LOS ANGELES, May 12 -- Tom Cruise has criticised modern film schools for failing to teach young actors the technical skills needed to succeed in cinema.

The Hollywood veteran said many up-and-coming actors do not understand basics like cameras, lighting or editing, unlike past stars such as Jack Nicholson and Marlon Brando.

He said actors must learn how visual tools influence storytelling and emotions, urging them to spend time in editing rooms and study film composition.

"Nicholson and those guys who came up with him understand that lens," Cruise said at a British Film Institute event in London.

"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 ...