Building the Performance with the Actor

Target Audience: Directors and screenwriters

Registration: formation@cna.etat.lu

Too often on film sets, the directions given to actors are contradictory or unplayable because they focus solely on the result and hinder the creative process. However, the actor is the centerpiece of the film, and directing actors requires a constant dialogue to encourage invention and risk-taking.

This workshop is based on a fundamental principle: for a director, the most rewarding collaboration with an actor is achieved by experiencing acting firsthand.

The Program (5 days): Immersed in a safe environment without the pressure of a camera, participants will step into the shoes of their future actors.

• Practical Application: Exercises inspired by the Meisner technique, including improvisations, monologues, and scene work.
• Technical Tools: Learning techniques for mental preparation, relaxation, and scene analysis.
• Pragmatic Directing: Using action verbs to generate subtext and personalizing dialogues through imagery to refine the performance "layer by layer."

By the end of this workshop, you will have experimented with concrete communication tools that will enable you to create your own approach and bring out the best in your actors.

Pico Berkowitch – Filmmaker and Instructor

He has assisted various drama teachers in the United States and France (Barry Primus, actor and filmmaker; Judith Weston, teacher in Los Angeles; Bobby Lewis, founder of the Actors Studio...). He is a certified instructor of the Meisner acting technique.

Since 1991, he has been coaching and teaching in Belgium, the United States, Norway, the Philippines, Lebanon, Switzerland, and France. He created weekly acting workshops in Brussels, Paris, and Geneva, providing a training space where actors can develop their tools and hone their craft.

Outside of his coaching activities, Pico Berkowitch has directed short films and documentaries. He is currently involved in several screenwriting collaborations for directors in France and Switzerland, alongside a feature film project and a television series currently in development.