Making Better Movies

Part 1 - Planning

This is where you learn your script better than your actors ever will.

First, visualize your completed film as you're reading it. But remember to visualize it on a two-dimensional screen. Directors have to see their whole world inside a 16x9 frame.

If you have any artistic skill (or can simply hold a pencil), try storyboarding your ideas. These are simple sketches of key elements of a shot or scene. 

Remember that you'll need to make compromises because you'll find you can't always get exactly what you want. Figure out your priorities as to what are the most important elements to tell your story.

I try to get all my creative, artistic ideas worked out at this point. Basically, all the right-brain stuff. The next part becomes pretty dry, left-brained thinking for the most part. It's the time when you think through the actual shoots.

With the script in front of you, start a list of every shot you're going to need, remembering what we said about trying to limit the number of setups and cover shots. (You're starting to figure out why I wrote this in this order, aren't you?)

I like to use spreadsheet software (Excel, Numbers, Google Sheets) for this part because it's easy to set up columns to sort things in different ways. If you're good with the software, there are a lot of tricks you can use to make things easier, like drop-down menus – See Mr. Google again.

You'll want to list things like location, kind of shot (wide, medium, close), the actors involved, remembering that with dialog, you'll want someone off camera to feed the actor their lines for close shots. List any special props you'll need or actions you want to pay attention to.

The shot list becomes your checklist when you're filming. Usually, your AD keeps track of things with it. You can also leave space so your AD can note good and bad takes. If you want to be very thorough and organized, you can come up with a numbering system so, when you edit, it's easier to associate your camera video files to your script.

Even if it's just a scribbled list, it's really helpful to have a shot sheet. With all the distractions, you'll never remember all of this stuff when you're on location and in the middle of at the mayhem that is a shoot.

Scout your locations. Think about things like noise, light, even electrical power. Figure out where the sun will be when you'll be shooting. Even indoors, if it's glaring through a window, it can be an issue.

Will you need to bring anything to make it look like you want it to? You'll want to list and collect your props.

Think about how much help you'll need and where you'll find the people. (You have your cast, right?)

In most cases, you'll have some sort of equipment list to prepare.

Calendar time: set up your schedule. Give yourself plenty of time in each location—always a bit more than you expect. Keep in mind possible weather issues for outdoor locations.

Stay calm. Don't panic. When you're a director, you'll need all the people skills that you have.