Movie Director Job Description

If you love watching movies or have been fond of creating short clips, you might want to venture to the world of directing. The movie director is the one who interprets a written script and translates it into a full length movie. He has the artistic control of every activity from pre-production to post-production.

By using vision and creativity, along with technical skills, the movie director translates the script into a motion picture. It is a high-pressure job that deals with strict deadlines, assigning roles to personalities, and budgeting.

 

Duties and Responsibilities

Directing movies may sound fun and exciting to most people. But the truth is, being a movie director is a stressful job. There are a lot of responsibilities and a great deal of pressure. A movie director could be considered the “main man” in film making. They are in charge of making numerous artistic decisions.

Duties of a movie director include casting, shot planning and storyboarding, scheduling, script and story development, and production design. Together with the producer, he hires actors and the production staff. He oversees the whole production from day to day. Therefore, a director should be familiar with the technicalities in making a film.

The movie director is also in charge of choosing the best location to shoot. The place should match the script or screenplay in order to effectively deliver the story. Once accepted by the producer, he creates a shooting script. A shooting script dictates the directions on filming every scene. The director divides the shooting script according to the targeted length of the film, budget limitations, and capabilities of the cast and crew.

In the actual filming process, the movie director gives instructions to the camera operator and other crew members. He also coaches the actors and gives a brief introduction of their characters as well as how he wants them to portray it.

The movie director also helps in editing the film. At the end of a day’s shoot, he does a quick scan of the film and points out errors and weak scenes. If he’s not satisfied, he can decide whether or not to redo the scene.

 

Skills and Education

There is no specific educational requirement for a movie director. However, a related course in writing or acting might help aspiring directors. Some schools offer certificate programs in directing, film making and film theory, cinematography, editing, lighting, and other related tasks.

A movie director should be very familiar and engaged in different aspects of film making. Those with technical skills have an advantage over those without. Nevertheless, the key to becoming a successful movie director is talent and creativity.

 

Work Conditions

Obviously, movie directors do not have a fixed work schedule. The environment and working hours depend on the requirements of the film. They can start working very early in the morning or end late at night. They can also move from one location to another.

There is also no fixed salary for a movie director. Their compensation depends on how much the movie earned when they are screened.

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Movie Director Salary Information

People think of movie directors as incredibly wealthy elites, spending massive amounts of money on their projects and earning considerable salaries in return. The truth is much more complex. While the Steven Spielbergs and Peter Jacksons of the industry do indeed make millions, most directors earn very modest salaries. They toil in indie productions, cable movies and direct-to-DVD efforts, happy to be practicing their craft and collecting any kind of paycheck.

 

Training

• Directors come from all walks of the film world. Some started as actors, while others were screenwriters or production assistants. The Director's Guild of America and other unions sponsor training programs for up-and-coming directors. Those who can't get into such programs either cut their teeth serving various roles on another director's movie or venture into the world of independent directing---raising money from sponsors and using it to fund and distribute their own works.

The DGA

• The Director's Guild of America is the industry's primary union for movie directors. It holds sway over most significant directing job opportunities in Hollywood, as well as dictating a base salary for its members. Joining the DGA is fairly difficult. You usually need to be associated with a production company that has an agreement with the guild, then get placed on a qualifying list. Once you qualify, you must pay an initiation fee and quarterly dues.

Base Salary

• Base salary for DGA members depends on the budget of the film they're working on. For budgets below $1.5 million, base salary starts at about $10,000 per week. Budgets above that dictate a base salary of about $15,000 per week. Additional rules exist for short films, sequel rights and guaranteed periods of employment, which may add to the DGA member's salary.

Average Salary

• Average annual salary for a movie director---whether DGA or not---depends largely on who you ask. CNN says it is about $30,000 a year, while Simply Hired calculates it at a slightly more than $47,000 a year. Those figures balance a staggering array of pay scales, from the biggest names, who command millions of dollars per film, to those just happy to complete a picture for nothing.

Discrepancy

• One big factor in the apparent discrepancy between the DGA's base salary and the average income is that directors rarely work full time. Individual projects may last a few weeks or months, and the pay from those projects needs to sustain the director for the long stretches when work is not available.

Read more: The Average Salary for a Movie Director | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/about_5426381_average-salary-movie-director.html#ixzz1geFHhuCs

How to Become a Movie Director

Education Requirements

A movie director is the chief person responsible for the creative aspects of film production. While creating the look of a film, movie directors may make script changes, determine movie locations, finalize costume designs, approve special effects and provide coaching to actors. Although there are no specific education requirements to become a movie director, there are several options for prospective film directors hoping to launch a career.

 

 

Formal education and training as a director is not required for a career in the field. Many movie directors begin making movies, such as short films or home movies, before going to film school. Others learn basic skills creatively without ever earning a film degree. For example, some professionals develop an interest in directing by working in film development or production, such as screenwriting, producing or acting.

 

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Film

Aspiring directors may pursue a bachelor's degree program in fine arts, film or a related field. These programs typically last for four years and offer directing concentrations, which help students develop skills, such as casting, rehearsal procedures, text analysis, acting techniques and camera application. Students also learn how to create and use storyboards, shooting scripts and brackets. Common courses may include film, history, storytelling, screenwriting and production.

To gain directing experience, students are typically required to participate in a set number of collaborative student film projects as part of their coursework. Additionally, most film schools strongly encourage internships within the film industry in order to develop technical skills, understand the ins-and-outs of film production and develop professional contacts. Building a network of contacts in particular, may be essential to career growth in the film industry. After graduation, prospective movie directors typically begin building their professional portfolio by directing commercials, music videos and television programs.

 

Master of Fine Arts in Film

Master of fine arts in film degree programs are often three years in length and help filmmakers develop their own voices as directors. Directing programs often focus on management skills, helping directors to oversee people across many different areas of film production. Most master's degree programs require the development of a professional portfolio and a thesis, typically in the form of a short film. Coursework may cover areas in theme conceptualization, movie development workshops and screen directing.

 

Continuing Education

Due to the highly competitive nature of the film industry, many prospective directors seek additional education and training. The Directors Guild of America (DGA) offers an assistant director training program in which students receive hands-on training on the set of actual films (www.dgatrainingprogram.org). Graduates may become members of the DGA and are often hired as assistant directors on film productions, which may help launch a career as a movie director.

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