When you think of a director, you might picture someone in a baseball cap and jeans, barking orders into a megaphone. While this may be a part of the image, it is far from a complete picture of what directors do. Directing is an extremely demanding and complicated profession that requires a great deal of technical knowledge, storytelling skill, and leadership ability.
Directors take the written script of a play, feature film, or television show, and turn it into an audio-visual piece of art. They cajole, yell, plead, and soothe crew and cast members into creating a production that reflects their vision of how the material should be presented. Their job is to make the audience feel something, whether it’s anger, joy, or sadness.
Working with a key creative team that may include a producer, director of photography, and production designer, directors analyze the script and create a unique look and feel for the piece. Ultimately, it is the director who is responsible for every aspect of the production.
The director’s interpretation of the script shapes the hundreds of daily decisions that the creative team must make to complete the project. Directors must be able to describe their interpretation to the team in vivid detail, imparting their own passion for the material. They must also overcome all of the creative and technical challenges that arise during the production.
On the creative side, directors take part in the hiring of actors and work with them to bring out their best performances. They also choose the camera angles, visual style, and pace of the piece. They carry their vision from early pre-production preparations (the things that need to be done before filming starts) to post-production completion (the period after filming when the piece is edited and any necessary special effects are added).
In terms of the technical construction of the piece, directors must be sure that the crew is producing and capturing the sounds and images in a way that represents their vision. If there are questions regarding any aspect of the production, directors make the final decision. Their final word allows the production to move forward.
It is crucial for directors to know what they want and to take charge because they will have to take the heat if the movie or television show fails. Like managers of losing baseball teams, directors are often the first to go when problems or conflicts arise, especially when there are famous stars in the production.
Since many feature film directors begin their careers as editors, it is not unheard of for directors to take a hand in the cutting of the film. However, most successful directors respect their colleagues in key creative roles and work as a team leader, not a dictator, to get the job done.
Directors take the written script of a play, feature film, or television show, and turn it into an audio-visual piece of art. They cajole, yell, plead, and soothe crew and cast members into creating a production that reflects their vision of how the material should be presented. Their job is to make the audience feel something, whether it’s anger, joy, or sadness.
Working with a key creative team that may include a producer, director of photography, and production designer, directors analyze the script and create a unique look and feel for the piece. Ultimately, it is the director who is responsible for every aspect of the production.
The director’s interpretation of the script shapes the hundreds of daily decisions that the creative team must make to complete the project. Directors must be able to describe their interpretation to the team in vivid detail, imparting their own passion for the material. They must also overcome all of the creative and technical challenges that arise during the production.
On the creative side, directors take part in the hiring of actors and work with them to bring out their best performances. They also choose the camera angles, visual style, and pace of the piece. They carry their vision from early pre-production preparations (the things that need to be done before filming starts) to post-production completion (the period after filming when the piece is edited and any necessary special effects are added).
In terms of the technical construction of the piece, directors must be sure that the crew is producing and capturing the sounds and images in a way that represents their vision. If there are questions regarding any aspect of the production, directors make the final decision. Their final word allows the production to move forward.
It is crucial for directors to know what they want and to take charge because they will have to take the heat if the movie or television show fails. Like managers of losing baseball teams, directors are often the first to go when problems or conflicts arise, especially when there are famous stars in the production.
Since many feature film directors begin their careers as editors, it is not unheard of for directors to take a hand in the cutting of the film. However, most successful directors respect their colleagues in key creative roles and work as a team leader, not a dictator, to get the job done.