Family Ties: Directing with Transactional Analysis
Hereditary (Aster, 2018)
For directors, guiding actors to convey subtext is a delicate and often elusive art. One approach that can offer profound insight into this process is Transactional Analysis (TA), a psychological framework developed by Dr. Eric Berne in the late 1950s. TA's principles can be employed to deepen the relational dynamics between characters, providing actors with a powerful tool to explore and express the underlying psychological currents driving their actions. In this article, we will explore how directors can apply TA in performance direction, using examples from independent films where these ideas have been effectively harnessed to create richer, more complex narratives.
Transactional Analysis: A Brief Overview
“If two or more people encounter each other… sooner or later one of them will speak, or give some other indication of acknowledging the presence of the others. This is called transactional stimulus. Another person will then say or do something which is in some way related to the stimulus, and that is called the transactional response.”
Transactional Analysis is a theory of psychology that examines the interactions (transactions) between individuals. Berne’s theory is built around the idea that every person has three ego states: Parent, Adult, and Child. These states represent different ways of thinking, feeling, and behaving:
Parent Ego State: This reflects behaviors, thoughts, and feelings copied from authority figures, often manifesting as nurturing or critical attitudes.
Adult Ego State: This state is rational, objective, and centered in the here-and-now, processing information and making decisions based on reality.
Child Ego State: This reflects the emotional responses and behaviors learned from early childhood, which can be either spontaneous and creative or adapted to please or avoid conflict.
Due to our transactional nature, one person's ego state will trigger a corresponding ego state in another, leading to predictable patterns of interaction. For example, if someone communicates from a Parent ego state (e.g. being critical or authoritative), it often prompts the other person to respond from a Child ego state, either complying (Adaptive Child) or rebelling (Rebellious Child). Conversely, when a person initiates an exchange from a Child ego state, they might display behaviors like seeking attention, being playful, or acting out emotionally. For instance, if someone begins by expressing vulnerability or whining (Child ego state), it can prompt the other person to respond from a Parent ego state, either offering comfort (Nurturing Parent) or expressing frustration (Critical Parent).
Understanding these ego states and how they interact—especially how they engage in complementary or crossed transactions—can provide a director with invaluable insight into character dynamics. By guiding actors to explore these dimensions in their performances, directors can imbue their films with a deeper level of subtextual meaning, allowing audiences to engage with the psychological tensions that drive the narrative.
TA matrix of transactions
Crafting Subtext Through Ego States
A director can employ TA at various stages of film production, from script analysis and character development to the rehearsal process and on-set direction. Here’s how these ideas can be practically applied.
Script Analysis and Character Development: Identifying Ego States
During pre-production, a director can analyze the script through the lens of TA to identify the predominant ego states of each character. By mapping out which ego state a character primarily operates from in different scenes - and/or in relation to which other characters - the director can start to build a psychological profile that informs the performance.
Winter's Bone (Granik, 2010)
For example, in the independent film Winter’s Bone (2010), directed by Debra Granik, the protagonist, Ree Dolly, is often operating from her Adult ego state. Faced with the harsh realities of life in a rural, economically deprived area, Ree is forced to make rational, survival-based decisions. However, her interactions with other characters—such as her fragile mother, who is trapped in a regressive Child state—highlight the tension between her Adult pragmatism and the Child-like vulnerabilities of those around her. By identifying these ego states, Granik is able to guide Jennifer Lawrence’s performance to reflect the psychological burden Ree carries, not just in her words but in the subtext of her interactions. Ree, a child herself, has not taken on the adult role by choice. The internal conflict between TA states creates a richness to character that a director can explore with her actors.
Rehearsal Process: Exploring Transactions and Psychological Motivations
In rehearsal, the director can use TA to explore the transactions between characters. By experimenting with different ego-state interactions, actors can discover the underlying motivations and tensions that may not be immediately apparent in the dialogue. It also opens up layered interactions between characters as their differing TA states interact beneath the surface.
Blue Valentine (Cianfrance, 2010)
For instance, in the film Blue Valentine (2010), directed by Derek Cianfrance, the relationship between the two leads is steeped in unspoken psychological conflict. The film oscillates between the initial stages of their romance and the later, deteriorating marriage. During rehearsals, Cianfrance encouraged actors Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams to explore how their characters’ ego states shift over time. Early in the relationship, Gosling’s character often engages from a Child state—playful, spontaneous, and seeking approval—while Williams’ character responds from a Nurturing Parent state, offering care and validation. As the relationship sours, their transactions become increasingly crossed, with each character slipping into a Critical Parent or Adapted Child state, leading to misunderstandings and emotional alienation. These shifting ego states create a rich subtext, where the surface-level dialogue belies the deeper psychological rifts growing between them.
On-Set Direction: Guiding Performances to Reflect Psychological Depth
On set, directors can use their understanding of TA to provide actors with specific direction that enhances the subtext of a scene. By guiding actors to subtly shift between ego states within a single scene, the director can create a layered performance that resonates with authenticity and complexity.
Specifically, you could use TA related As Ifs to guide your actors:
“Play the beat as if you are a vulnerable child trying to gain comfort from a distant parent”
”When speaking to X consider playing it as if you are a contemptuous parent trying to bully a weak child into being stronger.”
