creative writing — FILM EDUCATION

FILM EDUCATION

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.

Synergy is the goal

Bringing a film to life – and making it good – relies heavily on the script and the director. But the director is not working alone. There are many creative partners who align with the director, and two are of critical importance in pre-production and principle photography – the director of photographer and the production designer.

Working alongside the director, these two creative keys are responsible for crafting the visual images.

Blocking fundamentals for the beginning director

“Blocking’s up!” is the announcement you hear on set when the director, director of photography, and actors gather to walk through the dynamics of a scene and how it’s going to be shot. Blocking is essentially the choreography between the actor(s) and the camera.

There can be many moving parts to the blocking puzzle. Everyone who contributes to the shot needs to know what’s in the frame, what’s happening – and when it’s happening.

Script analysis fundamentals for the writer/director

In film school, more often than not, you will be tasked with writing your own script.

As the writer of the story, you still need to do a script analysis from the director’s perspective. Because of your expectations and writerly knowledge of the story, taking on the role of the director can create its own challenges.

Remember this: you will work just as hard to make a bad film as you will to make a good one. Good films start with a good script.

FILM EDUCATION

Film Directing 114: The Director's Creative Partnerships

Synergy is the goal

Film Directing 105: Blocking the Scene

Blocking fundamentals for the beginning director

Film Directing 104: Script Analysis II

Script analysis fundamentals for the writer/director