A Director’s Guide To Working With Actors — James Cullen Bressack

James Cullen Bressack, Filmmaker: I imagine every character is a blank canvas and what I do is I take my ideas about the character as informed by the script and they take their ideas about the characters informed by the script, we throw them at the canvas and whatever works for both of us, that’s what we use to paint the picture of who that person is.

Film Courage: Do actors drive the production of movies more than people realize?

James: For sure. Well, in what sense actually?

Film Courage: Suppose once you have a certain name attached, more money will follow?

James: There you go, that’s what I thought you meant. That’s a hundred percent. An actor being involved in your project means that (a certain caliber actor) means a certain caliber of budget. So certain movies that you want to be able to do all these crazy things can only happen if a bigger name gets involved so it’s kind of yeah they definitely do, at least at this level.