We had a very open, VERY AF conversation with the incredible Tina Satter.
Tina’s an Obie and Drama desk winning playwright and director, and (sometimes) teacher at Adult Film. Her Broadway produced play ‘Is This a Room’, was adapted into the critically acclaimed feature film ‘Reality’ with Sydney Sweeney.
We go in depth on Tina’s writing, and directing process. Finding a personal connection to Chekhov, and how the hell she gets her students to leave a 2 day workshop with close to fully formed plays.
Also advice to a hypothetical writer who’s written a great feature. Now what?
We talk details on getting her movie ‘REALITY’ made as a first time director.
And then we talk a little shit about actors not acting. And the secret, relatively non woo woo way to turn intentions into reality.
Also. David saw a rehearsal of @AdultFilm production of the Seagull. Gives thoughts.
Enjoy.
Time codes:
4:00
Tina’s workshops, how she structures them, and deconstructing how she works into her teaching.
6:45
How Tina’s teaching process developed and using prompts.
Using personal themes and experiences in work.
9:10
Using gestures
10:10
Specific physical behavior in direction being freeing vs limiting
14:00
Finding secret codes during rehearsal process
14:30 Tina’s journey, path to theater, and creative inspirations
19:30
Brooklyn College playwriting program
22:30
Knowing what to write about
27:00
Tina’s play ‘Seagull (Thinking of You)’
Discovering her way into Chekhov.
31:00
Experience doing a Q&A for ‘Reality’ for a Russian audience.
33:56
‘Reality’ discussion begins
35:21
Cinematographer Paul Yee having seen ‘Is this a Room’ on broadway from which ‘Reality’ was adapted.
36:00
The play vs the movie
40:02
“Boring trap” in Chekhov, a lot of classic texts and application to ‘Reality’
Making what’s seemingly passive on the page active.
41:50
Nuanced acting w repetitive dialogue.
44:30
Reality’s involvement in the process
46:30
The process of actually making ‘Reality’. From reading transcript to making the film.
51:10
Pushback on being first time director?
52:30
Tina’s non traditional path to making her first feature.
55:30
Dealing with resentment and developing “why not me attitude”
56:30
The process of doing.
57:30
Advice to writers who’ve written a feature. Now what…
1:01:00
AF training center by necessity.
1:01:45
Intentionality and creative/energetic output.
1:05:00
Actors not acting.
We have to do the thing.
1:08:30
Tina’s relationship with setting intentions
“Intentions with actions”
1:13:50
Writing in the age of cell phone addiction
1:14:40
Tina coming back to Adult Film???
1:15:15
David sits in on Seagull rehearsal (Opening may 10!!!)
How Ryan is feeling with the process, acting.
David tells semi unhinged story.