DIRECTOR IN MOTION PICTURE PRODUCTION… (In the Entertainment industry. Director)

Director Clint Eastwood on Million Dollar Baby / Photo Credit: Thomas Film Blog - Clint Eastwood

DIRECTOR IN MOTION PICTURE PRODUCTION… (In the Entertainment industry. Director)

Bruce Bisbey…please follow me at: https://dumbdogproductionsllc.blogspot.com or https://www.facebook.com/DumbDogProductionsLLC/ thank you.

Director in Motion Picture Production

The director is the ultimate creative voice of a film; he or she holds the core vision of the project and leads the cast and crew through preproduction, principal photography, and post-production. Like a general on the field of battle, the director sees the whole picture, and is the one who plans strategy, delegates’ tasks, and inspires the troops to achieve the goal.

A film director is a person who directs the making of a film. A film director controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the screenplay (or script) while guiding the technical crew and actors in the fulfillment of that vision. The director has a key role in choosing the cast members, production design, and the creative aspects of filmmaking.] Under European Union law, the director is viewed as the author of the film.

The film director gives direction to the cast and crew and creates an overall vision through which a film eventually becomes realized, or noticed. Directors need to be able to mediate differences in creative visions and stay within the boundaries of the film's budget.

There are many pathways to becoming a film director. Some film directors started as screenwriters, cinematographers, film editors or actors. Other film directors have attended a film school. Directors use different approaches. Some outline a general plotline and let the actors improvise dialogue, while others control every aspect, and demand that the actors and crew follow instructions precisely. Some directors also write their own screenplays or collaborate on screenplays with long-standing writing partners. Some directors edit or appear in their films, or compose the music score for their films.

Duties

In most cases, the director selects crew heads like the DP (an important hire, and often the person who works most closely with the director to achieve his vision), assistant directors, second unit directors, and an editor. These staffing decisions must be approved by the producer and may be written into the director’s deal memo. Likewise, the director is usually given the discretion to fire and replace crewmembers as needed.

During preproduction the director is provided with the shooting script, any pertinent supporting material, and a detailed budget. She or he may have the authority to make changes to the script and works with the producer, DP, unit production manager (or line producer), to establish a shooting schedule, determine locations, and hire production crew. The director also collaborates with a casting director to cast the actors, usually subject to the producer’s approval. Decisions on costume and set design, cameras, and all other creative elements fall to the final approval of the director and are determined during preproduction.

In addition to directing action in front of and behind the camera, this person is responsible for rehearsing the actors, establishing their blocking, and coaching their performance. During post-production the director supervises editing, dubbing, looping, and any pick-up shots that must be added. He or she is ultimately charged with delivering the finished product on time and on budget.

Skills & Education

Numerous notable directors have been quoted regarding their notions of the necessity of film school; reviews are mixed. Yes, a certain natural talent is required, but if you’re not related to Ron Howard or the Weinstein brothers, a college degree in film and television production is a valuable addition of skills to that inborn talent. This education will give you the necessary technical expertise in the operation of production gear (cameras, lighting, audio recording, grip equipment), as well as the theoretical knowledge of the art and technique of filmmaking. Courses in still photography, literature, and theater can also be worthwhile to someone who is expected to direct and interpret story, images, and performance. As for on-set skills, directors need to inspire their troops to perform—an ability to delegate efficiently while managing to keep an eye on all the moving parts is a necessity.

What to Expect

Membership in the Directors Guild of America is a requirement to work for signatories of the organization, which most major studios are. Rarely does one fall into the director’s chair without significant prior experience in the film and television industry, but a talented few find success with independent productions that leverage their life savings against a risky dream. Tarantino gained fame from his appearance at the Sundance Film Festival with his self-written project, Reservoir Dogs; Steven Spielberg was an assistant editor (not credited) on Wagon Train; and James Cameron worked as a miniature model-maker at Roger Corman Studios. The trick is to get noticed, either by rising through the ranks of the production crew or through screenings of your own independent work. Passion is of the utmost importance; it will push you through the uncertain times and inspire your ability to create.

A film director's task is to envisage a way to translate a screenplay into a fully-formed film, and then to realize this vision. To do this, they oversee the artistic and technical elements of film production. This entails organizing the film crew in such a way to achieve their vision of the film. This requires skills of group leadership, as well as the ability to maintain a singular focus even in the stressful, fast-paced environment of a film set. Moreover, it is necessary to have an artistic eye to frame shots and to give precise feedback to cast and crew, thus, excellent communication skills are a must.

Since the film director depends on the successful cooperation of many different creative individuals with possibly strongly contradicting artistic ideals and visions, he or she also needs to possess conflict resolution skills in order to mediate whenever necessary. Thus the director ensures that all individuals involved in the film production are working towards an identical vision for the completed film. The set of varying challenges he or she has to tackle has been described as "a multi-dimensional jigsaw puzzle with egos and weather thrown in for good measure". It adds to the pressure that the success of a film can influence when and how they will work again, if at all.

Generally, the sole superiors of the director are the producer(s) and the studio that is financing the film. The role of a director differs from producers in that producers typically manage the logistics and business operations of the production, whereas the director is tasked with making creative decisions. The director must work within the restrictions of the film's budget and the demands of the producer and studio (such as the need to get a particular age rating).

Directors also play an important role in post-production. While the film is still in production, the director sends "dailies" to the film editor and explains his or her overall vision for the film, allowing the editor to assemble an editor's cut. In post-production, the director works with the editor to edit the material into the director's cut. Well-established directors have the "final cut privilege", meaning that they have the final say on which edit of the film is released. For other directors, the studio can order further edits without the director's permission.

The director is one of the few positions that requires intimate involvement during every stage of film production. Thus, the position of film director is widely considered to be a highly stressful and demanding one. It has been said that "20-hour days are not unusual". Some directors also take on additional roles, such as producing, writing or editing.

Sources, References & Credits: Google, Wikipedia, Wikihow, WikiBooks, Pinterest, IMDB, Linked In, Indie Wire, Film Making Stuff, Hiive, Film Daily, New York Film Academy, The Balance, The Numbers, Film Maker, TV Guide Magazine, Media Match, Quora, Creative Skill Set, Investopedia, Variety, No Film School, Daily Variety, The Film Agency, Best Sample Resume, How Stuff Works, Career Trend, Producer's Code of Credits, Truity, Production Hub, Producers Guild of America, Film Connection, Variety, Wolf Crow, Get In Media,

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Director Clint Eastwood on Million Dollar Baby / Photo Credit: Thomas Film Blog - Clint Eastwood