1) Establish a Shared Language (Concrete and Playable)
When you give actor notes, your goal is not to describe the “right feeling.” Your goal is to give a playable task the actor can do onstage, repeatedly, under pressure. A shared vocabulary keeps notes short, specific, and consistent across the rehearsal room.
Objective
Objective = what the character wants from the other person right now (in this moment of the scene). Keep it concrete: something you could plausibly try to get from someone.
- Playable: “Get them to admit they lied.”
- Playable: “Get them to stay.”
- Too vague: “Be loved.”
- Too internal: “Feel guilty.”
Obstacle
Obstacle = what makes the objective hard. It can be external (the other person resists) or internal (fear, pride), but it should translate into behavior.
- External: “They keep changing the subject.”
- Internal (playable): “You’re afraid if you push, they’ll leave—so you soften your approach.”
Tactic
Tactic = the method used to pursue the objective. Tactics are verbs you can do to someone.
- To charm, to corner, to flatter, to shame, to bargain, to distract, to threaten, to soothe, to test, to confess, to plead.
Directing tip: if a moment feels flat, don’t ask for “more energy.” Ask for a tactic change.
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Relationship
Relationship = who you are to each other in this moment (not just the label in the script). Relationship is expressed through behavior: distance, touch rules, eye contact, interruptions, politeness, permission.
- “You’re their boss in public, but privately you’re asking for forgiveness.”
- “You’re siblings who know each other’s weak spots; you interrupt without apology.”
Stakes
Stakes = what it costs if the character fails. Stakes should be specific and immediate enough to affect choices.
- High and playable: “If they don’t sign tonight, you lose the apartment.”
- Low and playable: “If you lose this argument, you’ll look weak in front of your friend.”
A Quick “Playable Breakdown” Template
Use this as a fast rehearsal-room check. Keep it in your notebook so you can speak in the same structure every time.
Objective: I want ______ from ______ right now. Obstacle: ______ is in the way. Tactic: I try to ______ them. Relationship: I am ______ to them (today, in this moment). Stakes: If I fail, ______ happens.2) Adjustments That Target Behavior (Not Results)
Result notes (“be funnier,” “be more emotional,” “make it scarier”) often leave actors guessing. Behavior notes give actors controllable actions: what to do with voice, body, eyes, timing, and space.
Behavior Levers You Can Direct
| Lever | What you can say | What it changes |
|---|---|---|
| Volume | “Take the first line down 20%.” | Power, intimacy, threat |
| Pace | “Don’t pause before the answer; answer too fast.” | Nerves, confidence, control |
| Articulation | “Hit the consonants on the accusation.” | Clarity, precision, aggression |
| Eye contact | “Avoid their eyes until the name.” | Shame, dominance, vulnerability |
| Distance | “Start farther away; close the gap on the demand.” | Threat, intimacy, pursuit |
| Timing | “Let their laugh finish, then speak.” | Control, listening, tension |
| Interruptions | “Cut them off on the third word.” | Status, urgency, conflict |
| Stillness | “Hold still for the apology.” | Focus, gravity, sincerity |
| Gesture economy | “One gesture only: the hand on the chair.” | Specificity, restraint |
Step-by-Step: Turning a Result Note into a Behavior Note
Name the desired effect (for yourself): “This moment should feel like a threat.”
Choose one behavior lever: distance.
Give a measurable instruction: “On ‘I asked you nicely,’ take one step closer and stop.”
Attach it to an objective/tactic: “You’re trying to corner them into admitting it.”
Run it immediately, then evaluate: Did the threat land? If not, adjust the lever (pace, eye contact, timing) before changing the whole interpretation.
Sample Behavior-Based Notes (Ready to Use)
- “Try the first half without looking at them; then lock eyes only on the last sentence.”
- “Keep your voice level—no rise in pitch—until you hear their excuse.”
- “Answer before they finish the question. You’re not letting them set the terms.”
- “Hold the silence for two beats after they say your name.”
- “Take the apology while moving away, not toward them.”
- “On the lie, slow down and articulate; on the truth, speed up.”
