During the shooting of a scene the directorโs eye has to catch even the minutest detail. But this does not mean glaring concentratedly at the set. While the cameras are rolling, I rarely look directly at the actors, but focus my gaze somewhere else. By doing this I sense instantly when something isnโt right. Watching something does not mean fixing your gaze on it, but being aware of it in a natural way. I believe this is what the medieval Noh playwright and theorist Zeami meant by โwatching with a detached gaze.โ
Akira KurosawaHuman beings share the same common problems. A film can only be understood if it depicts these properly.
Akira KurosawaHuman beings are unable to be honest with themselves about themselves. They cannot talk about themselves without embellishing.
Akira KurosawaThe root of any film project for me is this inner need to express something. What nurtures this root and makes it grow into a tree is the script. What makes the tree bear flowers and fruit is the directing.
Akira KurosawaSomething that you should take particular notice of is the fact that the best scripts have very few explanatory passages. Adding explanation to the descriptive passages of a screenplay is the most dangerous trap you can fall into. Itโs easy to explain the psychological state of a character at a particular moment, but itโs very difficult to describe it through the delicate nuances of action and dialogue. Yet it is not impossible.
Akira Kurosawa