What Is
A Director?
The director is the person who shoots a film. He or
she is the person charged with walking the audience
through a story, in a way that is realistic, touching,
and entertaining. In other words, the director is the
person responsible for bringing a show to life. For
example, when a movie is being filmed, it is the
director's job to piece together the lighting, set,
props, backgrounds, camera angles and actor performances
necessary to make the film look good on the big screen.
The director is second in command, next to the
movie's producer. And while, other individuals may be
directly responsible for acting performances, lighting,
etc., the director is ultimately responsible for fitting
all those different pieces together.
What Are The Director's Primary
Responsibilities?
- Filming
- Casting
- Directions
- Arranging
- Editing
Filming
The director’s most important role comes in the form
of shooting the film. It is the director’s job to take
the scenes in the script and bring them to life. In
order to make that happen, the director must blend the
principal actors, supporting actors, lighting crew, set
designers, costume designers into one organized and
entertaining unit.
Casting
One of the first duties of the director is to
aide the casting director in selecting the right actors
to perform in the production. This is, of course,
extremely important. Failure to place the right actors
in the right parts can make or break a film.
Directions
The director is the primary person who gives
directions and suggestions to actors, often called
notes, about how they should perform. If an actor
performs his role in a way that doesn’t quite fit the
scene, for instance, it is the director’s job to mold
that performance into one that does fit. The director
must navigate through the egos of well-paid actors to
get the performance he feels will work best in the
scene.
Arranging
Producing a great scene includes producing great
scenery. In the end, the director is responsible for
looking into his camera and seeing what the audience
will eventually see. Therefore, the director must make
sure the lighting is right, the scenery is appealing,
the camera angles are appropriate and the movement is
stimulating.
Editing
Along with the director’s many roles, he must also
help to edit the film in the post-production phase
(after all the filming has taken place). Here, the
director will get his final chance to put the finishing
touches on what he hopes will be a successful,
entertaining film.