Directing the child on set

Chapter 6 advocates for a respectful and playful approach to directing children to elicit naturalistic, authentic performances. It outlines techniques to prepare the child for shooting, including physical and vocal warm-ups, dialogue preparation, blocking techniques, and assistance with technical challenges. Moving onto the actual filming, the chapter suggests how to get the child into the zone just before the camera rolls, including stepping-in rituals, visualisations, and tasks. Furthermore, methods for adjusting children’s performances on additional takes are provided, along with troubleshooting strategies. Finally, the chapter emphasises the importance of post-shoot rituals in helping young actors to transition back to reality.