The Director... What exactly does he do?

DanielRutterFilms

DanielRutterFilms

Yea, sure... theres Wikipedia pages out there with the dictionary meaning of the word... but I'm not interested in that.

What EXACTLY is the directors job? Surely its not just saying "ok, you stand here... and you stand there... all ready? Roll camera.... take 1....ACTION".

Sidenote: Do you really need a chair with the words "director" all over it?
 
Sort by date Sort by votes
Not sure if anyone has said this but...

* It depends if the director is an 'actor's director' or not...depending on the answer to that statement, he or she will do different things...
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
BelangerRRRRRRR said:
Basically The director take decision on what all the departments directors suggest him based on his vision of the picture.
Click to expand...

That's a little confusing, but I assume you mean the Director has a vision, and he tells, say, the DP what he wants, and the DP does his or her own thing based on the Director’s vision? Another example being the Director tells the makeup guy what he wants the creature to look like, and he allows the art department to ‘suggest’ to him designs in that area?

So, it’s not really the Director that makes the decisions because the other departments are ‘suggesting’ (i.e. using the Directors suggestion and coming up with a product) to the Director how things look in the end?

Sounds a bit back-assward. Why not just say the Director has a vision, and he suggests to each department what he wants, and the departments use their own talent to create the Director’s vision. Directors can be as loose or as tight with their vision as they want (or their budget allows). Look at Ridley Scott…that dude won’t budge on his vision, and he hires people that can flesh it out the way he wants it. Other Director’s leave it entirely up to the departments for a suitable finished product.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
M1chae1 said:
That's a little confusing, but I assume you mean the Director has a vision, and he tells, say, the DP what he wants, and the DP does his or her own thing based on the Director’s vision? Another example being the Director tells the makeup guy what he wants the creature to look like, and he allows the art department to ‘suggest’ to him designs in that area?
Click to expand...

Yes exactly. :)

Basically the director gives the macro guides and the department Directors gives the micro guides. But, some Directors can become verrrrrrrry micro. But, Steven Spielberg said, if you want to be on schedule, trust the decisions of your team. Meaning do not overwrite Department Directors decision just to overwrite them because you are THE DIRECTOR. Steven leaned this on Saving Private Ryan (1998)

And if you look at some tyrant Directors ( Kubrick, Cameron) they go over schedule and, or, over budget, but, they delivered. If you go over budget or over schedule, be sure of what you are doing, because it can be your last project.
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0 Downvote
I agree with all the comments made before me but I would like to add a tiny bit more. The Director does decide on all creative visions of a project only limited by the Producers authority, yet he also sets the tone of the project. Mostly during the production stage though. The Director's attitude tells the whole cast, crew, and everyone how the project is going to run. I suggest watching all the behind the scenes of Lord of the Rings. It is truly amazing how Perter Jackson was able to inspire everyone to that level of detail and quality.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
A director is the man with the answers to a million questions. An efficient director will have the answers in a matter of seconds. Basically there is no time to think. The minute you flinch you will lose faith from your crew.
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0 Downvote
MrBoss said:
A director is the man with the answers to a million questions. An efficient director will have the answers in a matter of seconds. Basically there is no time to think. The minute you flinch you will lose faith from your crew.
Click to expand...

Key word being efficient-I've seen some "directors" in theatre who didn't have a clue ;)


I agree though that the Director is the one expects to take care of things. The director has to have the appearance to the cast of being in total control (even though he/she may be as confused as everyone else).

A good director may have a vision, but also be open to ideas from others, from anywhere, and work with it if it works better to them IMO. When in theatre, I found the good directors were the ones who didn't mind a "what about this" from someone as a suggestion. They don't have to take it, but at least not outright reject it.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
I guess the question is anwsered by now....

From my own experience with directing: sometimes it's like conducting an orchestra.
You have to make sure all pieces together are in tune.
Once I had to shoot 2 different groups of actors in 1 frame. Timing was really important, so I was directing with a stopwatch. In preproduction I made a moving storyboard, so I knew what timeframe I had (commercials have timelimits...).
First I directed 1 group to make sure their timng was good, then the second group.
Next step was to combine the 2 and get the timing right.
After rehearsing a few times we shot it.
This example was with a static camera and no 'emotional acting'; it was more or less pure mise-en-scene.

Another project I did wasn't really about interaction between actors, but I wanted certain emotions. So this time I was directing more like: "I want a little more anger, but not too much." lol
At the same time the camera was on a dolly circeling around, so I had to make sure the speed and position were as I wanted it (and the project needed it that way...).

I don't have a chair.... :grumpy:
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
WalterB said:
I guess the question is anwsered by now....

From my own experience with directing: sometimes it's like conducting an orchestra.
You have to make sure all pieces together are in tune.
Once I had to shoot 2 different groups of actors in 1 frame. Timing was really important, so I was directing with a stopwatch. In preproduction I made a moving storyboard, so I knew what timeframe I had (commercials have timelimits...).
First I directed 1 group to make sure their timng was good, then the second group.
Next step was to combine the 2 and get the timing right.
After rehearsing a few times we shot it.
This example was with a static camera and no 'emotional acting'; it was more or less pure mise-en-scene.

Another project I did wasn't really about interaction between actors, but I wanted certain emotions. So this time I was directing more like: "I want a little more anger, but not too much." lol
At the same time the camera was on a dolly circeling around, so I had to make sure the speed and position were as I wanted it (and the project needed it that way...).

I don't have a chair.... :grumpy:
Click to expand...


Shall we take up a collection? ;) I'd give you mine, but I'm sitting on it......:D
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top