Cinema Cemetery
How to become a Movie Director!
Disclaimer:
The following is my own opinion and not the opinion of any studios I have worked for in the past or will work for in the future.
You want to direct movies.
Not to be too cynical but nearly every person working every job in the film industry wants to direct. I want to direct and I’m a matte painter, most the people I work with want to direct too! Heck, in LA you can go to any restaurant in town and have an “up and coming director” take your order.
So what do you do to stand out from the crowd?
The first pattern you’ll see among would-be filmmakers is that a lot of them talk a big game but have almost nothing to show for it. If you want to direct, then DIRECT. You should never have a time when you don’t have something in active development. The best way to learn is to fail and your first attempts will surely have their points of failure. But that’s how you learn, that’s how you improve. So the first thing you should do is make a ton of short films, if you don’t write yourself then find a friend who does or just adapt a public domain story and put your own spin on it!
I’m still on my journey towards being a professional director, right now I’m just a professional artist who directs on the side. I’m not personally super proud of my past shorts, but I do think that each new one is better than the last.
Focus on really connecting to your actors and working with them to get their best possible performances. It can be helpful when finding your voice as a director, to also learn more about acting. Get involved with your local theatre group and try your hand at acting yourself. Being on the other end of the director actor relationship as well as performing in front of a live audience can really open your eyes and improve your directing abilities overall. You might also want to try your hand at participating in improv or even doing some directing on the stage yourself.
These stage suggestions were given to me by someone in the industry I really respect, but I don’t have their permission to reveal who they are...just know that it’s good advice from someone who’s been there.
Through making your shorts you can slowly build a director’s reel, you’ll have to work with other people which will build your list of connections, you’ll hopefully build confidence, and your resume will start looking pretty snazzy as your list of completed films grows. Those working relationships you build along the way are crucial, you MUST be organized and fun to work with. Friends help friends get jobs, that’s life. If you’re rude, disorganized, or uncommunicative then you’re sawing the legs off your own career. Filmmaking is stressful, people TREASURE working with other who make the process fun. A good attitude is better for your career than being a perfectionist, ALWAYS.
I recommend making an IMDB profile for yourself and submitting your films to festivals so you can also add them to IMDB as well. This way you’ll begin building credits while you continue making films. I plan to keep making shorts while writing features, hopefully one day I’ll finally have a short I can be really proud of, I feel like I’m just around the corner from where I want to be. While making these short films I’ll keep pitching my feature scripts and outlines wherever and to whoever I can. That’s my plan, we’ll see how it works out but I’m in this for the long haul and if you’re a subscriber to this channel then you’ve also been along for the ride so far. Who knows what the future will bring!
Personal advice aside, what do established directors have to say about becoming a director?
“ ‘I don’t think there is any one route to directing…. Other than that I think you just have to think ‘By any means possible’ and take any job you can that will get you experience. I also did a lot for free. I got paid virtually nothing for my first film, but it changed my life.’ -Mary Harron” (2)
“ ‘Nothing is original. Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination. Devour old films, new films, music, books, paintings, photographs, poems, dreams, random conversations, architecture, bridges, street signs, trees, clouds, bodies of water, light and shadows. Select only things to steal from that speak directly to your soul. If you do this, your work (and theft) will be authentic. Authenticity is invaluable; originality is non-existent. And don’t bother concealing your thievery – celebrate it if you feel like it. In any case, always remember what Jean-Luc Godard said: ‘It’s not where you take things from – it’s where you take them to.’ – Jim Jarmusch” (1)
“ ‘I try to just make what I want to make or what I would want to see. I try not to think about the audience too much.’ Sofia Coppola” (2)
“ ‘I was frustrated because I just kinda didn’t know what I was here for. I didn’t know why I was put on this earth. I think other filmmakers are inherently more brilliant than me, but I know I can work harder than they can.’ – James Cameron” (1)
“ ‘Performers are so vulnerable. They’re frightened of humiliation, sure their work will be crap. I try to make an environment where it’s warm, where it’s OK to fail — a kind of home, I suppose.’ -Jane Campion” (2)
“ ‘I think you can study too much. I’ve seen that happen. Young people can immersed in the work of other directors and end up imitating them rather than finding their own identity. It’s important to see the work of as many director as possible, but you must not become self-conscious. You have to accept that your first attempts are going to be quite rough compared to the finished works of great masters.’ – James Ivory” (1)
“ ‘The most important job of the director is casting. If you can cast your film in an interesting way, then you’re 50 percent there. You gain [actors’] trust sometimes through the rehearsal process, through interactions with them, by getting to know them, listening to their opinions. It’s a little like being a therapist or a friend: Then once an actor trusts you, you can give criticism in a positive way, to shape the performance. lf you don’t have that trust relationship, it can be detrimental. On the other hand, I’ve worked with actors like Meryl Streep who are far more experienced than I am. In that case, it’s about working together to figure out who the ‘character’ is, but then trusting the actor’s instincts to be able to deliver that character onscreen.’ -Susan Seidelman” (2)
There is a wealth of information about directing out there, but the best teacher you’ll ever have is experience. No matter what, keep making movies and never give up on yourself.
I can’t wait to see what you do.
-Josh Evans
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