An Actor’s Perspective

The actor video diary of the shoot has become a popular dvd extra or online feature for television and movies.

“Heroes”, which already had a strong online community of fans, has youtube videos shot by members of the cast. The videos don’t necessarily reveal how the show is made, and more often than not are a way for the actors to kill time between takes. Nevertheless, the videos enhance the overall buzz for the tv show.

By giving an actor a JVC camcorder, you can get a non-technical point of view of the filmmaking process, which can prove to be more appealing to the average viewers than a standard behind-the-scenes featurette. I’d love to watch the film or show from the actor’s personal point of view. The more open ended the diary, the more interesting it seems to me. I like seeing how they keep the make-up continuity or one of the cast members goof off.

Blooper reels or outtakes at the end of the program have been around for some time. I feel like the video diary is simply an extension of this idea, especially since camcorders are so easily accessible.

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4. Javier Bardem: Spanish Actor of the Year
5. The First-Person Camcorder