Ten things about directing films
| March 11th, 2009A buddy of mine has started to direct commercials and he asked me if I had advice for him. I thought of ten things and then thought it might be useful to post them here, in the ether:
- Always make sure there is film in camera
- The crew is actually making your film. Respect them and they will
respect you. - Friendship is irrelevant.
- Beautiful pictures are shot on happy sets.
- Always expect a fuck up.
- Pay big bucks for a great DP but keep loads spare for a genius editor.
- Storyboard 500 times before your shoot. But be prepared to change
your mind every second. - The director is the invisible energy on the set.
- The quality of the gear means less than the quality of the people.
- Directing is having three more shots to do and six minutes of
available light and being ready with an answer when the AD turns to
you and asks: “what do you want to do, Guv?”*
* Number 10, if I remember correctly, was once dispensed by David Fincher. I paraphrased from memory.
