8 Ways to be a better Director
Directors are unique as artists in that they must not only have a clear vision of their work and what they’re trying to achieve but they must rally a team of other artists to execute on that vision. While a painter or writer might have to manage an assistant or two, the Director must lead an army.
To be a leader, you have to have a strong sense of self. What is your philosophy on filmmaking? You have to know what kind of films you want to make and HOW you want to make them. It’s not just knowing what you want to tell stories about, it’s also knowing how you want people on your set to be treated, how you want them to treat each other, and how you yourself will respond to the situations that inevitably arise on set.
This is an area of growth for me and should be for all directors no matter how experienced. We all have our own strengths and weaknesses that we must tend to and nurture. For example, I’m a self-identified introvert and there are certain challenges that come with that (though there are certain strengths that come with it as well).
Over time, I’ve developed a set of rules for myself that I think help me be a better leader and a better storyteller. I’ll share them here for posterity and in the hopes that they may help you as well.
Be an advocate for the story.
As a Director, you are going to work with a lot of people who are all going to advocate for their part of the endeavor. The cinematographer will advocate for the image, the producer will advocate for the budget (or the client), the actors will advocate for the performance, etc. None of those elements is necessarily more or less important than the other. So how do you weigh the competing interests and values of each? Start with the story. Inevitably you will have to fight for the elements that are most important to the story. For example, you might want to hire a certain actor for a part in the film whose rate is outside the budget. The Producer will likely present a collection of other actors to you within the budget. You will have to make the case to her as to why this particular actor is critical for the role. If you make that case successfully, she may then tell you that you need to make compromises elsewhere to make room for that actor. If you know the story well enough, knowing how and when to make such compromises will be much clearer to you and will allow you to communicate to your team why those compromises should be made.
Be brave.
It’s important to have your own voice as a Director and sometimes that requires a willingness to buck the trends. This isn’t always easy because everyone, especially in the beginning of your career, will question your aesthetic choices. They will want you to lean on the experience of others or repeat something that someone else did. “Don’t shoot it like that. Let me tell you how to shoot it. I’ve been doing this longer than you.” Or “Here’s how this other Director did it. Do it like that.” But that can be a formula for boredom. Don’t be boring. Be brave. Use your own voice to tell stories.
Be collaborative and listen.
When someone tells you you’re wrong or that the way you’re doing things is going to mess up the project, don’t ignore them. I realize this sounds like a contradiction to point 2 but it’s not. Consider what your team has to offer. Then, go back to the story and consider whether their way is going to make the story better and go from there.
Have a plan and a backup plan…and don’t be afraid to throw both away.
Coming to set prepared will do wonders for you and help save time. People will see that you’ve given the story ample consideration and you know exactly what you want. That will engender trust. At the same time, know that plans rarely go accordingly. Be prepared to wing it and come up with something on the spot. Lean on your team for help when those things happen (see Rule #3). Communicate to them that you’re trying to accomplish “x” but the elements you needed aren’t there. See if they have a solution. They might surprise you and they’ll appreciate you being open to input.Never yell at people.
Working on a movie is stressful. There’s never enough money, never enough time, and there’s a great deal of pressure on everyone to succeed. So people are going to perform better when the leader of that set is an anchor in the storm. Part of it for me is just trying to set the right tone on set. That tone is “we’re here to make something great.” Remain calm and positive - especially when things go wrong. If needed (and sometimes it is needed), there’s no shame in stepping away to calm your nerves. Make an excuse to do so, compose yourself, and then return, with a calm mind, ready to problem solve. If you can do this, people will respect you and follow you to the end of the earth.
Resolve differences in private.
Let’s be honest - you’re going to disagree with people sometimes. It happens. But do not resolve differences or address problems with those people in front of others. Pull them aside or into another space if you need to. Even if the conversation starts in public, if you can sense it turning sour, do your best to move the conversation into a private space. The minute the rest of the crew detects that you have a difference with someone on set, people start to make assumptions, spread gossip, and take sides. It’s not healthy for the production. Settle it in private and move on.
Be encouraging.
If you’re the person in charge, a kind word will mean the world. I’m not always great about this one admittedly. I some times will call cut and immediately begin tweaking the camera or lighting and the actor will look at me and say “How was that?” at which point I know I messed up because I forgot to tell them the take was great. When someone does a good job, let them know! They’ll appreciate it and keep coming back to you for more.
Be decisive.
This is one of the most important things you can do to engender trust on set. If people see that you’re unsure of a decision, unable to delegate, and unable to make a move in general, they won’t trust you as a Director. And why should they? The Director’s job is to lead. How can you trust a leader who doesn’t know what direction to go in? So make a decision and own it. If you’re not sure, at least make a suggestion and ask for feedback. But don’t shrug your shoulders and wait for someone else to make the decision for you.
I hope this list is helpful for you as you move forward either as a Director or as a leader in your field. Write me and let me know if you think I should add anything to this list or if you disagree with something I’ve written. I’d love to hear from you and learn from your experience.
