Value of the Director

[Mike Smith]

This client may be beyond help … I guess you just need to be very clear on what’s the crew’s responsibility and what’s up to them if they don’t have you supply a director.

[Michael Griggs]

I would say the director is like the Editor, except he’s actually on set. His responsibility is to make sure the message is delivered, the same way the Editor’s job is to make sure it’s coherent.

Or you could put it this way….When the footage is delivered to Post, and some critical piece is missing/jumbled/down-right-wrong, he’s the one who gets blamed, cuz it was his responsibility to make sure everything necessary was all there correctly before calling the shoot wrapped.

Or in the case of a one-man-band that shoots and edits, you look in the mirror and say, “get your S#*! together!”

🙂

[Todd Terry]

Well I logged in to write my response, but then realized I’m too dumbfounded to do so.

“There’s all these people here in the operating room… do we really need the surgeon? Seems like a wasted expense.”

T2

__________________________________
Todd Terry
Creative Director
Fantastic Plastic Entertainment, Inc.
fantasticplastic.com

[Malcolm Matusky]

Director! they don’t push any buttons on the equipment! Useless… don’t films make themselves?

I watched an industrial recently, the production company was Florida based, they hired a local shooter to interview at a doctors clinic, shoot some b-roll and ship the footage back to Florida. The editor used more stock footage than was shot on location and the “interview” was pathetic, the subject was looking off camera and never connecting with the audience, mostly voice over was used to tell people how great the doctor was, hardly believable. No one from the “production company” ever went to the location, they made a “profit” and the “loss” was the clients.

I do not know how some people can operate like that, I’m 100% involved with my projects. They must have had a fantastic salesman to pitch that project.

Malcolm
http://www.malcolmproductions.com

[Greg Ball]

Interpreting the script and making it into a video. This can involve planning locations, shots, pacing, acting styles and anything else which affects the feel of the video.

Overseeing the shooting and technical aspects, including lighting, sound, framing, etc.
Coaching actors and non professional talent and directing them towards the best and most believable performance
Coordinating the staff on set, directing the shooting timetable and ensuring that deadlines are met.

All of this takes knowledge and experience.

[Mark Suszko]

I would describe the Director’s role in terms of the General Contractor on a house-building project. He knows a lot about each of the sub-contractor’s jobs, knows what they need and when. Because of that knowledge, he can communicate the client’s needs and the Director’s overall vision for the project to each member of the team. He coordinates these subs and the crew while keeping the overall vision of the project intact. Where there are differences of opinion or aesthetics, or problems pop up, its the Director’s personal vision that rules and keeps the effort unified.

You could also go with a team captain sports metaphor.

[Todd Terry]

Curiosity is getting the best of me about Rich’s original post…

In the original shoot… if there was no “director,” was there at least a producer? Who was calling the shots (if it was the producer, then they were the defacto director)? I’ve yet to see a leaderless film crew suddenly break out and start making a movie.

At minimum there is someone making it happen (even if it is badly)… whether it be the producer, the camera operator acting as his or her own director, or someone…

T2

__________________________________
Todd Terry
Creative Director
Fantastic Plastic Entertainment, Inc.
fantasticplastic.com

[Rich Rubasch]

It was the client…then the brazen CFO came in and started asking his own questions….then the COO came in over his shoulder and said they might try it this way….and so on.

We got such a jumbled mess of sound bites that we didn’t make a compelling video….but we did it with their budget (which didn’t include a director).

We saw the questions in advance, we had a DP, Gaffer sound and makeup…then the client did their best to ask the questions and make the guy (their co-worker) feel comfortable and answer the questions….they just didn’t know exactly how to make sure we got good stuff that would work in edit.

Then there is the fact that they thought they knew what the purpose of the video would be, but that changed after they saw the interview.

Rich Rubasch
Tilt Media Inc.
Video Production, Post, Studio Sound Stage
Founder/President/Editor/Designer/Animator
https://www.tiltmedia.com

[Malcolm Matusky]

If the “client” was also the producer, and hired you as technical crew, then they got what they deserved, even if they are stupid.

“Just because you can watch T.V; doesn’t mean you can make it!”

I’m a producer/director, no “client” of mine would ever be permitted to “ask questions” or provide direction, that’s my realm, if they don’t like it then I walk. If they don’t’ like the film “they” made, they are going to blame you anyway and you won’t work there again. I don’t’ make crap, and when the “client” directs his own film, that’s the only thing they can make.

I have asked, tersely, employees to leave the set. I am not there to please anyone, I’m hired to make a film. If the film is not good enough to show on my personal website, why did I make it? For money? it’s easier to make money doing something else than filmmaking.

A note from a client this morning…

“This is extraordinarily well done, Malcolm. Thank you SO much. Pat already has
it up on his Facebook, with a gazillion comments from friends and relations.

You are extremely talented. I think we need to put you up as one of our
associates – if you are OK with that – just send me a blurb and a picture, and
your professional contact information. 🙂

Martha

You don’t get reactions like this from “clients” or the audience if you let them direct and produce, it will never happen. Part of being a “consultant” =filmmaker/producer/director; is to tell (TELL) the client when they are being stupid and to back off and let you do your job without them screwing up the project. I really don’t care if they “like me” I’m there to do a job; I’ve been out of grammar school for decades, all I care about is doing great work and collecting a check and going on to the next client.

M

Malcolm
http://www.malcolmproductions.com

[Mark Suszko]

If the crew is like an orchestra, the DP is like the First Chair Violin and the Director, the Conductor. You can have the First Violin take over in the absence of a conductor, it usually happens for practice sessions. But you don’t get the same result as the real thing.