The glitz, the glamour, the bright lights – the life of a film director seems like a dream come true. From walking the red carpet premieres to yelling “Action!” on massive movie sets, it’s an enviable career path.
However, beneath the Hollywood spotlight, directors face a whirlwind of responsibilities and challenges. Their days are far from the cinematic magic you see on screen.
Being a film director requires immense passion, creativity, and an ability to thrive under intense pressure. In this revealing look, we’ll pull back the curtain and go behind the scenes of a typical day in the life of a film director.
Pre-Production: Where the Magic Begins
Before the first clapperboard snaps, a director’s day often starts months in advance during the pre-production phase. This critical period lays the foundation for the entire film.
The morning may begin with a script meeting, meticulously going over the story line by line with writers and producers. A director’s job is to ensure the narrative is compelling, coherent and achievable within the constraints of the budget and schedule.
“We may spend hours debating the motivations of a single character or whether a particular scene is absolutely essential,” remarks veteran director Jane Campion. “It’s all about clarifying and refining the creative vision.”
With the script polished, the director dives into storyboarding and shot listing – literally mapping out every scene, camera angle, and movement. They collaborate closely with the cinematographer, illustrating their vision through detailed drawings and notes. This process is crucial for ensuring the fluid translation of the script to screen.
But perhaps the most crucial pre-production role is casting the actors. A director may spend days viewing dozens of auditions, looking for that perfect ensemble that can bring the characters to life. It’s a fine balance of finding the right look, emotional depth and on-screen chemistry.
“Casting is a huge part of getting it right from the beginning,” explains director Spike Lee. “The actors are the face of your film, so you have to make sure they truly embody the roles.”
Once the cast is locked, locations must be scouted and secured for the production. Will it be filmed on celestial New Zealand backdrops like Lord of the Rings or gritty, realistic cityscapes? The director must find settings that match their overall creative vision and logistical needs.
Pre-production also involves hiring a skilled crew of cinematographers, producers, assistants, and other key roles. The director essentially becomes the CEO, carefully building the filmmaking squad that will execute their vision.
Finally, shooting schedules must be mapped out and budgets calculated down to the last dollar. It’s an intricate tetris of piecing together the ideal locations, actors, gear, and personnel availabilities.
Roll Camera: Principal Photography Begins
With an entire production meticulously planned, the director finally gets to call “Action!”
On a typical filming day, the director arrives at the crack of dawn to begin setting up shots. They walk through the scene with the cinematographer, determining the precise camera setup, lighting, lens choices and filming equipment.
Every minor detail is analyzed – should the angle be cinématic or documentary-style? How will the lighting portray the character’s emotional state? Will a steadicam, dolly or hand-held camera work best?
Once the key logistics are locked, the cast is summoned and the director works hands-on with the actors, coaching them through the scene. This collaborative process of rehearsing and adjusting nuanced movements, line delivery and character motivation is when the director’s creative vision truly takes shape.
“Getting genuine, authentic performances out of your actors is one of the most important roles,” explains famed director Steven Spielberg. “You have to develop a rapport and make them feel comfortable to allow the emotion to flow.”
When the actors, crew and cameras are in position, the director calls “Roll camera…and…ACTION!” Suddenly all of the pre-production plans are executed in real time as the scene plays out.
But even when the cameras are rolling, a director must stay hyper-aware of every minor detail – Was that reminder line overdone? Did the camera operator go slightly out of focus? Was there are an inadvertent whisper picked up from the boom mic? If anything is off, they may need to yell “Cut!” and reset for another take.
“You watch every nuance like a hawk,” describes director Chris Nolan. “Even the smallest imperfections can ruin the suspension of disbelief and have to be addressed.”
With principal photography, there’s no room for error. Shoots often last 10-12 hours per day with cast and crew frequently drained. Yet the director must remain an enthusiastic leader to keep everyone energized and performances consistent.
“One of your biggest roles is keeping the energy and morale up for your entire team,” advises Ava Duvernay. “If you’re having an off-day with low energy, it negatively impacts everyone.”