3) Use Questions Strategically (Without Losing Leadership)
Questions can unlock actor choices, but too many questions can make the room feel leaderless. Use questions to generate options, then choose a direction and test it.
Three Types of Useful Questions
A) Clarifying Questions (to align on story facts)
- “What do you think you’re trying to get from them in this beat?”
- “What changed for you when they said that?”
B) Choice-Expanding Questions (to open playable options)
- “If you couldn’t raise your volume, how else could you win this?”
- “What’s the most polite way to be cruel here?”
- “What do you do to stop them from leaving without saying ‘don’t go’?”
C) Constraint Questions (to focus behavior)
- “Can you play this without moving your feet?”
- “Can you do this line while smiling?”
- “Can you keep eye contact the entire time?”
A Simple Leadership Pattern: Ask → Choose → Test
Ask one question to generate 2–3 options.
Choose one option clearly: “Let’s try the ‘bargain’ tactic.”
Test it immediately in the scene.
Confirm what worked: “That tactic clarified the power shift—keep that.”
This keeps collaboration active while you remain the decision-maker.
Sample Question-to-Note Translations
| If you ask… | You can follow with a direct note… |
|---|---|
| “What do you want from them here?” | “Great—play it as ‘get them to confess’ and don’t let the topic drift.” |
| “What are you afraid will happen if you push?” | “So protect yourself: keep distance until the last line.” |
| “What tactic are you using?” | “Let’s switch tactics on the second sentence: from ‘soothe’ to ‘corner.’” |
4) Handling Common Issues (Practical Fixes)
A) Line-Read Dependence
Problem: Actors start copying your rhythm or exact inflection. This can flatten ownership and reduce listening.
What to do instead: redirect from “how it sounds” to “what it does.” Offer constraints, tactics, or partner-focused tasks.
- Replace line reads with: “Try to get them to laugh so they drop their guard.”
- Or a constraint: “Say it without raising your volume at all.”
- Or a target: “Land the key word ‘never’ like a verdict.”
Emergency tool (if clarity is failing): If diction or meaning is unclear, you can model a line once for clarity, then immediately hand it back: “Not that exact music—just make sure the thought lands by the end of the sentence.”
B) Inconsistent Intentions (Objective/Tactic Drift)
Problem: The actor plays a different objective each run, so the scene’s spine disappears.
Fix: lock the objective, then allow tactics to vary.
State the objective plainly: “Your objective for this section is to get them to agree to the plan.”
Give a tactic map: “Start by flattering, then when it fails, bargain.”
Set a trigger for the switch: “When they say ‘I can’t,’ you change tactics.”
Sample note phrasing: “Keep the same objective all the way through; only your tactic changes when you hit resistance.”
C) Over-Blocking (Movement Doing the Acting)
Problem: Too many planned moves can make the actor focus on traffic instead of pursuit and listening.
Fix: reduce movement to motivated, repeatable anchors and let behavior carry the moment.
- “Let’s freeze the staging for one run: no crossing. Win it with voice and eye contact.”
- “Only move when you change tactics.”
- “Pick one home base (by the chair). You can leave it only if they refuse you.”
Sample note phrasing: “Right now the movement is telling the story instead of your pursuit. Let’s simplify: one move, one reason.”
D) Lack of Listening (Pre-Planned Delivery)
Problem: Actors deliver lines as if alone; reactions don’t change based on the partner.
Fix: give partner-dependent tasks and timing rules.
- “Don’t start your line until you’ve seen their eyes.”
- “Repeat the first two words of your line only after you register what they said.”
- “Let their last word land; then answer like it surprised you.”
Quick rehearsal exercise inside the scene: Run the section with a rule: “No one can speak while the other is moving.” This forces attention and resets timing.
Sample Note Phrasing Library (Director-Ready)
Objective/Tactic Notes
- “Play the objective as: get them to stop lying.”
- “Try a different tactic: instead of pleading, test them.”
- “When that tactic fails, don’t escalate volume—escalate precision.”
Relationship/Status Notes
- “Treat them like someone you can’t afford to offend—until the last line.”
