Directing actors is often viewed as something that happens only after a script is finished and production begins—but understanding the actor process can dramatically improve storytelling long before cameras roll.

In this educational session, writer and director Anthony DiBlasi breaks down the fundamentals of working with actors in a way that is accessible to writers, emerging directors, and storytellers at any stage of their career. 

The session focuses on practical tools that help translate intention on the page into authentic, playable performance. Using real-world examples from rehearsals and set experience, this session explores how directors communicate with actors, how actors interpret scripts, why certain types of direction unlock stronger performances, and how writers can shape scenes that invite behavior rather than simply describe emotion.

By the end of this presentation, attendees will gain actionable techniques for writing and directing, and leave with a stronger understanding of how story is translated from the page into human behavior. 

The session will cover:

• The director’s primary responsibility: shaping story through performance. 
• How actors interpret scripts and translate text into behavior. 
• Why emotion-based or “result” direction often fails—and what to use instead. 
• Rehearsal, blocking, and finding playable beats within a scene. 
• Letting go of rigid ideas and allowing actors to become collaborators. 
• How writing with performance in mind leads to stronger, more producible scripts. 
• Q&A with practical, real-world advice.