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I'd like to say I'm the unofficial expert on actor management because I work with a large group of unreliable, unpaid, immature, no attention span, and destructive actors. And I've made films with them. Before I get to the first thing on the actors, there's something we should all know about ourselves and about directors. There are two types of directors, there are leaders and there are planners. If you are not the type that can lead but you still want to direct than I recommend going the extra mile in the pre-planning department. Scripts that are highlighted and sent to actors a month ahead, and again a week ahead. Full storyboards (even stickman) on the set with you, basically full knowledge of what will happen each day of the shoot. If you're a leader don't worry about it, plan but allow yourself enough flexibility so you still sound authoritative when you're trying to be flexible. Ok so, the first thing that could help you if you have the time to spare and your actors are unpaid is get to know them. You can better manage an actor once you know both how they act and what they do when they're not acting (or when they're supposed to be acting). I'd like to think that aspiring actors that you recruit from the theater department are self motivated but have to be closely watched so they don't look directly into the camera. But the majority of unofficial and unpaid volunteers are your friends, your parents, and the worst: your siblings. So chances are you do know them pretty well already and you need to keep who they are in mind while you manage them. The next step is when you're on the set you've gotta be removed to some degree. I'm not saying zoned out, I'm saying when everyone's joking around you can laugh a little but they won't take you seriously if you chime in repeatedly and THEN try to get everyone together for a shot. Everyone can have their fun within limits; let people not in the shot goof off (quietly or far away), let friends make rude or silly comments and recognize them as funny but in most cases don't add to them. The key is to allow people to blow off steam or stay entertained without ruining shots or extending your schedule. This means picking out those who you need from a rowdy bunch on the set, letting the rest continue, and going off to do a shot. Some people get the VERY wrong idea of getting control of everyone around them, making them recall how extremely serious this situation is and telling them all to behave like adults. Let me reiterate this: THAT IS WRONG. I see it so much it makes me cringe, that's not good leadership. You can still be friendly and understanding but stern and down to business; everyone there is not required to be as involved as you are, just out of the way enough that you can get done what you need to (or in control of themselves enough to act out the part). Second part is the directors' burden and that is to get the shots set up before you drag actors into the mix. figure out the shot, where the actors will be, what they will be saying, what the lighting is and whatever else will be happening during the duration of your clip beforehand. To many directors like to drag in actors just to have them in place and then figure out where everything goes. It's no stretch of the imagination to visualize them. Even if you have semi-professionals that will stand there for 15 minutes as you decide what to do that doesn't mean it's nice. I know sometimes it's unavoidable and you need on or two key actors to act it out so you see how it looks, especially for moving shots but this should be a rare event. Another thing, if you need all your actors for a whole day of filming give them a couple of breaks; often times they'll ask to go get a glass of water or whatever and this is a great time to let everyone go get something rather than making them stand there in the ready position while one guy relaxes. If it was a tough shot to set up then tell them they can right after the take. For poorly thought out productions the first day of shooting is a great day to schedule the NEXT day of shooting rather than waiting till they're all home and trying to call them. Also with scheduling try to keep things close together, maybe one week of shooting (or two depending on size) and then they're done. People don't stick well to 3 months of off and on shoots for the same film generally. You know once you've read this you probably have a really good idea of what actors I work with. I'll take your sympathy if you want to leave anything in the comments.
