Director

A film director is precisely what the name suggests: a person who directs films. The film director usually controls a film’s dramatic and artistic aspects. They bring the script to life while guiding the actors and technical crew to fulfill their vision of the script. They play a large role in the hiring process of these actors and technical crew, looking for people who can help best capture the director’s artistic vision. They ensure the film gets made on time and within budget.

Education

Before you take any course or enrol in any film school program, start by watching films. While this sounds simple, it is a great starting point. Study all aspects of films. You can also start making short films your friends. Buy a cheap camera if you don’t already have one. It’s the quality of film that matters, not the production. It is then time to decide if you want to attend film school. The University of Southern California offers a Directing Intensive summer program that lasts about two weeks (https://cinema.usc.edu/summer/classes.cfm?s=d&id=7). The University of California, San Diego offers a directing graduate program (https://theatre.ucsd.edu/academics/graduatePrograms/directing.html). After you’ve completed your film program, you need to get a job in the field and study everything you can. Work as a production assistant, intern, or enrol in a training program (such as one offered by the Directors Guild of America) to get your foot in the door. Directing educational films, commercials or music videos is a great way to get experience. You will want to raise money to make an independent film, and enter it into various film festivals and hope you get discovered.

Job Description

Directors are responsible for making many artistic decisions and must be comfortable with all the technical skills involved in producing a television show or film. Directors choose where the film will be shot, the angles of the cameras, the setting of individual scenes, and the actions of each actor. The director may help produce a screenplay with the screenwriter, and then creates the shooting script, which contains directions for filming each scene. The director also divides the script into a schedule, usually by day. They create this schedule while taking into account budget limitations and physical limitations of both the cast and crew. During the film process, the director advises and coaches the actors while giving instructions to the technical staff. After the day’s work is done, the director watches what was filmed that day. This helps give them a sense of how the film is progressing and to see if they need to reshoot a scene.

Pros & Cons

There are tremendous opportunities for travel as a director, especially if they decide to shoot on location. A castle in Northern Ireland may be a perfect setting for a fantasy film. A beach in the Caribbean may be ideal for a romantic comedy. As a director, you will get to travel all over the world, and often get to decide the exact location. There is projected growth in the field (about 10% over the next decade). And of course, there is the potential for fame. Great directors are extremely well known and admired. As a director, you will get to work with many celebrities and famous actors, which can be a very exciting experience. There is a lot of stress that comes with being a director, however. Deadlines and budget limitations help contribute to this stress. You may have to handle difficult actors or actresses. You are responsible for the entire film, and must make sure each aspect of that film is coming together properly and on time. When you first start out the inconsistent work may require you to find another job to provide some sort of income, especially since directing is a competitive field. Lastly, while working on projects you may work extremely long hours to ensure you meet every deadline.