Directing Fundamentals. Without a strong vision behind a story, a film will lose its focus. A film director needs to have an understanding of how each department contributes to the making of a film and how to best utilize the talents of all team members. The following 100 LEVEL blogs cover the role and responsibilities of a director in script development, pre-production, production, and post production. Read along to learn how to tell a story cinematically, use the camera as a tool, prepare a script analysis and engage in the casting and rehearsal process with actors.
“Embrace Limitations” ranked in the top ten tips from successful former film students. Film schools have rules and student projects have guidelines. Some ambitious students perceive any regulations foisted on them as punitive and unfair, but the realities that professional independent filmmakers face are reflected by most academic restrictions.
Learning to work within creative and financial guidelines is fundamental for success in film school. The same holds true in the industry. Whether it’s the page count of your screenplay, the length of your finished film, or the handful of minutes you get to pitch your idea, the industry will serve up similar constraints.
Time is a precious commodity that nobody wants to waste. You’ve likely heard of the elevator pitch, which is the very real prospect of having to promote your awesome film story in a minute or less. Stuff like this really happens — and when it does, you need to give it your best shot.
In life after film school, you may encounter a career-changing opportunity where you only have a few brief moments to impress a producer, a financier, or a ‘name’ actor who might consider taking your idea to the next level. Pitching takes practice, and school pitch sessions, ideally, are a safe place to learn.
Working within academic guidelines will help you build the problem-solving muscles you’ll need to thrive and succeed in the film industry.
It’s more productive to align with the standards and expectations of a student film project rather than railing against the rules. The film industry is a community of innovative artists working across a broad spectrum of specializations. Sustaining a creative career is about doing the most with what is given. That’s the definition of pushing the envelope.
