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.
Your first day on set as a director will undoubtedly be memorable.
Every day of film production requires you to have a plan. The question is: can the scheduled work be completed in the allotted time?
Whatever happens, you’ll walk away knowing a lot more about your actors, yourself, and the challenges of directing.
Read MoreAfter all the planning, preparation, meetings, auditions, rehearsals, location scouts, etc. – the first day of principle photography is what all the work has been about.
Your script analysis, thumbnail frames, shotlist, schematics, and meetings with your creative keys have helped build the plan for the production.
Pre-thinking performance notes and details are a vital part of the playbook.
Read MoreFilms are rarely shot in chronological order. Creating the production plan, crafting an efficient schedule, and deciding on the best order for shooting your film is done with your assistant director.
There are many puzzle pieces to a shooting schedule. Weather forecasts, location access, equipment availability, and actor availability can all create logistical challenges. A well-organized schedule lets you get the work for the day done in the allotted time with strong performances and a sense that everyone is pleased with their efforts.
Take care when building your schedule. It will pay off with a good directing experience.
Read MoreAs the production moves from pre-production into principle photography, the shotlist is tremendously helpful. It shapes the schedule, clarifies the equipment that is needed, and many other important details that contribute to managing a smooth-running show.
Every director has their own process for pre-visualizing their story, but creating a written plan helps build confidence in the decision-making that happens on set.
Read MoreIn 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.
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