ABSTRACT

This comprehensive manual has inspired tens of thousands of readers worldwide to realize their artistic vision and produce well-constructed films. Filled with practical advice on every stage of production, this is the book you will return to throughout your career. 

Directing covers the methods, technologies, thought processes, and judgments that a director must use throughout the fascinating process of making a film. The core of the book is the human, psychological, and technical knowledge that every director needs, the enduring elements of the craft that remain vital.

Directing also provides an unusually clear view of the artistic process, particularly in working with actors and principle crew to achieve personally expressive storytelling and professionalism on any budget.

Directing explores in detailed and applicable terms how to engage with the conceptual and authorial sides of filmmaking. Its eminently practical tools and exercises show how to: discover your artistic identity; develop credible and compelling stories with your cast and crew; and become a storyteller with a distinctive voice and style.

The companion website includes teaching notes, dozens of practical hands-on projects and film study activities to help you master technical and conceptual skills, film analysis questionnaires, and all the essential production forms and logs.

New to the fifth edition

* Virtually every chapter has been revised, updated, and re-organized for a streamlined and integrated approach.

* Expanded sections on the basics of drama, including thorough analyses of recent films

* Discussions of the director’s approach to script analysis and development

* New discussion exploring the elements of naturalistic and stylistic aesthetic approaches.

* New discussion on the narrative power of lighting and the lens - including many recent film examples for shot size, perspective, focus and exposure

* Greater emphasis on the implications of composition, mise-en-scène, continuity shooting and editing, long take shooting, point-of-view sequences, and camera handling

* Expanded discussion of collaboration between the director and principle creative crew

* Updated coverage of workflow and comparative advantages to digital or film acquisition

* New section on film production safety, set protocol and etiquette

part |2 pages

PART 1: THE DIRECTOR AND ARTISTIC IDENTITY

chapter 1|15 pages

THE WORLD OF THE FILM DIRECTOR

chapter 2|11 pages

DEVELOPING YOUR PATH AS A DIRECTOR

part |2 pages

PART 2: THE STORY AND ITS DEVELOPMENT

chapter 3|8 pages

ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF DRAMA

chapter 4|14 pages

SHAPING THE STORY INTO DRAMA

chapter 5|18 pages

PLOT, TIME, AND STRUCTURE

part |2 pages

PART 3: THE DIRECTOR AND THE SCRIPT

chapter 6|6 pages

SCREENPLAY GROUND RULES

chapter 7|12 pages

RECOGNIZING THE SUPERIOR SCREENPLAY

chapter 8|19 pages

SCRIPT ANALYSIS AND DEVELOPMENT

part |2 pages

PART 4: AUTHORSHIP AND AESTHETICS

chapter 9|10 pages

CINEMATIC POINT OF VIEW

chapter 10|10 pages

FORM AND STYLE

chapter 11|10 pages

TONE: NATURALISTIC AND STYLIZED APPROACHES

part |2 pages

PART 5: A DIRECTOR'S SCREEN GRAMMAR

chapter 12|8 pages

FILM LANGUAGE

chapter 13|10 pages

THE FRAME AND THE SHOT

chapter 14|9 pages

THE MOVING CAMERA

chapter 15|19 pages

LANGUAGE OF THE EDIT

chapter 16|6 pages

THE HUMAN VANTAGE OF CINEMATIC LANGUAGE

part |2 pages

PART 6: PREPRODUCTION

chapter 17|10 pages

EXPLORING THE SCRIPT

chapter 18|14 pages

CASTING

chapter 19|8 pages

ACTING FUNDAMENTALS 227

chapter 20|10 pages

DIRECTING ACTORS

chapter 21|15 pages

REHEARSALS

chapter 22|22 pages

ACTING EXERCISES

chapter 23|12 pages

PLANNING THE VISUAL DESIGN

chapter 24|17 pages

COVERAGE AND THE SHOOTING SCRIPT

chapter 25|18 pages

LINE PRODUCING AND LOGISTICS

part |2 pages

PART 7: PRODUCTION

chapter 26|19 pages

DEVELOPING A PRODUCTION CREW

chapter 27|30 pages

THE DIRECTOR AND PRODUCTION TECH

chapter 28|13 pages

ON SET: PRODUCTION BEGINS

chapter 29|10 pages

DIRECTING ON THE SET

chapter 30|8 pages

MONITORING CONTINUITY AND PROGRESS

part |2 pages

PART 8: POSTPRODUCTION

chapter 31|6 pages

POSTPRODUCTION OVERVIEW

chapter 32|10 pages

EDITING BEGINS: GETTING TO KNOW THE FOOTAGE

chapter 33|14 pages

THE ROUGH CUTS

chapter 34|6 pages

GETTING TO FINE CUT AND PICTURE LOCK

chapter 35|7 pages

WORKING WITH MUSIC

chapter 36|9 pages

THE SOUND MIX

chapter 37|8 pages

THE FINISHING TOUCHES