When the director’s vibe is a moving target, I lean on the core of the character—what they’re feeling and why they’re here. I sketch out a simple map: the scene’s purpose, the character’s objective, the emotional beat. Then I match that to the tone the director just said, tweaking intensity or pacing until the map still fits. If the tone shifts again, I keep the map steady and just change the outer shell—maybe swap a laugh for a sigh, or a quick step for a slow, deliberate one. That way the character stays true, and the whole set feels like it’s marching to the same rhythm.

Thanks, I’ll keep it tight and make sure everyone’s on the same beat.