Directors Lab 45th: Robert Redford & Roger Ross Williams 2018
- A director has credited Robert Redford with providing invaluable advice during a transition from directing documentaries to working with actors.
- the most valuable lesson, according to the director, was trusting her own voice and recognizing her skillset.
- The director recalled a specific instance where redford helped storyboard a sex scene.
Discover how Robert Redford reshaped a director’s approach to filmmaking. This pivotal directors Lab session reveals transformative advice from redford, who guided a director thru a shift from documentaries to working with actors. The key takeaway? Applying documentary skills,emphasizing honesty and vulnerability,and building trust. Redford’s hands-on approach, including storyboarding a sex scene, provided invaluable lessons. This article, found on News Directory 3 highlights how Redford’s mentorship empowered the director to find her voice. learn how the director now plans to apply these techniques, creating space for authentic performances. Discover what’s next for this innovative approach to film.
Director Credits Robert Redford for Actor Guidance
Updated May 29, 2025
A director has credited Robert Redford with providing invaluable advice during a transition from directing documentaries to working with actors. The director described the Sundance experience as therapeutic, a blend of therapy and religion.
the most valuable lesson, according to the director, was trusting her own voice and recognizing her skillset. Initially unsure how to communicate with actors, the director realized that experience with real people provided incredible skills. Redford, acting as an advisor, emphasized using documentary techniques to guide trained actors.
The director recalled a specific instance where redford helped storyboard a sex scene. “Who else in the world can have Bob Redford storyboarding your sex scene and blocking it out with you?” the director remarked, noting the storyboards now hang framed in her office.
Redford’s coaching focused on achieving honesty and vulnerability, mirroring the approach used in documentary interviews. by being vulnerable, the director explained, actors feel safe enough to share their own experiences, leading to a deeper connection with the material.Redford would roleplay characters and offer guidance during filming, providing real-time advice.
“what is your goal when you are interviewing a documentary subject?” I was like,“For them to get to a place of honesty and vulnerability.” he’s like, “and how do you do that?” I said, “Well, often I will use myself. If I get to a place of vulnerability and honesty, they will feel safe enough to share that with me.” And he’s like, “Well, that’s the same way you would do with an actor.”
What’s next
The director plans to continue applying Redford’s lessons in future projects, focusing on creating environments of trust and vulnerability to elicit authentic performances from actors, further refining her approach to actor guidance and documentary filmmaking techniques in narrative film.