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Videos & Interviews

The Director Whisperer

Read Full Article in Vanity Fair!

Filmmaking Friends with Ryan Little

Listen on Spotify!

Thank you Film Courage!

0:00 - Most People Don't Understand Acting 
7:57 - Acting Is An Exercise In Empathy 
16:17 - Biggest Misconceptions Directors Have About Actors 
27:03 - Why Result Direction With Actors Doesn't Work 
38:34 - Why Actors Are Cut Out Of Movies 
48:49 - How Directors Confuse Actors 
57:39 - If A Scene Doesn't Contain An Emotional Event It Must Be Removed 
1:13:21 - Every Scene You Write Has Subtext 
1:26:00 - How Professional Directors And Actors Analyze A Script 
1:38:38 - How To Create A Great Acting Performance 
1:48:19 - Relationships Tell The Story Not Plot

The Master Class I gave in February for British Film Institute. It lasts an hour and directors and actors have told me it was very helpful.

Sundance Co//ab Directing Actors with Judith Weston

In September, 2021, I gave a three-hour Master Class for the Sundance Institute. It covered a lot! You can listen for free when you sign up for Sundance Co//ab. Here's the link: Sundance Collab: Directing Actors with Judith Weston

 

Film Fatales Director's Intuition

In July, 2021, I gave a Master Class for Film Fatales. It's called Called “Director’s Intuition.” It can be accessed at Vimeo Film Fatales: Director's Intuition, for a donation of $10.

In June, 2021, I was interviewed by Mike Pecci and Lance Williams for "In Love with the Process" podcast, about my new book Directing Actors 25th Anniversary Edition. My section starts around 23:00.

THE DGC PODCAST

On the first episode of the new DGC Talking To Actors series (April, 2022) I sat down with director Aubrey Arnason about the Director-Actor relationship, what Actors want from their Director, how to help Actors find the right emotions in a scene and much more.

Judith Weston Directing Actors

In March, 2022, I was interviewed by director Ben Rock for an episode of Cam Noir podcast.

In  November, 2019, I was interviewed by Alex Ferrari for the Indie Film Hustle podcast.

In April, 2017, I was interviewed by Uwe Walter for his Master Series. Uwe and I have collaborated a number of times and know each other well. He wanted to talk about the origins of my creative life, and we went pretty deep.

There’s no such thing as a straightforward scene. Every scene must have an emotional event.

This video is for actors. “As soon as you start telling yourself your impulses are wrong, you can’t do anything creative.”

Why is it important for filmmakers to understand Subtext? This is from a remote session I did in February 2010 with a group of students at Tisch Asia/Singapore.

Judith Weston

An interview with Judith Weston by Dave Watson (davesaysmoviesmatter.com) on May 11, 2014. The topic was Judith's book The Film Director's Intuition. Dave and Judith spoke about intuition, accessing the unconscious, and the endless speculation about rehearsals.

  • “I am eternally grateful for your help.”

    TAIKA WAITITI, writer-director, JOJO RABBIT, THOR RAGNAROK, HUNT FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE, WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS, BOY, EAGLE VS SHARK, FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS
  • “I took a seminar with an acting teacher named Judith Weston. I learned a key insight to character. She believed that all well-drawn characters have a spine, and the idea is that the character has an inner motor, a dominant, unconscious goal that they’re striving for, an itch that they can’t scratch. I took to this like a duck to water.”

    ANDREW STANTON [from his Feb 2012 TED Talk] writer-director, FINDING DORY, WALL-E, FINDING NEMO, A BUG’S LIFE; director, BETTER CALL SAUL, STRANGER THINGS; writer, TOY STORY, TOY STORY 2, TOY STORY 3
  • "Judith's method is wonderful because it is practical. She has given me numerous tools to solve problems on the set and to earn the trust of actors. Her classes and her book are invaluable resources to any director."

    LAWRENCE TRILLING, director, GOLIATH, RECTIFY, PARENTHOOD, MASTERS OF SEX, PUSHING DAISIES, DAMAGES, BROTHERS AND SISTERS, NIP/TUCK, MONK, SCRUBS, INVASION, ALIAS, FELICITY
  • "Thank you for teaching me how to direct actors. Taking your classes made me believe I could direct. Taking your classes gave me a base, a foundation, a framework to find my own style. To step out on faith. I'm forever grateful. Love and respect to you, magnificent Judith Weston." 

    AVA DuVERNAY, director, WHEN THEY SEE US, QUEEN SUGAR, A WRINKLE IN TIME, SELMA, SCANDAL, MIDDLE OF NOWHERE
  • "Everything you taught me was more than useful. I am deeply grateful."

    ALEJANDRO GONZÁLEZ IÑÁRRITU, director, THE REVENANT, BIRDMAN, BIUTIFUL, BABEL, 21 GRAMS, AMORES PERROS