Principal photography for a film can span weeks or even months of long days. For the director, it requires solving problems on-the-fly, adjusting for unforeseen weather or technical issues, and keeping the production train meticulously on-schedule and under-budget.
Post-Production: Bringing it All Together
While principal photography is a chaotic whirlwind, the post-production process is a marathon of detailed, meticulous editing and fine-tuning.
Once the director yells “That’s a wrap!” on filming, the intense work is really just beginning. They must sift through thousands of footage clips, carefully reviewing each take and selecting the best shots to create the cohesive final film.
To accomplish this monumental task, they work hand-in-hand with a crack team of digital editors in windowless studios. For hours on end, they scrutinize each scene, trimming footage, arranging sequences, and constructing the flow and pacing.
“You really earn your pay in the editing suite,” remarks director David Fincher. “Breaking a film down to its most compelling, impactful components requires a staggering amount of focus and precision.”
With the scenes painstakingly assembled, the director oversees the addition of visual and special effects, music scoring, sound editing, and color grading. These final polished layers add depth and tone.
Throughout post-production, the director must manage creative decisions in concert with the studio, producers and key crew. They balance offering a singular creative vision while remaining open to outside perspectives to elevate the final product.
“Post is a constant push and pull of collaboration, but also knowing when to be diplomatically blunt to protect your core creative intentions,” says director Paul Thomas Anderson.
The true hallmark of the post process is sheer stamina. For months on end, directors pore over every tiny detail and nuance, crafting and re-crafting the film through an exhaustive revision process.
Key Skills of a Successful Director
Shepherding a major film production from the first written lines to the final on-screen story requires a particular rare skillset. Successful directors exhibit:
- Creativity and Vision: The baseline skills are boundless imagination and keen artistic eyes and instincts. A director must be able to conceive of new, original ideas and clearly envision how to translate them cinematically.
- Leadership/Communication: Once that vision is crystallized, a director must be a strong leader who can inspire their massive cast and crew to execute flawlessly. Expert communication skills are essential for effectively articulating one’s aims and fostering a positive set environment.
- Attention to Detail: From scouting miniscule filming locations to catching subtle errors in line delivery or wardrobe malfunctions, a director must have an impeccable eye for detail. One tiny flaw can ruin audience suspension of disbelief.
- Time Management: With grueling schedules and budgets on the line, time is a director’s most precious resource. They must meticulously plan, prioritize tasks, and keep the chaotic production on course.
- Multitasking/Calm Under Pressure: During the filming whirlwind, a director faces an endless barrage of questions, challenges and problems needing instant solutions. Staying laser-focused and composed under immense stress is primordial.
Daily Challenges: Creativity Meets Reality
Despite one’s innate talents and preparation, the inevitable challenges and pressures of film directing can be overwhelming.
- Long Hours/Egos: The glamour of Hollywood often belies the reality of arduous 12-18 hour workdays for weeks on end during production. Concurrently, a director must manage the oversized personalities and egos of award-winning cast and crew members gracefully.
“Keeping all the moving parts and huge egos, including my own, from derailing the production is one of the greatest challenges,” admits Ron Howard candidly.
- Creative Compromise: A director’s grand artistic vision doesn’t exist in a vacuum – It must also align with studio executive demands, budgets, schedules, practical set limitations, and audience expectations. Creatively compromising that initial grand vision is a frequent source of frustration.
- Problem-Solving: On a film set, problems ranging from an actor falling ill, unexpected weather events, malfunctioning equipment, and other surprises arise constantly. A director must be quick to create alternative plans and solutions without missing a beat.
- Dealing with Delays/Reshoots: Despite all the up-front planning, sometimes reshoots for pick-up scenes or storylines are required midstream based on audience test screenings or other factors. Absorbing these costly delays while maintaining a positive attitude is a regular stress.
- The Rewarding Final Product: Recognizing the immense emotional, physical and mental investment to bring creative stories to life underscores why directing isn’t for the faint of heart. Successful directors develop incredible endurance and thick skins to withstand the process.
