Movie Direction

Note the difference between a film director and a producer:

A film director controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects, and visualizes the script while guiding the technical crew and actors in the fulfillment of that vision. The producer initiates, coordinates, supervises, and controls matters such as raising funding, hiring key personnel, and arranging for distributors.

What is a Director?

Even though they may not appear in front of the camera, the director is one of the most important people on a film set. They do more than shout “action” and “cut” behind the scenes—they’re the person who determines the creative vision and makes all of the film’s biggest decisions. 

A director is a person who determines the creative vision of a feature film, television show, play, short film, or other production. They have complete artistic control of a project. In addition to having a strong grasp of technical knowledge taught in directing classes, they must also have a personal or emotional connection to the material.

Film directors work on a movie from conception to delivery, working with individuals in charge of lighting, scenery, writing, and so forth, to make sure all elements come together. They generally don't do post-production work, but are in charge of overseeing it.

A film director looking over the shoulder of a cameraman to see what is being captured on film.

In addition to having control over nearly every aspect of the movie, film directors also have a large role in the smaller technical aspects of the film. They read over the script to make sure it makes sense, decide where the actors are going to stand, and how they will move. Directors also help actors to better understand the characters they are playing by explaining the motivation behind a particular action, or painting a clearer picture of the character's back-story.

Once the editing team gets to work, the film director has the final say as to how the shots look and how they should be blended together. The director can also decide if the crew needs to do another take of a particular scene or scenes and when one scene should fade into the next.

Film directors also have the responsibility of handling most of the budgetary concerns of a film, figuring out how to make the movie work on a tight budget. This might involve hiring actors who will work for lower pay, asking family members or friends to help out with some of the behind-the-scenes work, or coming up with less expensive strategies for executing an idea.

The portrayal of the director can be phrased by the formula: Cinematography + Setting + Blocking + Acting + Editing = Directing.

Let’s look at the setting, lighting, blocking, costumes, characters, and dialogue and how they are expressed by the director in the cinematography, sound, and editing.

Most inexperienced (or experienced, but lazy) film directors spend the majority of their time figuring out how to shoot the film first (cool shots and creative camera angles) before understanding what the story is about and knowing what the characters really want.

To successfully direct a “visually compelling story with believable characters”, you need to follow this 7-step formula:

STEP 1: The Study of Human Behaviour 

The study of human behaviour is about:

a. What makes us tick?

b. Why do we do things?

Once you know the answers to these questions, you will have a better idea of how the characters in your script should interact with each other, as well as having the proper “psychological tools” to direct actors on the set.

The good thing about human behaviour is that it is observable, and as storytellers, we must first observe the way people react to different situations and circumstances in order to understand How and Why their behaviour changes.

As a film director, you must be a “witness” to human behaviour. You need to get into the habit of observing people going about their daily lives, so you can find out what motivates them to take action.

Once you know what motivates a person to achieve their daily needs, you will have the knowledge to better understand the story you are telling, and you will feel more confident helping your actors achieve believable performances.

STEP 2: Story

When you first read a script, here are just some of the many questions you will need to answer to help identify and solve potential script problems:

a. What is the story about?

b. Does the story make sense?

c. What problem is to be resolved?

d. What event hooks the audience?

e. What is the plot? (the action)

f. What is the subplot? (the theme)

Understanding the story requires a lot of work on your part because you then need to take dig deeper into the story and it’s structure by analysing each individual scene in the script to find out what it is about, what works and what doesn’t by asking questions like:

a. What is the intention of the scene?

b. What are the story points?

c. Where are the scene beats?

d. Where is the climax?

e. What is the resolution?

f. What are the important lines of dialogue?

Your script breakdown will be a never-ending process. Each time you read the script, you will find something else you didn’t know about the story or the characters.

And the script will also constantly evolve. It will change because of your creative notes, writer changes, actor changes, producer changes, studio changes and location availability.

But as long as you know what the story is about, and where the story is going, you will be able to adjust to all the changes.

