More than any other factor, the eyes tell you the emotion of the scene.

And the great actors understand that they convey more through their eyes than through dialogue.

(Michael Caine) “I said, ‘Well, I haven’t got anything to say,’ So he said, ‘What do you mean you haven’t got anything to say?’ He says ‘Of course you’ve got things to say! You’ve got wonderful things to say! But you sit there and listen, think of these extraordinary things to say… and then decide not to say them! (Laughter)

And when I’m watching footage, this is what I’m looking for: Moments where I can see a change in the actor’s eyes.

People will recognize the thinking in actors’ eyes and fill in the action/concept/decision without anyone having to say anything. And then the viewer feels more involved.


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