“If it were easy, everyone would want to do it,” winks Quentin Tarantino. “You need that unexplainable inner drive and passion to stick it through. There’s nothing more rewarding than seeing your final vision finally up on that silver screen after all the blood, sweat and tears.”
Conclusion
While strutting the crimson-colored carpets draped in designer attire at movie premieres is the director’s ultimate victory lap, the road to that glitzy finish line is filled with obstacles and long valleys of challenge.
As this article reveals, directing a major film production is a gauntlet of relentless creative decision making, multitasking, leadership and plain old human endurance.
Far beyond the cliché of yelling “Action!,” the day-to-day reality involves months of meticulous planning, precision execution, managed egos and on-the-fly critical thinking under enormous pressure.
To keep a massive production operating like a well-oiled machine, a director must embody an impressive array of diverse skills. They are equal parts creative visionaries, clear communicators, budget hawks, skilled people managers and amateur psychologists.
What compels directors to embrace such a Herculean ordeal over the countless months and years from concept to premiere night? Simple – the unmatched thrill and pride of bringing originating storytelling to life for the world to see. Distilling the human experience into flickering images for audiences is an incomparably rewarding feeling.
“After you’ve endured all of the logistics, stresses and challenges, there’s nothing quite like watching the opening night audience experience the universe you created,” effuses director Katheryn Bigelow. “That connection is what makes the countless hours and sacrifices worthwhile. That’s the magic only directors truly understand.”
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a typical day as a film director?
A typical day for a film director can vary greatly depending on the phase of production. During pre-production, they spend lots of time in script meetings, storyboarding, casting actors and planning every detail. On shooting days, they arrive at call times before dawn to prep with cinematographers and crew, then coach actors through rehearsals before calling “Action!” to film scenes. They must problem-solve issues, give feedback after takes, and keep the production on schedule. Post-production days are long editing sessions, reviewing footage and shaping the final cut.
What does a director do on a daily basis?
A director’s daily tasks span the entire filmmaking process. They develop the creative vision, collaborate with writers on scripts, hire cast/crew, scout locations, block scenes/camera movements, direct actors, oversee filming of all shots, supervise editing/post-production, and ensure the final product matches their original artistic aims.
What does a filmmaker do on a daily basis?
“Filmmaker” is a broader term that includes directors but also writers, producers, editors, cinematographers and more. But for directors specifically, their daily involvements include leading meetings, casting, rehearsals, filming direction, editing supervision and more to bring the overall cinematic vision to life.
How many hours a day do directors work?
During active filming production periods, directors often work 12-16 hour days or more. They arrive on set before call times for prep and stay late after filming wraps to review footage. Pre/post-production phases can also involve very long hours of preparation and editing sessions.
Are film directors paid well?
Yes, film directors can earn lucrative salaries, especially for big-budget studio releases. While salaries vary, directors of major films can make $1 million or more, plus percentages of box office revenues. Experienced, in-demand directors can negotiate higher upfront pay.
Is film director a stressful job?
Absolutely. Being a film director is an extremely high-stress job that requires handling immense pressure and responsibility. They must manage huge crews/budgets, creative egos, technical problems, delays and endlessly make high-stakes decisions, all while creating art. The long hours and derailed work-life balance adds to the stress.
Is film director a good career?
For people with a true passion for filmmaking and storytelling, and the ability to thrive in a high-stress leadership role, directing can be an extremely rewarding career. Creating cinematic art to entertain and impact audiences globally is the driving force. But it requires tremendous perseverance.
Is it hard to become a film director?
Yes, breaking into the field as a director is very challenging. There is intense competition for a limited number of roles. Most start by making independent films, working as assistants on sets, taking film courses, and building experience over many years before getting an opportunity to direct a feature.
How do film directors get paid?
Film directors typically receive an upfront fee that is either a flat rate or weekly paycheck during production and post-production periods. Many also negotiate percentage points that pay out based on the film’s box office performance and revenues. Royalties from future distribution deals provide additional income streams.
