ABSTRACT
Exploring the art of filmmaking and the world of the film director is like exploring an ocean; there are the depths to consider, the shorelines, the currents, and the sea life; one can examine the trade routes and their impact on history and culture, or even the ocean’s effect on the climate and civilizations. Learning to direct films is like learning to conduct an orchestra. Conductors usually first learn an instrument, master music, and only then turn to conducting—which means coordinating an ensemble. Luckily, digital equipment has massively reduced production costs so that any emerging filmmaker can practice intensively. A professional director answers to the producer and is responsible for the details, quality, and meaning of the final film. Fiction films are normally shot piecemeal, in an order determined by the economics of cast, crew, equipment, weather, and locations.
