London [UK], May 13 : Actor Tom Cruise urged the actors to learn about the craft of filmmaking while receiving a British Film Institute fellowship at the annual BFI Chair's Dinner in London on Monday.
According to Variety, the A-list actor bemoaned film schools for failing to teach production tools and filmmaking technology to aspiring actors.
He believes that actors must know about "lighting" and "camera blocking" to become good performers.
"It is important to understand the tools around you. There is tech. It is like understanding the stage as an actor, but for a lot of artists it is not taught in film school: how to understand the lens and what it can do, and why there is eye movement and recognise the effect it has," said Tom Cruise as quoted by Variety.
While addressing the attendees at the BFI Chair's dinner, Tom asked the actor to spend time in the "editing room" and study "old movies" to use them for their benefit, as many great actors like Marlon Brando did during their time.
"I always tell actors: spend time in the editing room, produce a movie, study old movies, recognise what the composition is giving you, know what those lenses are, understand the lighting and how to use it for your benefit. Understand the art form to that degree. Brando absolutely understood lighting; all the greats did," said Tom Cruise as quoted by Variety.
The actor Cruise is so adamant about actors learning filmmaking craft that he put together his own six-hour film school video to show up-and-coming performers, reported Variety.
The BFI Fellowship recognises Cruise's achievements as an extraordinary, versatile actor whose career has spanned everything from critically acclaimed dramas and romances to dark thrillers and high-octane action films.
It also considers the huge contribution by the actor to the UK film industry, as he chose to shoot numerous films, including many Mission: Impossible films, on location in London, Birmingham, North Yorkshire, the Lake District, the Peak District, and more.
Meanwhile, Cruise's next studio tentpole is his last 'Mission: Impossible' movie, 'The Final Reckoning,' in U.S. theatres on May 23 from Paramount Pictures.