What do you need to know to become a director? Everything.
According to Directing: Film Techniques and Aesthetics, “a director is like an orchestra conductor whose challenge is being aware of many people’s work simultaneously.”
Story, theme, dialogue, rhythm, the three-act structure, casting, acting, cinematography, visual design, sound, editing, and budget are all things that concern a director. So where does one learn how each of these apply to film? A good place to start is the 5th edition of Directing: Film Techniques and Aesthetics by Michael Rabiger and Mick Hurbis-Cherrier. Recently updated, the tome now gives big-screen examples ranging from the Graduate to the Social Network.
Do you know why actors shouldn’t see the dailies of the film they’re working on?
Do you know what shooting style or lens will best-suit the mood of a scene?
Do you know when it’s useful to include music? Or when it may actually distract from the story?
Directing is a valuable textbook that answers these and other questions you might have about movie-making. Once you learn its lessons, you’ll be ready when it’s your turn to yell “action!”