STEP 3: Performance

You need to know about directing actors is explained in these three words:

1. MOTIVE (our inner world)

2. DETERMINES (controls)

3. BEHAVIOUR (our outer world)

And if we break them down even further, we see that:

What our needs are (MOTIVE)

Will decide (DETERMINES)

What actions we will take (BEHAVIOUR)

One of the main responsibilities of a Director is to help actors achieve a realistic performance, and a good director does this by “listening for the truth” and by always asking:

a. Do I believe them?

b. Do the words make sense?

c. Are the characters believable?

And the key to getting a realistic performance from an actor, is by first understanding a character’s objectives.

a. There should be one main objective per character per scene:

What do they want in the scene?

b. Objectives should be clear, concise and stated in one simple sentence: “To discover where the gun is hidden.”

How to choose objectives:

a. Ask yourself “What does the character want in this situation?”

b. A character’s objective should create obstacles for the character.

c. Look at what the character does (his behaviour) rather than what he says.

d. Look at what happens in the scene, and how it ends.

e. Look at what people want out of life: what are the things we will sacrifice everything for?

On the set, actors want to work with directors who understand their vulnerability, so it’s incredibly important to create a good relationship with every actor on your film.

And what do actors want more than anything from this relationship with the director? TRUST!

If actors feel they cannot trust the director to know a good performance from a bad performance, they will begin to monitor their own performances and  begin to direct themselves: they will become “Director Proof!”

Remember, to find the character they are playing, actors must surrender completely to feelings and impulses, and a good director understands an actor’s vulnerability and creates a safe place for them to perform.

STEP 4: The Principles of Montage

One of the key elements of being a good director, is to understand the “principles of montage” – the juxtaposition of images to tell a story.

By carefully using the juxtaposition of images, filmmakers were able to produce certain emotions from the audience by manipulating an actor’s performance.

As a film director, understanding the principles of montage will help you to: create a more visual script; to decide your camera placement; to block your scenes; and to get layered performances from actors.

STEP 5: The Psychology of the Camera

What I mean by the Psychology of the Camera are the visual meanings of shots and angles. In other words, where you put the camera can either enhance or detract the audience’s understanding of what the scene is really about, and what the characters are feeling. For example:

There are three angles of view for the camera:

a. Objective: The audience point of view. (The camera is placed outside the action.)

b. Subjective: The camera acts as the viewer’s eyes. (The camera is placed inside the action.)

c. Point of View: What the character is seeing. (The camera is the action.)

Audiences will assume that every shot or word of dialogue in a film is there to further the central idea, therefore, each shot you use should contribute to the story or the idea you are trying to convey.

Since viewer emotion is the ultimate goal of each scene, where you place the camera involves knowing what emotion you want the audience to experience, at any given moment in the scene.

STEP 6: Basic Blocking & Staging Techniques

Very simply, blocking is the relationship of the actors to the camera. Blocking is not about getting the dialogue correct or discussing an actor’s motivation – unless it directly involves the movement of an actor.

You start thinking of blocking as the choreography of a dance or ballet: all the elements on the set (actors, extras, vehicles, crew, equipment) should move in perfect harmony with each other.

Before you start to figure out your blocking plan, you must know these five things:

a. When, and where, were the characters last seen?

b. What is the last shot of the previous scene?

c. What is the first shot of the scene you are working on?

d. What is the last shot of the scene you are working on?

e. What is the first shot of the next scene?

Your blocking plan will also be determined by:

a. Whose POV is being expressed at the time? (Is it the writer’s, the character or the director?)

b. What distance are you from the subject? (What is the size of shot: close or far?)

c. What is your relationship to the subject? (What is the angle of view – your choice of lenses?)

When you first start directing, blocking a scene can be one of the hardest parts of your job. But like anything else in life, blocking takes practice, and the more times you do it, the more comfortable you will become.

STEP 7: Technical

By technical, I mean everything else it takes to make a movie!

