On Watching The Monitor

It's generally considered bad form for the director to watch the monitor during takes instead of watching the actors directly. Yet most directors I've seen working do it. What's more, it seems perfectly logical to do so. Isn't that the best way to see exactly what you're getting?

Spending time on a film set as a writer, I came to see why it's so important to watch the actors with your own eyes.

A professional film crew covers all bases. The camera department is watching the focus, framing and movement. The grip/electric is in charge of the lighting. Sound. Set dressing. Props. Hair and makeup. Continuity from setup to setup. Everyone has a job. And every single aspect of what goes on screen is accounted for. Except one thing. The actors.

The director is the only one responsible for watching the actors.

There will be enough eyes to watch the monitor and make sure the framing is correct, the glasses are filled to the same level as the last setup, the boom doesn't dip into the shot, etc. Why risk being distracted by these concerns when someone is already being paid to do that? Better to watch the actors directly and give them all your focus.

As a writer on set, I had the benefit of not having anything to do but observe. I could see the deflating look on an actor's face when the director yelled cut and immediately asked someone about a technical issue. The director was basically admitting that he's not giving the actors his full attention.

Another reason to watch the actors and not the monitor is that, often, you can see better. Unless you have a huge budget, the monitor will tend to be small and portable. I remember one time, I was standing near the monitor and then turned to look at the actor. The size of the head on the screen was smaller than the size of his head in real life seen from where I was standing. Getting up close to him, allowed me to watch his performance like it was meant to be seen. As if it was on a big screen in a movie theater.

So, if at all possible, watch the actors, not the monitor.