Transitions Unit - RESEARCH How To Direct A Short Film

When looking at tips to improve how to direct on a shoot I came across a website called geeks.media that gave some simple but useful tips for any director to take on board. The first was punctuality. It explained that the director should always be one of the first people on set. This is so that when other crew arrive you are there to tell them what you need in order to set up and keep the shoot organised before you even start. It also looks professional for other crew arriving to see the director there and ready to tell information and give any notes. The director should know what is happening throughout the entire day and have a clear schedule of what is happening, how it's going to happen and when.

The next tip was about morale. It is important on any shoot to make sure everyone is in high spirits and to get the best productivity you can out of everyone. If frustrations occur or someone is in a negative mood, the director should try to solve the problem by either taking a break to allow everyone to get back to their highest productivity level or to take a person aside and try and fix the problem. The worst thing on a shoot is negativity or arguments as it looks unprofessional and can let the work slide. Its also important for a director to keep everyone calm and reassure them in what they are doing. Appreciation and being polite about re shooting reinforces dedication and a good work ethic.

The final tip was about working with talent. The article explained that I should be as clear as possible when giving direction. Instead of saying to them "give me more" you should be telling them what more you want them to give you allowing the actors to know exactly what you want from them. Blocking should be mapped out to them in every scene and this will make them feel comfortable and in control allowing them to perform at their best. I will take all of these tips on board when it comes to directing my shoot.

I next came across a video from people who work on productions that gave advise on directing a film.  You can see this video below:

The first person makes a good point that a director should be making a film that he or she wants to see. There is no point doing something if you are not 100% behind it and passionate about what your filming. This can be said about narrative but mainly how you want to convey that narrative by the types of shots you are getting. The next man called Stephen Tolkin who is a director explained that one of the most important things whilst being a director on a photo shoot is ensuring you get lots and lots of coverage. Don't assume that if a shot looks nice, its going to be enough. Getting close ups, different angles, movements and changes in the dialogue can really help when it comes to using takes for the final edit, it's all about having choice.

From a talents perspective, Jennifer Grey explains that casting is a really important factor to any production. Have a good idea of what the character looks like but don't be afraid for that to adjust in some ways to give you better acting and a more solid performance. She then explains that its all about crafting a moment on set, the weather can change, difficulties can arise and things may not be how you pictured it to go but its all about working with the moment you have got and making it work.

Andrew McCarthy gave a really good point about decisions. He explained that in order to be a good director, you have to be prepared to make decisions. When someone asks you a question, rather than sitting there pondering and unsure what one to go with in something like lighting colour or the way a shot moves, be honest with your own vision and then be direct, this will ensure you get the vision you are picturing but it also reassures the crew you know what your doing and what you want out of them.

This insight from industry professionals has really helped me to learn what makes a good director and will help me when it comes to shooting the production for this unit. I understand I need to be clear and direct with everyone as well as crafting the moment onto screen.