Need Help: Practical Redirects for Over-Thinking Actors?

Hey everyone,

I'm Grace Nakamura, a CD currently working on a dramedy where we’re seeing some fantastic talent, but occasionally an actor gets a little in their head, over-intellectualizing a moment. We've all heard the cliche 'make it better' note is useless, and I really strive to give actionable feedback.

I've tried things like 'find the rhythm of the dialogue' or 'ground yourself in the space,' but sometimes that still feels a bit abstract when they're truly stuck. I’m looking for more concrete, almost physical tasks or 'mirror notes', things that directly translate to an immediate, non-intellectual adjustment.

For example, if a scene requires urgency but they're too thoughtful, what’s a physical note that instantly shifts that? What are your go-to, practical notes for actors who are over-analyzing a scene and just need to do something different?