The Force Awakens Specific eye movements and direction from Director???

[Sweetchuck]

This question is about movie making in general but what Im asking about I noticed A LOT in SW:TFA so Im gonna ask it here.
I have also noticed this in more and more modern movies and its not something I see in older movies. What IM talking about is specific eye movements that most if not all characters do now a days.
I really noticed it in Daisy Ridleys "Rey". If you still dont see what Im talking about let me explain it a bit more. Maybe some of the people in this forum who are into film making and directing/acting can answer this. And since the film is still in theatres I cant give exact examples.
But I notice Rey when she's in the cockpit of the Millenium Falcon looking towards the camera acting like she's looking at something, Obviously she's acting. But to me it seems like she's doing a very specific pattern with her eyes. It seems almost like its scripted. And not in a... A Tie Fighter flys across the screen in front of you from left to right... kind of way. More like maybe the director is telling her, say this line. Then look exactly at this specific point. hold it for 2-3 seconds and then look down for a second, then back up and act suprised...
Sorry for going on and on. I hope what I was trying to ask made some sense. So is that kind of specific direction something that goes on in modern movies or am I imagining this?

 

[Broseph44]

What the heck is this thread

 

[X Knight]

no, I think I know what he's talking about.

though I'm no film expert.

I've always assumed that those eye movements and other body language are partly scripted and partly improvised on the part of the actor.

 

[spiderman2]

What the heck is this thread

I was just about to say the same thing lol.

 

[Sweetchuck]

Like I said, this question could pertain to many other movies. But I really noticed it in this movie. In fact, there is a great example of it in Spiderman2's avatar...

 

[Jostru]

no, I think I know what he's talking about.

though I'm no film expert.

I've always assumed that those eye movements and other body language are partly scripted and partly improvised on the part of the actor.

This. The actors most likely get a basic idea of what is going on outside of the shot (so they know in what general direction they need to look, etc.) and from there on they do their stuff. If the director likes what they do with it, good, if he doesn't, they pick something else. I've seen plenty of different takes on movie scenes where the acting is very different from what we eventually got.

 

[X Knight]

This. The actors most likely get a basic idea of what is going on outside of the shot (so they know in what general direction they need to look, etc.) and from there on they do their stuff. If the director likes what they do with it, good, if he doesn't, they pick something else. I've seen plenty of different takes on movie scenes where the acting is very different from what we eventually got.

ah. thanks.

 

[Sweetchuck]

Yeah, I guess I was just wondering if this is some kind of technique they have been using more and more. Like I said, it almost seems like the eye movement is scripted. I was just wondering if they director is helping to work out the exact eye movements to convey a specific emotion. I mean I know the director will tell them things like, "A Tie fighter moves from left to right in front of you. Then they shoot the ship and I want you to shake and then look at this console and squint like you are really concentrating on it..."

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

Uh... I... I mean isn't it common... What did you think... I mean...




This is odd stuff man. Just odd. Actors having to pretend to look at things that are not there has been going on in Hollywood films since the start. And to sell that to the audience the actors either improvise, using their facial expression to get across this, or are told to. I mean... Really? This is a question? This is something someone just noticed recently? This is a really strange position to have.

 

[jokesonm3]

I heard that J.J's a right twitcher he is.

 

[Sweetchuck]

I dont see it as being all that strange of a question. And I decided to ask it here of all places because 1st, people here love discussing these films and I thought ALL aspects of them. Including the directing and acting. And its not something I just noticed. I have noticed it more and more tho. So I am wondering if its a specific technique? I know directors tell actors where to look and stuff. But I wanted to know if they are micro managing to the extent that it seems? Fair enough?

 

[stlblues84]

Not sure if you're referring to a fad that occurred during the early 2000s where lots of actors eye shifted a lot...it's how they were taught.

Michael Caine is great on this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hEpUV4_qeY