1.2M
RUHere are 10 BIG signs:
1. Telling actors how to feel.
If you say âbe more depressed,â just go home. Actors need verbs, not adjectives. Give them a goal to achieve, not an emotion to fake. Results-oriented directing is the fastest way to get a plastic performance.
2. Having zero âNorth Star.â
If you donât have a clear through-line, your crew is just guessing. If you donât know the point of the scene, how is the DP supposed to know where to put the light?
3. Being âtoo busyâ to eat.
The âstarving artistâ trope is exhausting. Eat a bagel. Nobody wants to work for a director who is one minor inconvenience away from a âhangryâ meltdown.
4. Glued to the monitor.
Video Village is a trap. If you spend the whole day in a tent 20 feet away, you arenât directingâyouâre spectating. Get in there and feel the air in the room.
5. Thinking youâre âaboveâ playback.
If you donât check the footage, donât cry when you get to the edit and realize the boom mic was in the shot or the focus was soft. Ego doesnât fix bad takes.
6. Projecting your panic.
Weâre all sweating it, but if youâre vibrating with anxiety and asking everyone âif weâre okay,â youâre killing the vibe. Fake the confidence until the wrap bell rings.
7. Acting like a dictator.
Itâs a film set, not a monarchy. Youâre the captain of the ship, but the ship doesnât move without the engineers. Lead the project; donât rule it.
8. Forgetting youâre a human being.
If you donât take âartist datesâ to touch grass and reset, your work will get stale. Go sit in the woods for an hour. Your script will thank you.
9. Being a Film School hater.
Dismissing film school is a mid-tier personality trait. A lot of the pros holding your reflectors spent four years learning the âwhyâ behind the âhow.â Respect the hustle.
10. Forgetting to actually enjoy this.
Youâre making movies, not performing open-heart surgery. Lighten up. If youâre miserable on set, itâll show up on screen.
Iâve got a massive list of filmmaking tips and resources to help you actually lead a crew.
Comment âFILMâ and Iâll DM it to you for free! đ
#film #filmmaking #setlife #behindthescenes
Visuals: BERWYN - Trap Phone (Directorâs Cut)
@rubenscott
