As a loyal believer in the Auteur Theory I first felt editing was but the logical consequence of the way in which one shoots. But, what I learned is that it is actually another writing.
Bernardo BertolucciRead
When I shoot, I try to feel the body and the face and the weight of the actor, because the character until that moment is only in the pages of the script. And very often, I pull from the life of my actors. I'm always curious about what these characters and these actors are hiding about their lives.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the deep connection between an actor's life experiences and the characters they portray.
In this quote, Bernardo Bertolucci reflects on the process of filmmaking and the intimate relationship between an actor's real-life experiences and their portrayal of a character. He emphasizes the importance of understanding the actor's physicality and emotional depth, as the character initially exists only in writing. By drawing from the actors' lives, Bertolucci suggests that authenticity and a deeper layer of truth can be brought to the performance.
Themes
ActingAuthenticityCharacterPerformanceFilm
In practice
Example use cases
In a film studies class when discussing the importance of character preparation.
More from Bernardo Bertolucci
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The problem in Hollywood is that they try to become the only kind of cinema in the world, okay? The imposition everywhere of a unique culture, which is Hollywood culture, and a unique way of life, which is the American way of life.
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I remember being young in the 1960s... we had a great sense of the future, a great big hope. This is what is missing in the youth today. This being able to dream and to change the world.
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For American filmmakers, the Oscars is like a mystic thing. For me, it was being in a mirror of my dreams when I was dreaming of Hollywood when I was an adolescent.
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If I don't fall in love with my characters, I cannot shoot.
Bernardo BertolucciRead
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