- “You have higher status here: fewer words, more stillness.”
- “You’re asking for something; let that lower your eye contact.”
Behavior Notes
- “Take the pace up for the first three lines; then slow down on the demand.”
- “Hold your ground—no steps—until they retreat.”
- “Interrupt once, then stop interrupting completely. Let that change be visible.”
The “Note Ladder”: From Small Adjustment to Bigger Rework
When a moment isn’t landing, climb notes gradually. Start with the smallest change that could solve the problem; only escalate if it doesn’t work. This protects actor confidence and saves time.
| Level | Type of note | Example phrasing |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Micro behavior tweak | “Take a half-beat before you answer.” |
| 2 | Single lever shift | “Lower volume, keep eye contact.” |
| 3 | Target a moment | “On the word ‘promise,’ step closer and stop.” |
| 4 | Tactic adjustment | “Try to charm them instead of accuse them.” |
| 5 | Objective clarification | “Your objective is to get them to stay, not to win the argument.” |
| 6 | Relationship/status reframe | “Play this as if they’re your only ally—don’t punish them.” |
| 7 | Beat/structure rework (bigger change) | “Let’s re-map the section: you switch tactics when they mention the money.” |
Practical rule: don’t jump to Level 6–7 if Levels 1–3 haven’t been tested. Many “acting problems” are timing, eye contact, or pace problems.
Brief Role-Play Scenarios (Practice Giving Notes)
Use these short scenarios to practice giving behavior-based notes. Run each scenario twice: first with a vague result note (so you feel why it fails), then with a behavior note using the shared language.
Scenario 1: “The Apology That Doesn’t Land”
Setup: Actor A apologizes; Actor B doesn’t believe them. The apology feels flat and unconvincing.
Your directing task: Improve believability without saying “be more sincere.”
- Shared language target: Objective = “get forgiveness now.” Obstacle = “they don’t trust you.” Tactic = “confess” then “plead.”
- Behavior note options: “Hold still on the apology; no gestures until the last line.” “Look at them only after you say what you did.” “Slow down on the specific admission; speed up on excuses.”
- Question to unlock choice: “What are you most afraid they’ll do if they don’t forgive you?”
Scenario 2: “The Argument That Turns Into Shouting”
Setup: Two actors escalate to yelling early, and the scene has nowhere to go.
Your directing task: Create escalation without starting at maximum intensity.
- Shared language target: Stakes = “if I lose, I lose respect.” Tactic sequence = “tease” → “corner” → “threaten.”
- Behavior note options: “Keep volume conversational until the first interruption.” “Use faster pace instead of louder volume.” “Increase proximity in steps: far, medium, close—one change per beat.”
- Constraint question: “Can you win this without raising your voice at all?”
Scenario 3: “Line-Read Trap”
Setup: An actor asks, “How do you want me to say it?” They are waiting for your line reading.
Your directing task: Give direction that builds ownership.
- Response pattern: Objective + tactic + one behavior lever.
- Sample note phrasing: “I don’t need a specific sound—I need a specific action. Your objective is to get them to back off. Try the tactic ‘dismiss’ and keep your eyes on the door, not on them.”
- Follow-up question: “What’s your plan to make them stop without starting a fight?”
Scenario 4: “They’re Not Listening”
Setup: Actor A delivers a monologue-like speech even though it’s a dialogue; Actor B’s lines don’t affect them.
Your directing task: Restore responsiveness.
- Behavior rule run: “You can’t say your next line until you’ve reacted physically to what you heard (a breath, a look, a shift). Keep it small but real.”
- Note phrasing: “Let their words change your timing. Wait for the impact, then answer.”
- Question: “Which line from them hurts the most? Mark it with a pause.”
Mini-Checklist for Giving a Note in Under 15 Seconds
- What’s the objective? (one sentence)
- What’s the tactic? (one verb)
- What’s one behavior lever to adjust? (pace/volume/eyes/distance/timing)
- Where exactly? (attach to a word, cue, or moment)
- Run it now. (test immediately)
