ACT — Physical Performance
Coordinate Category: Character Physical Action & Performance
Status: Primary Core Triad Coordinate
1. Purpose & Functional Role
[ACT] commands the physical choreography, kinetic actions, gestures, postural shifts, and anatomical micro-expressions of characters on screen.
2. Grammar & Phrasing Standards
- Voice & Tense: Strict present tense, active voice.
- Sentence Economy: Direct and visceral. Remove passive constructions and unnecessary filler words.
- Correct:
[ACT] John grips the heavy oak drawer with his right hand - Incorrect:
[ACT] John slowly reaches his hand out and begins taking hold of the drawer
- Correct:
- Coordinate Purity: Focus purely on the character’s physical body and its immediate kinetic interaction with props or the set.
3. Performance Translation: Literal Over Literary
Video generation engines render visible anatomy, not abstract poetic descriptions.
Translate emotional writing into concrete physical markers:
| Literary Feeling | [ACT] Physical Translation |
|---|---|
| “Grief / Heartbreak” | Wet eyes, restrained shallow breath, forced rigid jaw, head tilted down. |
| “Rage / Fury” | Nostril flare, twitch in cheek muscle, fists clenching white at sides. |
| “Exhaustion / Defeat” | Slumped shoulders, heavy unblinking gaze, delayed physical response. |
| “Suspicion / Guarded” | Narrowed eyes tracking off-center, arms folded tight, rigid spine. |
| “Shock / Realization” | Sharp caught gasp, parting lips, hands freezing mid-gesture. |
- In Close-Ups (
CU/MCU): Prioritize micro-movements (blink rate, eye dart, jaw clench, throat swallow, lip tremble). - In Wide Shots (
WS/FS): Prioritize macro-posture (stride pacing, body lean, silhouette rigidity, distance collapse).
4. Hand-Specific Tracking & Prop Interaction
Always specify which hand performs an action to maintain object permanence across the sequence: - [ACT] Rosa hauls the chained chest with both hands wrapped tightly in links - [ACT] Felix reaches up with his left hand to adjust the bridge of his wire glasses - [ACT] Evan rubs his forehead with his left wrist, vintage watch visible
5. Sequential Action Stacking
Multiple [ACT] tags can be chained sequentially to direct micro-beats within the same unbroken shot: [CAM 01] -> [ACT] Mark pivots toward stage right -> [ACT] Mark snaps the folded paper against his thigh -> [AUDIO] Sharp paper slap