The film director is one of the central figures in filmmaking, and it is worth noting that aside from directing the casts and calling the shots, the director is given the responsibility of making several decisions through out the filmmaking processes.
Most people assume that the film director is the person who is in-charge of a movie production set, well, while this is partly true, it is important to mention that the film director must work hand in hand with all the casts and crew if he wants to achieve the needed success of a film.
So while you are aspiring to be a film director, you must keep it at the back of your mind that you must possess the spirit of teamwork in order to be able to work with the rest movie professionals and deliver a successful movie.
You need to understand that the other movie professionals you will be working with are experts in their respective fields and while you are given the duty to direct them, you must also give them the opportunity to exhibit their professional skills and not try to make them work as you wish or want.
And even if you have a fore or basic knowledge of any or most of the movie profession, when you are hired as a film director, learn how to give those other professionals the chance to bring their expertise to play in the entire production when you are directing them.
This article is however going to deal on how you can become a film director and without any further ado let’s get started with it.
How to become a film director.
To become a film director you need to follow the critical steps I am going to list and explain below:
- Learn the filmmaking process.
- Watch and analyze various movie BTS.
- Read various movie scripts.
- Discover your directing skills and style.
- Start making your own short films.
- Gain some experience.
- Build your portfolio.
- Network a lot.
- Join a film union or organization.
- Advance your career.
1. Learn the filmmaking process.
As an aspiring film director, it is very important for you to be knowledgeable in the filmmaking process before you ever delve into the industry.
There are various sources out there that can enable you to learn about the filmmaking process and some of them are:
- Joi n a movie school.
- Undergo online courses and webinars.
- Read articles on blogs about filmmaking.
- Watch YouTube tutorials on filmmaking.
- Find a successful director to study under.
By familiarizing yourself with the various stages of film production and the strategies that are used to achieve them, you will be in a better position to deliver your own masterpieces when the time finally presents itself.
2. Watch and analyze various movie BTS.
One of the ways to become a film director is to watch and analyze various movie behind-the-scenes and concentrate on how the directors are relating with their casts and crew.
Try to analyze what differentiates each of those directors and also try to make comparisons and figure out the one that will work best for you.
3. Read various movie scripts.
As a film director, one of the things you will be doing every time is to study screenplays and use them to schedule your shooting and do several things that will help you to shoot a successful movie.
So before that time even comes, you need to start reading other scripts that have already been acted and if possible watch those movies to see how the script was fully interpreted.
4. Discover your directing skills and style.
Every film director has their own unique skills and style that makes them stand out and for that reason you need to discover your directing skills and style before you enter the industry.
I’ve seen directors who are fond of scolding their casts and crew when they misbehave and no one dares to insult them when they do so because they have already established that reputation right from the start of their career.
5. Start making your own short films.
While waiting for your first big project to land, you can kick off your film directing career by putting some funds aside to shoot your own short films.
Even if it’s a 2 to 5 minutes movie that relates a story, ensure that you have somethings you will be adding to your portfolio to convince a client that you are capable of delivering their project as proposed.
6. Gain some experience.
Experience, they say, is the best teacher, and for that reason you can never be a better film director until you have ever directed a film or two.
So while the desperation to become a film director lies deep and heavy within, ensure that you give yourself sometime to gain some experience and you can do this by working on some minor film projects or even hanging around others who are doing so.
7. Build your portfolio.
Now that you have some short films to your credit, you can go ahead and build your portfolio either by crating your own official website or signing up for free social media platforms where you can upload your existing little jobs.
This portfolio will therefore help to speak volumes about your ability to direct a movie if you are given the opportunity.
8. Network a lot.
As an aspiring film director, you need to hang around others who are working in the movie industry. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a film director as your connection to an actor or even a movie light and sound engineer can help you establish a relationship that will help you exhibit your directing career in no time.
9. Join a film union or organization.
Film unions and organizations have really paved the way for so many film directors to make their entry into the movie industry.
For example, here in Nigeria, we have the Directors Guild Of Nigeria (DGN) where aspiring directors can get registered and avail themselves the opportunity to enter the movie industry as a director.
10. Advance your career.
Finally, don’t pigeonhole yourself in a particular location or place when the opportunity has finally presented itself for you to join the movie industry.
You need to advance your career by scouting for film directing jobs in other movie industries that are farther from your residence or location.