(Locations, Cinematography, Editing, Sound, Costumes, Stunts…)

The majority of the filmmaking process into one category, but without understanding the first 6 steps of this formula, you are setting yourself up for “filmmaker mediocrity” – which is writing unimaginative scripts with unbelievable characters that create boring and dull films.

Making feature was one of the most difficult and rewarding experiences. For that you have to :

1. Feel it.

2. Find your key frames.

3. Your film is only as good as your collaborators.

4. Make a lookbook.

5. Know your film’s spine.

6. Help your actors build characters before coming to set.

7. Always carry a pocketful of toys.

8. Over-prepare, then leave it all behind.

9. Understand everyone’s job.

10. Be open to ideas, and protect your initial inspiration.

11. You set the tone.

12. Don’t compromise (until the last minute)

What does a Film Director do?

A film director is in charge of the three main phases of filmmaking — pre-production, production and post-production.

What Does a Director Do During Pre-production?

Assemble a team. The first people you’ll need are a line producer, production designer, location manager, cinematographer, and assistant director.

Create your vision for the film and communicate it to your crew. Establish a visual language for your film by creating a lookbook. Fill it with reference images to help you articulate your ideal color palette, locations, and framing. It helps to reference other films that inspire you.

Discuss your vision with each key crew member individually. Your vision affects every department differently. For example, if you say, “I want it to feel like the character is isolated,” that affects lens choice, lighting, and music. Learn to speak the language of every department so you can successfully communicate what you need from them.

Make casting choices. You can change many of your decisions along the way, but casting is the least flexible in terms of making last-minute changes. Before you cast an actor, it’s important that they understand the story you’re telling. They should be someone you trust to prepare the role to the best of their ability and who is willing to be flexible and collaborate with you.

What Does a Director Do During Production?

Guide the actors through scenes. It’s your job to help inform and shape their performances, so give the actors positive but specific (and short) praise and/or notes after every take. Make sure you’re on the same page about who the characters are and what they want in each scene.

Ensure every department is doing its job. You’re the person who is most familiar with every part of the production. You must make sure every department is doing its job and working together to bring the film to life.

Communicate with everyone as much as possible. Directing is a collaborative process. Having open communication with every team is vital to making the best film possible so everyone feels comfortable speaking up and knows exactly what they need to be doing.

Keep your artistic vision alive. Continue to check in with every department, from the producers to the actors to the crew, about what you need from them in order to translate your creative vision to the screen.

What Does a Director Do During Post-production?

Give notes to the editor. Review the editor’s cuts, break down the footage, and find the shots, angles, and takes that add the most meaning.

Check in with post-production teams. Work with the sound design team, the music supervisor, and the visual effects team to ensure every postproduction decision is in line with your overall vision.

Give final signoff. You have complete creative control, and it’s up to you to determine when a project is finished.

What is the workplace of a Film Director like?

Film directors are typically under an enormous amount of stress, since they make most of the decisions, and those decisions ultimately determine whether the film will be a success or not.

The entire production process of a film can take over a year. The production phase is the busiest and most time-consuming period. The work schedule can vary considerably — for example, ten hours on Monday and then an entirely different set of hours on Tuesday. Working on weekends and evenings is often part of the schedule as well.

The post-production phase is less hectic, giving directors an opportunity to look for their next project.

Like a stage director, a movie director tells the actors how to play a particular scene, sets the scene for a specific type of mood, and moves the actors around for a particular effect. In the above definition, the word setting is referring to the specific atmosphere created by the props, location, scenery, and costumes.

The directing of cinematography includes both the camera shots and the lighting to obtain both a particular type of effect and mood. The director also has control over the editing to create the pace, rhythm, coherence, story, and character development they and the producer want.

Finally, most directors are involved with the sound for the movie, especially the dialogue, ambient noises, and sound effects. Many directors have their individual style, so we can often recognize when a specific director is responsible for a movie. 

And if you have a story that has Universal themes, and the passion to tell this story, you can make a movie, in your own language, and audiences around the world will watch it.