Tip #51: Directing - The art of communication

By Dan Parkes (Director)

Directing is primarily about efficient communication so that the all-important overall vision (as discussed in the previous blog) can be achieved. There are three main aspects to this:

1. Communication style

There are 5 different types of directors (other than of course those who specialise in features, TV, theatre etc) and thus five different working methods (these are basic generalisations and the examples only guides as most directors frequently reinvent themselves):

• The Actor Director. This director works very closely with the cast, is good at developing solid characters, works well with ensembles, and leaves the technical aspects of filmmaking in the hands of his crew. These directors often come from a theatre background or were/are actors themselves (example: Mike Leigh).

• The Story Director. This director is propelled by narrative, is a storyteller and often works very closely on the script. Some of these directors may have started as writers. (example: Chris Nolan)
• The Auteur Director. Often described as having 'complete artistic control of the film' and also used for directors who are also writers, cinematographers and composers on their films. Their work can sometimes called 'passion-pieces'. (example: Alfred Hitchcock)
• The Visual director. A director whose primary concern is the look of the film. Often a lot of emphasis on the technology and special effects to achieve it, with story and acting taking secondary roles (example: James Cameron)
• Franchise director. A director who is called in to direct an already established franchise (book, cartoon, film) and often ends up having little control over the look and feel due to certain branding guidelines and audience expectations (example: Chris Columbus)

It is important for everyone including the director himself to recognise what type of director he is, as this will assist with effective communication, levels of expectation and personal areas for improvement (for the director that is!).

2. Communicating with cast/crew

Effectively communicating the overall vision to cast and crew can sometimes be no easy task and in recent times storyboarding and computer pre-visualisation tools have certainly assisted with this. However, ultimately this comes down being able to describe in precise ways what the objectives are. I once attended a discussion with director Stephen Frears who made the interesting point that the secret to directing is to surround yourself with people who are very good at what they do and then find a way of being able to effectively communicate what you want with them. He used music as an example and said that he cannot write a note of music but can express himself well enough to the composer so that they know exactly what he wants.

3. Communicating with the audience

The director must not overlook the fact that they also communicate via the camera. In many ways the camera is like another character in the film, and so the framing, lens selection and camera movement can all dramatically affect our interpretation of what is happening. For example, the use of wide shots can create distance from the characters, while extreme closeups can feel quite intimate. Subjective or objective angles can also make a character look superior or inferior.

While communication is vital, a director also needs some basic on-set tools such as blocking, the use of 'takes' and eye-lines, which will be discussed in the next blog.

Tip #33: A 'cinematic' camera

By Dan Parkes (Director)

A “cinematic camera” might conjure up the large expensive cameras seen in Hollywood productions. But the truth with film production has and always will be that it is a case of not what you’ve got but what you do with it. In recent times, large budget feature films are being shot with relatively smaller and less expensive cameras, the reason being that the “cinematic” look is now achievable on even “domestic” cameras. The explosion in low budget DSLR video production is the result of that.

But what is the “cinematic” look and how did we achieve it? Well, for us, “cinematic” firstly meant a wide aspect ratio. We filmed everything in 16:9 (widescreen) but then cropped it to 2:35:1 (cinema widescreen) in post. Secondly it meant the use of 35mm lenses to achieve a shallow depth of field (DOF). DOF has long been used as a tool to control what an audience focuses on in a frame. Especially on a large cinema screen, if everything was in sharp focus eyes may rest on some irrelevant background action instead of what is happening in the foreground or vice versa. The answer is to have a very narrow plane of focus, where the main object is in focus, and the background or foreground is out-of-focus. This is called a “shallow depth of field”. There are two ways of achieving this: 1. To use 35mm lenses, especially longer lenses. 2. If 35mm lenses are not available to use the longer end of the lens –ie to zoom in. This has a similar effect, but the problem being that the camera may have to be quite a distance from the subject!

We shot Ambleton Delight with the JVC GYHD201 camera, with a SGPro 35mm adapter that allowed the use of 35mm lenses. We had already tested the workflow on two smaller productions and so felt ready to shoot a feature, and the end result was fantastic.

Here are some vital ingredients to think about when attaching 35mm lenses to a video camera:

1. You will need a selection of prime and zoom lenses: for example wide (28mm) medium (50mm) long (85mm+) and a zoom if possible.
2. You will need more light as the 35mm adapter can lose a stop or so of light
3. Prime/zoom lenses result in an inverted image (upside down) –our camera has the option to invert the image so it was not a problem, but otherwise you might have to put your monitor upside down!
4. Always use a HD monitor if possible. The viewfinder and LCDs are not enough to ensure precise focus.
5. You will need a focus-puller –someone completely in charge of the focusing.
6. Always measure, check and mark focus points on the floor (actors marks) and also on the white ring on the focus dial.
7. With the 35mm lenses and adapter the camera becomes a lot heavier.
8. Prime lenses are better, as they are often faster (i.e. you can let more light in) –but they are fixed focus, so get the camera in the right position first.
9. Zoom lenses are more flexible for framing, but they are often slower (you lose light).
10. Factor in more time to set the camera up as you will have to select lenses and also mark your focus points
11. Make sure the actors hit their marks!