If a director ever says ‘do it my way’ or ‘this is my film, my vision, it’s my way or nothing else’, quit the show.

The director and actor are a team for accomplishing the extraordinary. Should there be a disparity in power between them it will only serve as a hindrance and a discouragement, drawing energy away from productivity and development of the character.

The message ‘the right way is my way’ kills innovation and creativity and puts the focus solely on what the actor needs to do to please the director.

It provides no real information to an actor to learn from and grow in the future. 

But how often do you see a director fuming mad on set, muttering ‘that’s not the way I would have done it myself!’

This director will ultimately find himself pulling his hair out in the editing room wondering what went wrong.

Meanwhile the confident director who boasts a close collaborative relationship to his actors will find himself grinning ear to ear and saying ‘what an interesting choice!’ at every wonderful mistake.