Most people can't direct a film. Inherently, EVERYONE can direct a film, but you know what gets in the way? A lot of over-thinking.
Unfortunately, today's directors think that if you're dark, melancholy and brooding you are an artist. Sometimes that's true, mostly, it's garbage. Pretentious garbage to be honest, and trust me, I've been accused of it before.
If I were to think about directing, it's would be one simple answer: listen.
I think this goes with acting as well. No one listens. Look at people now. They don't listen to one another. Instead, they wait for their lines (which they most likely memorized a few hours before shooting) or they just completely don't digest what the other actor just got done saying. Here is the problem...
...Too many actors believe if they get the context of the script, and they respond correctly, this is listening. It's not. LISTENING, is truly hearing what the person is saying, putting into context in your mind as the person and THEN responding with your follow up. This is reaction...and trust me, in films reacting is acting (not in life though, try to be active and NOT reactive).
In the context of directing, a director MUST listen. It's fucking hard when you are a one man band. Because sometimes lines get dropped. This is bad. The script is written for a reason with words in place FOR A REASON. The minute you stop listening, the quicker you will lose your place. Then throw on top of that, action that the actor has to do. This is what is known as "business." Drinking coffee, smoking cigarette, brushing lint off clothes. This puts the audience into a real context rather than talking heads back and forth.
The trick is to have normal flowing conversation in spite of shooting things out of order. This is VERY difficult. I don't have that memory to do that anymore. Aggravating.
Finally, I think when you direct small things, the hardest part is to just let something good that happens...happen. I think if you're inflexible, it's death. Because everything feels stilted. Especially with an actor who can't pronounce a word or reverses words to make it easier for them to say. Back in the old days, they stuck to the script. That's why a lot of those movies felt like...a play. We aren't making plays in movies (at least we shouldn't be). And the entire thing is predicated on one thing...how do you make it interesting to someone watching? If the material isn't very interesting, you have to inject something into it. While this may go against the script in hand, it is the experienced director who watches closely to hear and see what can be added for an extra touch. This is, without a doubt, the one thing that will elevate your game.
If you're ever on a student shoot, chances are, the prefer pretending to direct than actually direct. Because directing isn't really what you see in movies. The directors I've seen in play just calmly watch their actors from afar as they rehearse and adjust if necessary. Or a quick note as to what context it plays into. The rest of the time, it's to drink something and try to get out of the way.
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