Consider the film Her (2013), directed by Spike Jonze. The protagonist, Theodore, often vacillates between different ego states in his interactions with the AI, Samantha. In scenes where Theodore is lonely and seeking connection, he operates from a Child state, displaying vulnerability and a desire for unconditional acceptance. Samantha, in turn, oscillates between a Nurturing Parent state, offering comfort and understanding, and an Adult state, processing information and guiding the conversation in a logical manner. Jonze’s direction, which likely included discussions around these transactional dynamics, ensures that these subtle shifts are felt by the audience, even if they are not overtly discussed. The result is a film rich in psychological subtext, exploring themes of love, identity, and the human condition through the lens of TA.
Exploring Power Dynamics Through Ego States
Martha Marcy May Marlene (Durkin, 2011)
In the film Martha Marcy May Marlene (2011), directed by Sean Durkin, the psychological power dynamics between the characters are central to the narrative. The film follows Martha, a young woman who escapes from a cult but struggles to reintegrate into normal life. Durkin uses TA to highlight the manipulative transactions between Martha and the cult leader, Patrick. Patrick frequently engages from a Critical Parent state, exerting control and dominance, while Martha, initially in a fearful Child state, gradually adapts to a submissive role, seeking approval and safety. These ego state interactions are carefully orchestrated by Durkin to convey the psychological manipulation and control that pervade the cult environment. By understanding these dynamics, the actors deliver performances that communicate the subtext of coercion and psychological abuse, adding depth to the narrative without relying on explicit exposition.
Case Study: Hereditary (Spoiler Alert)
In the 2018 film Hereditary, the dinner scene is a pivotal moment where deep-seated family tensions come to the surface. Transactional Analysis (TA) provides a framework to understand the underlying dynamics and psychological subtext in this scene, particularly the interplay between the different ego states of the characters. In the dinner scene, Annie (the mother) unleashes her pent-up anger and grief on her son, Peter, while Steve (the father) tries to maintain peace. The scene is tense, emotional, and charged with unresolved issues. Take a look at the scene first.
Applying TA to Hereditary:
1. Ego States:
Annie (Parent Ego State, Critic): Annie is in a highly Critical Parent ego state, directing her anger and blame towards Peter. Her harsh tone and body language indicate that she is operating from a place of judgment and authority, lashing out in an attempt to control or assert dominance over Peter. This state is driven by her grief and unresolved feelings of guilt, which she projects onto her son.
Peter (Child Ego State, Adaptive/Rebellious): Peter, in response, fluctuates between the Adaptive Child ego state and the Rebellious Child ego state. Initially, he is subdued, trying to endure his mother’s wrath (Adaptive Child), but he eventually pushes back, displaying frustration and defiance (Rebellious Child). His guilt and fear are palpable, but so is his resistance to being completely dominated by his mother.
Steve (Adult Ego State): Steve tries to remain in the Adult ego state, attempting to mediate and de-escalate the situation. He is the voice of reason, trying to bring the conversation back to a calm, rational place. However, his efforts are largely ineffective, as the intensity of Annie's Parent ego state and Peter’s reactive Child state overwhelms his attempts at maintaining balance.
2. Transactional Dynamics:
The scene highlights a crossed transaction, where Annie’s Critical Parent state triggers Peter’s defensive Child state. Instead of engaging with Steve’s Adult ego state, which seeks to defuse the situation, Annie and Peter are locked in a Parent-Child conflict that exacerbates the emotional tension.
This dynamic is crucial to the scene's emotional impact, as it illustrates how deeply entrenched the family’s dysfunction is. The inability of the characters to engage with each other on an Adult-to-Adult level (where rational, constructive dialogue could take place) underlines the tragic nature of their relationships.
3. Subtext and Psychological Depth:
The use of TA in understanding this scene reveals the subtext of unspoken blame, guilt, and grief. Annie’s criticism of Peter is not just about the immediate situation but is rooted in deeper issues of loss and unresolved trauma. Peter’s rebellion is not merely defiance; it’s a reaction to the overwhelming burden of guilt he feels, which is compounded by his mother’s blame.
Steve’s futile attempts to maintain calm reflect his disconnection from the emotional turmoil of his wife and son, suggesting a breakdown in communication and emotional support within the family.
Transactional Analysis helps to unpack the layers of psychological tension in this scene, providing insight into why the characters behave the way they do and how their interactions contribute to the overall atmosphere of dread and inevitability that pervades Hereditary (2011). By understanding the ego states and transactions at play, a director can guide actors to deliver performances that resonate with the complex emotional landscape of the characters, enhancing the scene’s impact.
Conclusion: Transactional Analysis as a Directorial Tool
Transactional Analysis offers directors a sophisticated framework for understanding and guiding the psychological interactions between characters. By applying TA in the script analysis, rehearsal, and on-set direction stages, directors can help actors discover and express the subtextual layers of their performances. This approach not only enhances the emotional and psychological depth of a film but also engages the audience on a more profound level, inviting them to explore the complex inner lives of the characters.
In the films discussed, we see how TA can be used to explore power dynamics, emotional wounds, and the shifting psychological states that drive human behavior. These films exemplify how the application of TA can elevate storytelling, creating narratives rich in subtext and psychological complexity. For directors, embracing TA is not just about adding another tool to their kit; it’s about deepening their understanding of human interaction, enabling them to tell stories that resonate with authenticity and emotional truth.
Bobby
