Directing

A complete study guide

What is a story?

A story is a depiction of a journey. In a story we follow a character or a series of characters on a journey as they pursue something and are up against certain obstacles.

What are the Four Core Elements of Narrative Film

**PROTAGONIST** - Who is the central character?

**GOAL** - What do they want?

**OBSTACLE** - What stands in their way?

**STAKES** - What happens if they don’t get it?

What are the 3 Basic Types of Conflict?

person vs person

person vs nature

person vs self

What is a logline?

A **Logline** is a one to two sentence description that gives a taste of what the film will be about. A good logline is usually made up of the following.

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**Includes:**

**Your main character.** \n **The obstacle standing in the way of their goal.** \n **A twist that makes your story unique or creates intrigue.**

What do you cast for?

Cast for emotional resonance more than appearance.

What are the elements of a location?

• When/Where does our story take place?

• Is it in the past, present, or future?

• Is it a real place or an imagined place?

• Is the setting in juxtaposition to the story, or is it in support?

What do you think about when you chose sound stage or on location?

• Lighting- Windows in a real location means the lighting is constantly changing throughout the day.

• Sound- Stages are sound proof, the real world is not

• Staging- Actors, equipment, HMU room, Dressing rooms

• Parking- Stages have a parking lot

• Production Design/ Fly Away Walls- Many more options exist for shooting on a sound stage.

What do you consider when Location Scouting?

• Angles/ Depth- Are there areas that could be interesting to shoot and have unique

  blocking opportunities?

• Sound- Is this a noisy location? Are we next to the band room?

• Lighting - Is there shade? Where will the sun be when we shoot? What direction do the

  windows face and how will that affect sunlight coming in?

• Foot Traffic - Is this spot busy?

• Practical - Are we near bathrooms or water?

• Hazards - Safety concerns like traffic

• Bathrooms- Where is the crew bathroom?

• Power Outlets- Are there enough outlets and what circuit are they one?

• Parking- Where will cast and crew park? Is there free parking? Is it close by?

What is Mise-En-Sene? What elements create Mise-En-Sene?

“putting on stage” - its everything in the frame

• sets

• costumes

• props

• color

• actor blocking

• shot composition/Framing

What is Coverage?

Getting all the shots you need for the edit that tells a scene/story is called coverage.

What is a Shot?

Every time the camera changes position or lens and films something new- it is a new shot.

What are the tools for planning coverage?

• storyboard

• create an overhead map

• shot list

What is an Overhead Map? What is it used for?

The overhead plan is a map of the actor’s blocking, location, and camera placement. Overheads are created simultaneously with your **shot list** to visualize the placement and movement of the camera(s) and actors within each scene.

What is a Shot List?

A shot list is a detailed list of every camera shot that needs to be captured in a scene of your film. It outlines specifics of each shot and determines the shooting order.

What are the elements of a Shot List?

1\. **Scene Number** \n 2. **Shot Number** (in order of shooting) \n 3. **Shot Size/Type** \n 4. **Shot Angle** \n 5. **Movement** \n 6. **Lens** \n 7. **Location** \n 8. **INT / EXT** \n 9. **Day /Night** \n 10. **Sound** \n 11. **Shot Description**

What is a Storyboard? What info does it include?

A storyboard is a series of drawings, each done in the same size frame, ordered from left to right. They indicate each image that we see in a movie scene. It is drawn as if we are watching the final film.

Includes:

• Scene Number

• Image Number

• Shot Size/Type:

• Shot Description

• Camera Movement

• Blocking

What is Shot Size?

The size of the subject in frame

What determines a Shot Type?

• Framing (who & what is included in the frame)

• Height & Angle (relationship of the camera to the subject)

• Focus (what objects in the frame are in focus)

What is Framing?

Who or what’s included in the frame?

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Ex:

Single, Two Shot, OTS, POV

What are Height & Angles?

Overhead, High Angle, Eye Level, Low Angle, Ground Level, Dutch Angle

What are types of Focus?

Shallow, Deep, Rack Focus, Zooms, Zolly

What is a Script Breakdown?

It’s a document telling you what is needed for each scene of your film.

Includes:

• Cast

• Extras

• Props

• Costumes

• Makeup & Hair

• Sound Effects

• Special Equipment

• Set

• Special Personnel

• Animals

• Vehicles

• Stunts

What are some scheduling rules?

• 12 Hour Day (or pay penalty)

• 12 Hour “Turn Around”

• Call Time (ready to work)

• 6 Hour Meal Break (or meal penalty)

• Lunch begins 30 minutes after the last person gets their food (always account for at least 45 minutes)

• Tail lights at end time (driving away)

How do you create a Shooting Schedule?

Your shooting schedule will reflect the schedule for each shoot day.

What details to include on your schedule:

• Title, Schedule date, Script # and date

• Time (by the clock)

• Scene number

• Estimated shooting time

• Scene length on the page (by eighths)

• Interior (INT.) or Exterior (EXT.)

• Time of day (e.g., DAY or NIGHT)

• The setting (set) in the script

• The real location

• A brief description of the scene

• Actors in the scene

• Include a key that links actor names to #

• Notes: if something affects scheduling

Who is considered above the line?

Involved long before production

• Director

• Producer

• Screenwriter

• Principal Cast

• Casting Director

Who is considered below the line?

