Directions | Contextual Research: Directing

In order to gain a better understanding of the practical and logistical side of directing, I read chapters of 'Producing and directing the short film and video' by Peter W. Rea and David K. Irving.  Rea and Irving have worked in the film and television industry for over 30 years; Rea's earliest credit was in 1981 as producer for 'King Cobra'; Irving's earliest credit was in 1980 as writer for an episode of 'Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color'.  The book covers the entire filmmaking process, from both the perspective of the producer and the director and so was useful in providing an insight into how the script becomes the finished product.

I focused on chapters surrounding logistics, such as locations, scheduling, lighting, and sound as I felt I was unsure as to how to approach these aspects of directing.

With regards to scheduling, Rea and Irving recommend grouping locations so to complete all scenes in one location before moving on, which saves time and money.  You must also bare in mind how long it takes to set up and pack away all equipment, also to save time: time and proximity should be key factors when choosing locations.  Communication is also absolutely vital so that everybody involved knows where they need to be, how long they need to be there and what they need to do.

"Organising and executing a quick and efficient move of the entire production company is an art unto itself"

As I have also learned from the workshops with Steve Finn, continuity is vital, so a director must aim to complete as many interior shots as possible so that there is enough coverage of a scene to make the action flow together.  They also stress that the director must examine the script for any special circumstances that will have an impact on the schedule - just off the top of my head, I know that I will need to leave time to schedule applying and removing practical effects, such as makeup and fake blood.

With regards to lighting and sound, Rea and Irving suggest that when scouting locations, you must consider:

• How will the scene be lit?
• Where is the light source?
• Will daylight or any other lighting have an impact on the mood you want?
• Is there enough space to place the lighting equipment?
• Is the location quiet?
• Can you hear traffic/any consistent noise and is there any way to silence these sounds?

Locations and their details set the tone for the film:

"Sometimes a key detail in the frame solidifies the credibility of a scene"

The flowers and clock in my opening scene come to mind when thinking of seemingly small details in the set.

Rea and Irving also advise that the director should consult the actors on things like the costume and props for their creative input: they are playing your characters and so to properly embody them, they should be able to provide their insight on how the characters should appear in the scene.

Whilst this is something I have already done in the past, Rea and Irving emphasise the importance of a shot list so that you know which specific shots you have filmed and have not filmed.  This is a very useful and straightforward practise that makes the shooting process run a lot smoother in my opinion, so this is definitely something I will continue to do.

Lastly, I wanted to read their advice on working with sound, as this is something I had trouble with in my previous shoot.  Here are a few of their recommendations when it comes to recording sound:

• Record 'clear' dialogue and avoid background noise in the voice track
• Match sound perspective with the camera angle
• Record sound effects to accompany the shot
• Record room tone (or wild track)
• Record the scene so the audio will cut smoothly

Bibliography:

Unknown (date unknown), in Available at: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0713765/ (Accessed: 6 February 2017).

Unknown (date unknown), in Available at: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0410253/ (Accessed: 6 February 2017).

Rea, P.W. and Irving, D.K. (2000) Producing and directing the short film and video. 2nd edition. Boston: Focal Press