Hollywood Dreams Guide to becoming a Movie Director
It takes more than talent to become a successful filmmaker. It also takes dedication, a network of people, and a general knowledge of the responsibilities a director has. Here is a true guide you must read before deciding if directing is perfect for you!
WHAT DOES A DIRECTOR ACTUALLY DO?The Director is the man behind it all. He or she is responsible of the assurance of making quality entertainment, including costume approval, lighting, mood, choosing actors, and performance & styles of the actors.Oftentimes, the director is also the screenwriter.The director also answers to the producers and financers. Directing in that aspect can mean hard work and lots of money. But You gotta spend money to make money,' right?
The only tools a director needs are his subjects- The ideas he would like to demonstrate, and the actors with proper talents. Cinematographers, Lighting Directors, and Directors of Photography are in charge of cameras, their angles, lighting, and et cetera.
ON THE JOB?While making a film, anything can happen that directors must deal with. Adverse weather conditions on an outdoor set can push back schedules by an entire week.Suppose the lead actor became too sick to do the film for a while. It would be a shame to hire another actor for a part he obviously wasn't good enough to play. But the director has to decide if the original actor is worth waiting for or not.With this being said, a director's working conditions can range from Perfect to Disastrous, and can change in a matter of minutes
DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES?Anyone looking for a career in entertainment, film, or any division in the arts should be able to see different sides of things. They should be interested or talented in aesthetics and should think out of the box. If not, all of the individual's films would be boring and repetitive!Directing requires visualizing and communication!
Any average Joe can tell a person what to say in front of a camera. But it takes a true director to be able to create magic with imagination, perception, and with the help of technology.
IS SCHOOL NECESSARY?You do not necessarily need to go to film school to be a successful director. Though film schools help with everything you need to make a film, they don't always provide the actual experience of going out into the world and making a movie. Even after film school, you are not promised a job. It takes a lot of work to become known, and unless you are good, finding someone to fund and produce your work can be a struggle.A lot of famous directors just STARTED. They had an idea for a film and had a camera. For some people, they're good enough to only need that. Once they send their low-cost, self-produced film to a festival, they become noticed. And it's uphill from there on.It may be a good choice to go to higher-level schooling [or film school], to be able to have access to everything you need for free. But if you are lucky enough, you can become successful without it.The purpose of having a job is to make an income while doing something you enjoy. So make sure spending money for school and the money for funding and/or your films is worth it.
BATHING IN DOLLAR BILLS?A beginning director can make any amount of money, whether it be 2 million or 50,000. It all depends on the cost of the movie production itself, the amount you must pay your crew, and how much the film makes in the box office. As you become more experienced, more people go to see your films, thus, more earnings.Experienced directors usually make a lot more, running in the millions [per film].
Additional Benefits?You must become a part of the Director's Guild of America to receive retirement.Directors rarely get overtime. They are on a flat salary per week of the production.It only takes a few months for the director to do his job on-set, so vacations are not provided or paid for.
There you have it, people. The reality that is Directing.