Primarily work once production begins

• Assistant Director (AD Dept)

• Director of Photography (Camera Dept)

• Production Designer (Art Dept)

• Costume Designer (Costume Dept)

• Production Sound Mixer (Sound Dept)

• Script Supervisor

Explain small crew organization or small crew chain of command

What is the set order of operations?

1. Safety Meeting (AD runs this meeting)

2. Director blocks out scene with actors, while crew stages equipment

3. Once the blocking is set, BLOCKING REHEARSAL (for the crew)

4. Once blocking is shown to crew, these things happen simultaneously:

   • AC’s set up camera

   • Gaffer, Key Grip, and Grip team set up lights

   • Production Designer and crew prepare the set

   • Actors- Go to Costume, then Hair & Makeup

5. When these are all done, SET REHEARSAL (can happen before every shot)

6. Start Filming (follow Filming Order of Operations)

7. Either “Go Again” or “Moving On” after each shot

What are the filming order of operations?

• AD- “Quiet on set”

• AD- “Picture’s up”

• (2nd AC gets in front of the camera with the slate open)

• AD- “Roll Sound”

• Sound Mixer - “Sound speeding”

• AD- “Roll camera”

• 1st AC- “Rolling” (or speeding)

• 2nd AC- Calls the shot & take numbers, “mark”, claps the clapper shut, then

  leaves frame

• DP says “SET” when they’re ready and camera is focused

• Director (when ready) “ACTION”

• No other stops until Director says “Cut” or “Reset”

How do you name a shot? How do you say it on a Slate?

On Slate

Film Name, Shot Name, Take #

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Shots are named by scene # and then add letters as you progress in shots.

Ex:

1, 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, IE

Use the military alphabet. You say 1 Alpha, 1 Bravo, etc.

What are the expectations on set?

• Be Punctual

• Keep Working

• Phones should be put away

• Be Courteous: Absolutely NO room for tempers or rudeness,

  however stressful it gets!)

• Collaboration is the key to any film. Be a team player.

• Follow the Chain Of Command

• Let the AD know where you are if you leave for any reason (10-1)

• Wear Appropriate Clothing

• Don’t touch equipment that you are not in charge of

• Departments should save their comments until the end of the take

• Let the director and actor finish their work.

• Only the director says CUT. (This includes the actors).

• Only the director gives notes to the actors.

• Do not comment on the actor’s performance or how the director handles the scene during the shoot.

What does “camera moves” mean? (set etiquette)

AC shouts whenever they are moving the camera

What does “crossing” mean? (set etiquette)

anybody shouts when they cross in front of a camera frame

What does “points” mean? (set etiquette)

shout every time you are moving large set pieces or equipment (especially to warn people you are coming around a corner)

What does “last looks” mean? (set etiquette)

is the call for HMU to come in and give final touch ups before the camera rolls, usually shouted by AD, when asked by director

How do you prepare for & conduct auditions?

• Character Breakdown (to post either online or at appropriate locations)

• Sides (posted online with the character breakdown)

• Water (if in person)

• Someone to read (not you)

• Someone to run the camera (not you)

• Conversation with the actor (get to know the person a little)

• Always make an adjustment ("as if..." is a good one)

• An improv with your reader (ask them to act something out like the characters)

What is a character breakdown? What info does it tell?

A character breakdown is the list of all the roles in your film that have speaking parts and ample screen time.

1. The character’s full name

2. The commitment level of the role* (i.e. lead, supporting, cameo)

3. The character’s age*

4. Basic personality & physical traits (if important)

5. Relationship to other characters in the story

6. General Story arc

Things to keep in mind:

• Be specific in describing the role, not the actor.

• If there are any non-conventional requirements, it is important that this information be included in the breakdown.

What info does a casting call give?

• Production Type (student film, short film) Project Length (2 day shoot)

• Production Location

• Production Dates

• Director

• Producer

• Production Title

• Union / Non-Union Status

• Audition

• Location

• Email

• Compensation- be specific, even if it is unpaid

• Dates and Times of Film Auditions

• Dates and Times of Callbacks

• Synopsis of project

• Character breakdowns

Define the director and actor relationship.

• Only the director talks to the actor on set

• Vulnerability- taking aside for notes

• Collaborators- not boss and employee

• The good captain of the ship

What makes a performance good?

• Believable circumstances

• Believable expression of lines & movement

• Believable emotions

ULTIMATELY, do you believe this is happening right now ?

What are the Director’s tools for working with actors?

• Script Analysis- your understanding of the script

• Performance Adjustments- asking an actor to try something different

When are the opportunities to develop and work with Actors?

**Rehearsals**- This is where script analysis is discussed

**On Set**- No room for discussion, only concise adjustments

What does a script analysis tell you?

**The World:**

What is the era? The political or socio economic circumstances for the characters in the story? What is the history between characters in a scene? What do they know about each other? If the world is not real, what are the rules of the world.

**Scene Objectives**:

Each actor in a scene has an objective, something they want to accomplish in that scene. Think: Why is this scene in the story? This objective is always an actionable verb. Each actor usually only has one objective in each scene.

**Tactics**:

Throughout the scene each actor will try different things to get the objective that they are trying to accomplish. These are their tactics. They will usually try several different tactics within a scene to accomplish their one scene objective.

How do you communicate with Actors on set?

Adjustments

• Concise

• Collaborative “Let’s Try,” “I’d like to see,” “What if we try.”

• Actionable and active Verbs (ask them to “DO” something)

What do you avoid when communicating with actors?

AVOID Results Oriented Directing