With the economic decline the film industry has seen a weird phenomenon happening. Hollywood is no longer the film capital of the United States let alone the world. In 2007, there were over 100 studio-funded movies being made in Los Angeles. By 2008 that number dropped to a measly 22, and in 2009…
What is a Director?
To know what a director is we must first break down what a director does. The director is accountable for the overall vision of the film. A directors job is to visually breakdown a script, interpret text, work with actors, lead a set, problem solve on set, camera placement, blocking, casting, and a bit of editing. Now, there are other things such as lighting and sound and in most cases editing(even though I count it as part of their job) in which it is not directly the director’s job but they still need to know a great deal about these positions because they all help make a dynamic and entertaining story.
Think about this, you have a love scene, a guy pulls his girl close in for the kiss and we can’t see any of it because it’s lit like a nior film. That is why a director has to know about all of the positions on set. Some of the director’s jobs are harder than others, and some can make or break your career.
Text interpretation is one of those make it or break it parts of a Director’s Career. The reason why this is so powerful is because this is where the director gets the vision for the whole movie, show, short, or whatever they are directing. The passions of a director and the way they interpret the script are going to define the message of the whole film. If Steven Speilberg would have interpreted the ET script differently it could have been a campy movie about an alien who ditches the little boy. It’s because he interpreted the emotions and feelings from the characters and felt the bond and then the sadness that we get the movie we do!
Okay so what’s the hardest part about the director’s job. I believe that the absolute most challenging part about being a director is leading the set. The reason I say this is because when you are on set and you’ve been shooting 14 hours, and you have about a hundred people getting tired and cranky with tempers starting to flare, it can be very tricky to navigate. I’ve seen this happen many times and have dealt with it myself.
My favorite part of directing is getting to work with actors. Working with them to get the emotion out and for it to read right! I love when an actor finally breaks the barrier and delivers a performance so powerful that you can’t help but smile, laugh, or cry with them.
While Directors have recently been getting a lot of glam, It’s not all fun and games! You can’t just show up and say action. There are many sleepless nights trying to figure out how to tie the story together because you’ve had to cut scenes and it can be very frustrating when you are on take 13 and still not getting the shot right. I will say though that it is one of the most exciting and fulfilling things to see your finished product on the big screen.
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It seems Martin Scorsese’s next film, The Invention of Hugo Cabret, will be shot in 3D. For the past couple of years I have worried about 3D, I’ve been wondering if it missed it’s oppertunity. Althoguht, after a long period wondering, I’ve finally gotten my question answered. The Last 4 3D films released have all been #1 in the box office. Those being: Avatar, Alice in Wonderland, Clash of the Titans, and How to Train your Dragon.
This could be a “mark of change” in Hollywood and now even Martin Scorsese is jumping on board. Frankly, I love it!
Reference: http://bit.ly/ctHcOi
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Artemis Directors Viewfinder, from Chemical Wedding, is the Iphone equivilant to a standard viewfinder you would use. Although, there are some major differences that sets Artemis way above the rest. One being, since the app is on your phone you don’t need to carry an additional piece of equiptment. Another perk is that you can pick and choose your cameras and lenses, with a standard view finder you can get a general idea of what the shot will look like and where to place your cameras but Artemis you are able to dial in most cameras and lenses giving you a more exact shot.
I love the versatility of this app, probably my favorite part about this app is that you can cycle through the lenses in a single view mode. In single view mode it allows you to take a picture and storyboard your shot with acurate framing on a location scout! This is powerful because it lets you get a better feel for what the shot will actually be way before you get to set!
The only downside to this app would be the price, you can buy it in the app store for $29.99 USD, although I believe its well worth it!
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This effect was done in After Effects CS4
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