Robert has been mentoring filmmakers and actors for many years now. CBI is a handy set of tools available at any stage of a project: writing, auditioning, early character work - written or performed; relationships, story elements, you name it. Robert’s mentoring guides you through a bespoke programme. It’s focussed attention and is designed specifically for your needs.
Mentoring using CBI Process can be applied at any stage in a project’s development.
Some directors wish to explore the potential of their characters, some are looking to improve their working relationship with actors, and some use CBI to re-evaluate their script, helping them in further rewrites. In some instances, directors have used CBI to ‘road-test’ relationships and scenes. Scripts offer a snapshot of the characters, hopefully a very powerful snapshot! – using CBI impros can change a writer or director’s perception of the character and refine what those snapshots are to be.
Directors can reconstruct performance and the potential of their characters – it’s great for exploring scenarios around the script. CBI also works well for auditions: what can the actor do in addition to reading the scene? The focus is always on individual characters – which makes the filmmakers aware of the potential complexity within the character and the way that story themes can be built through behaviour. There’s always a lot more to someone than we see at first sight!
Of course this mentoring is especially valuable if improvisation is being used as a character/story tool, but even when it isn’t, the use of CBI impros can be integrated to enhance the filmmaking.
CBI can also be applied to audition and casting strategies. The focus is always on individual characters – which makes the filmmakers aware of the potential complexity within the character and the way that story themes can be nuanced through behaviour. There’s always a lot more to someone than we see at first sight.
Robert has even been brought in to advise writer-directors while still at an early draft stage – this is applying the principles of CBI Process without (yet) staging improvisations. As a result, the filmmakers can rewrite, reinvigorated and inspired.
The variety of ways CBI can be used in project development is as varied as the filmmaker and their needs.
Robert offers mentorship to actors for preparation for roles, whether it’s for auditions, self-testing, or a character embedded in a screenplay or play – again using improvisations to explore the character’s personality beyond the narrow framework of the text.
Sometimes a company – a group of actors, writer and director – will commission Robert to kick-start a project. The group’s needs determine the shape of the mentoring.
Mentoring can take many forms, starting with one-off consultations through to running a dedicated workshop, so please contact CBI Co-ordinator Claire Villiers to start a dialogue with Robert!
If you would look to book in a dedicated workshop for your project, please reach out to discuss requirements.
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