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Cut, print... it's perfect!

Film directing is one of the most recognizable jobs in the world. But what does the director actually do? I think ultra-low-budget guru Dov Simens said it best. "The director gets the coverage!" Bingo. Coverage: the images and sounds needed to turn a written scene into a smooth visual narrative. Collecting them is the heart of this job.

Good Prep = Good Shoot

Every project requires some degree of preproduction: days, weeks, sometimes months. Much of this is the production manager's job (see Producing), and involves a super-size portion of technical and logistical details. The director's prep is another matter.

For the director, preproduction means visualizing the piece so clearly that when shooting begins, he or she can instruct the cast and crew with a minimum of discussion. The amount of prep varies with the project. When shooting a simple sales role play, I don't do much more than read the script, work out the camera angles and cast the actors. For a documentary packed with unknowns, I research the locations, people and background.

For a dramatic piece shooting on virtual set (green screen) preproduction is another matter entirely. Here, I create scene diagrams, noting the position of all actors, props and structures in the virtual space, the direction of the key light, and the camera angles, motion paths and eyelines for each shot. Make no mistake: inadequate prep leads to a meandering, inefficient shoot, frayed nerves, and a budget leaning heavily toward the red.

Lights and Camera

Preproduction is especially important when the work calls for something challenging: a difficult camera move, emotional dialogue, or split-second timing. I'm proud to say that I manage such things very well indeed. One of my favorite directors of photography, Jim Higgenbotham, calls me Dangerous Don, because I tend to push the envelope of what a crew can accomplish in one day. And in case you were wondering...

I always get the coverage.