Becoming a director?

drc

drc

Hey every one,

Similar to my favorite film maker, Woody Allen, I am interested in directing independent feature films based on screenplays that I've created on my own. I'm not interested in becoming a "director-for-hire" (I doubt that's the proper term but I hope I'm making my point.)

To become a director of this nature, which of the following is the "common" path to take?

1. Learning all aspects of directing (directing, cinematography, editing, etc) and making short films and low-budget full-length films, submitting them to festivals, and hoping to get noticed.

2. Getting any job you can get at film production company or studio and networking and working your way to the top.

3. Creating a portfolio of shorts that you've created and using them when you try to raise money for your own films?

4. Something else?


Any help you guys could offer would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Zain
 
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Well everyone wants to work for themselves and make their own movies with their own ideas. But making your own movies costs a lot of money, which most people don't have.

I'm starting out myself and I'm following the same path.

I'm going to school to basically learn as much as I can about filmmaking ( lighting, camera techniques, editing, vfx, and to make a few contacts for the future. )

While at school, I'll try to get a job as a director's assistant, camera man or some stagehand type job to get some hands-on work. I think there are programs that allow you to shadow a director.

At the same time you're at school and working a job, make short films on your own time. Keep at it and enter them at festivals. Hopefully you win money.

Eventually, when you have enough money and experience at filmmaking (this might take years), try to make an independent feature. This will have to be a proper movie with hired actors and a decent budget to work with.

At this point, if you're good, you'll get recognition and people can give you grants for future works.

I don't know if this answers your questions but that's my plan.
 
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Start making as many shorts as you can. They can be cheap, focus on different aspects of the project. Simultaneously, you'll be working on your writing skills. Also, be saving money.

Once you have the swing of things, write a great story that takes place in only one or two cheap locations featuring only a few actors. Spend your saved money to make that feature length movie and enter it into as many festivals as possible and show it to as many people as possible. If it's truly fantastic, and I mean truly fantastic, it'll eventually get noticed.

Once you've proven yourself, it's easy to make your next movie on someone else's dime.

This all swings on talent though. It can be developed talent to an extent, but it's got to be a great story that can be shot cheap enough but still look good enough for distribution. Not easy :)

Or, marry money and skip straight to the someone else's dime part and pay experts to help you out. Winning the lottery and bank robbery are equally "viable" routes.
 
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