In this essay (in Swedish) I’m looking for answers on how to direct actors in a technically advanced environment and film. I have my own experiences with the direction of the short science fiction film Gonthrion as a reference. The production of the film consisted of a lot of technology because the final film includes visual effects and computer generated imaginery. This does not only affect the shooting of the film, but the whole production.
The biggest part of this work is a process description of how Gonthrion was created. The main result is that one needs to understand the technology you work with both on and off location. Furthermore, it’s important to know which tools and methods you have to use to get a good input from the actors. When you’ve reached an understanding of the technology you work with, it’s good to try to put it aside when working with the actors. This makes the working methods and performance more natural and true to the story you are telling. In abstract cases (for example interaction with elements that are going to be created later in the post production) it’s good to use physical elements that you have on set in making the actor connected to his or hers surroundings. It’s also important not to give the actors too much stimulation, but to concentrate on things you really want your actors to concentrate on.
