Guillermo Del Toro on Directing

What are the key pieces of advice that Guillermo del Toro gives beginning directors? How can this apply to your career?

He emphasizes that people tend to over complicate the  concept of directing when in reality, directing can be done with any kind of audio-visual device. Anyone can be a director of their film. They do not need a large crew or an expensive set in order to direct. "It is always better to answer through your work" if there is something in the media that you do not enjoy, he says. By directing your own film, you can create something that you believe to be better than the flaw you saw on the big screen. It is a more fascinating and active method than complaining about another director's film. A director needs to have the resilience towards the countless rejections they will face in the future. 

Whats the Point of a Director?

What can a director bring to a film? What do choices have to do with directing? Give a few examples

A director can bring about a certain mood to a scene that contributes to the overall story in an artistic manner. The director's choice can convey a message to the audience about the character's motivations or emotional state. The director has camera movement, blocking, lighting, and anything on screen at their disposal. For example, overcranking or undercranking the camera can have different appeals that have different impacts on the audience. It all depends on the directing, whether or not the average script will become a masterpiece of kill the mood.

Directing as a Career

What training or skills do directors need? How can you begin your career toward becoming a director?

According Richard Walter, directors need "an ability to work supportively and nurturingly with actors." Though the director must give clear instructions, it is equally important for them to give them space to allow them to create their own character. The director may be the dead of the production, but they should be considered a collaborator that keeps the crew together. Shooting something everyday is a great place to start. By creating something everyday, skills of storytelling are bound to improve. Displaying these works on social media may be an output for the work that was created. Watching films critically may also help develop "a strong viewing sense of cinematic history."

Directing Crash Course

What does the director do? What are their responsibilities on a film?

The director coordinates with the cast and crew in order to communicate the story of the film. A director is not supposed to demand a specific character out of the actor. Instead, they should be able to give a "safe space" where the characters are able to explore who their characters are and how they would act in the situation. However, this does not mean that the director can give vague idea to the actor. As a result, the actor must give clear instructions but while also giving giving them space to contribute their own skill as an actor. 

The Role of the Director

Think about what you know and what questions you have about the role of a director in film.

Write two paragraphs about the following:

1. What do you know about a directors role on a film?

2. What questions do you have about the directors role on a film?

The director coordinates with the cast and crew in order to create their desired vision of the film. Directors are all different in their approach; some would rather work with the cast and keep the camera direction to the cinematographer while others will have specific directions for the cinematographer. They also work closely with the art director and the sound mixer, playing a key role from beginning to end.

Questions: What are some techniques to effectively direct actors? How does the director manage to coordinate with everyone on set to create their vision?

Wrapping Cinematography

Explain in detail three key things that you have learned during the scope o this unit. What are two things you still have questions about? What are two suggestions you have to improve the unit overall?

Overall, I learned the different effects of lighting setups. For example, there are multiple types of diffusion that all create a different look on the subject. Through the multitude of grip blog questions, I have learned the use for many different variations of equipment. There are different clamps for different uses and any lighting setup is possible with the correct equipment and the correct use. The cinematography unit also taught me the importance of color in a film. Color can not only create a different mood in the scene, but it can also have a symbolic meaning behind it. I still have questions about how to create an effective set that is realistic for the scene. I also would like to learn the different movements that are possible with a gimbal. This unit could be improved by going through the slideshow faster. I believe that fact that it dragged on for a very long time made me lose focus on some of the topics. Though the unit was made effective through the assignments, I believe there should have a been one more small project assigned instead of some of the assignments.

Practical Lights

What is a practical light? How is it used differently than regular film production lights? What is Bradford's advice in using them for film?

Practical light is a light source that would naturally occur in a setting that can be used as a part of the lighting setup. Using practical lights increase the reality of a scene and is also convenient for the filmmaker because it is already a part of the set and therefore does not require to be hidden behind the camera. Practical lights also tend to take up less space in this matter. These lights can be used solely or used in combination with film production lights if it helps create the desired look. Bradford advises to put black on any wall that is not shown inside the frame. He specifically focuses on blacking out the ceiling or the floor which is often unseen. This way, it makes it easier to control the light in the scene.