters. His class insures that I can communicate actionable notes with actors, while also building trust with them. Highly recommend!" Meko Winbush (Gray Matter, Project Greenlight Winner)
There's nothing more electric than seeing an honest, dynamic performance on screen. But how does it come to fruition? The answer lies in the partnership between the director and the actor.
The Actor's Director Workshop offers a safe space for filmmakers to build and embody a character, develop techniques which build trust with actors of all levels, and improve performances take by take. All through the exploration of storytelling from an actor's perspective.
Whether you're a director, showrunner, or creative hyphenate, this workshop will better equip you to direct actors with confidence, connect you with other filmmakers, and deepen your mission as an artist.
“Graham introduced me to a new side of the creative process for actors and created a comfortable environment for me to be vulnerable and learn. I'm excited to add these new ideas to my toolbox when collaborating with future casts." Jacob Chase (Director: Come Play, The Girl in the Woods)
What You Bring To The Course:
- an interest in directing and a desire to better understand the actor's process
- directors, showrunners, and creative hyphenates at any level of experience are welcome
- selected text (poem, monologue, etc.) which will be the foundation for independent work and exercises.
What You'll Get From The Course:
- broaden your understanding of the actor's instrument
- tangible tools to give playable vocal and physical notes
- techniques to sharpen your communication with actors
- a safe space to explore without the pressure of production
COURSE SCHEDULE
The Actor's Director Workshop is designed to experience and explore the embodiment of character with the intention of understanding how best to give tangible and inspired notes to actors. Participants will move their bodies, share their voices and unpack what makes them tick.
DAY ONE: PRESENT MOMENT & BUILDING CHARACTER
Participants will be guided through exercises which focus on how the present moment informs character development and crafting an effective character arc.
DAY TWO: FREEING YOUR NATURAL VOICE & GIVING EFFECTIVE VOCAL NOTES
Participants will be guided through exercises which focus on understanding their own habitual vocal patterns and how that informs giving effective vocal notes to an actor.
DAY THREE: EXPLORING PHYSICALITY & GIVING EFFECTIVE PHYSICAL NOTES
Participants will be guided through exercises which focus on the primary ways to create physical life — destination, business and gesture.
*Course enrollment is approximately 8 participants per session. Financial aid is available for eligible applicants.
YOUR INSTRUCTOR
A NOTE FROM GRAHAM
Earlier this year, as the strikes were on the horizon, the need to do this workshop started to pulse louder and louder inside me. After many discussions with my wife and friends, I decided to build this workshop despite all the uncertainty surrounding the entertainment business. But before I committed, I had to believe I had something to offer and that this industry was one still worth contributing to.
The past few months of these labor disputes have mirrored the COVID quarantine for me, bringing up similar existential questions of what am I doing NOW and why am I doing it TODAY? At the height of the pandemic, I found myself isolated, doing monologues in the garage for no one. I would tape them, watch them, and do them again. It was my way of re-committing to my craft and doing whatever I could to get better. Now, just a few years later with all the new givens, the idea of doing monologues in my garage for no one seems hard to swallow. Today, I am finding myself in deep need of community. I find solace on the picket line, being reminded of how special our community is and the importance of being invested in a creative process together. How human beings truly can and do bring the best out in each other when we are focused together on a singular task.
As I began creating this curriculum, I started reading my old notebooks and journals and was reminded of the many wonderful projects that I have been a part of and the incredible directors that I have had the chance to work with. I was also reminded of the not-so-wonderful directors and the difficult experiences and recognized a common theme: TRUST. Did I trust the director to help me find the unexpected? Did I trust the director’s vision and their ability to lead a cast through the gauntlet of production? Did I trust the director enough to fail? All these scenarios have forced me to hone a process which does its best to protect me from directors who don’t have the experience or vernacular to bring the best out of an actor and lead a cast toward a clear, distinct vision. What I have tried to do with this workshop is distill helpful concepts and ideas that I have picked up from veteran actors, writers, directors, and showrunners as well as a few incredible teachers I have had the opportunity to learn from along the way such as Larry Moss, Rudolf Laban, and Kristin Linklater.
I know this is a time of suffering and instability, when art and commerce are at odds, but unlike the pandemic we are more safely able to share in a community and this workshop is an invitation to join a conversation which can and will make all of our work better. Whether you are a seasoned filmmaker or just starting out, I’d love to hear your story and share a bit of my own so we can all make some great stuff. Let’s stay strong. Together.
"This workshop gave me a deeper knowledge of how I can connect and give notes to my actors, achieving truthful and impactful performances." Sylvia Ray (Director: Satellite Collective and HBO’s Tomorrow’s Filmmakers Today Fellow)
"Graham's workshop is such a rosetta stone, and each class introduces a new approach so that any director can use its tools in real world situations. You couldn't ask for a more empathetic, thoughtful, and impactful teacher for this important process." Jonathan Ade (Emmy-award Winning Filmmaker)
"Graham is one of those guys who has the wisdom to guide you through anything, not just acting and directing. It’s better than a MasterClass. It’s a Master Experience." Luke Greenfield (The Girl Next Door, Let's Be Cops)