In Advisor Studio sessions, Sundance Collab Advisors share field experiences and insights into their specific areas of craft, including writing, directing and producing for TV and film.

The relationship between an actor and the director is unarguably one of the most important collaborations in the filmmaking process. With over 50 acting credits across film and television, including the blockbuster TWILIGHT SAGA series, Justin Chon has successfully transitioned from performing to writing and directing award-winning feature films. In this intimate conversation, writer/director/actor Justin Chon (GOOK, MS. PURPLE) takes us inside his process for directing actors—from the perspective of an artist who has deep experience in front of and behind the camera. We explore how his training as an actor shaped his work as a filmmaker, why he believes all directors should take acting classes and how he works with actors to build characters, prep for a role, and rehearse a scene. Chon also shares techniques to communicate with actors and to build the trust that is essential to the actor/director relationship.