Peter’s Musings

So you want to become a director? Isn’t that what everybody wants. It’s probably the thought of being able to control things and having the power to do so. Think about those individuals following your every dictation. Or perhaps there’s something you want to say and you want them to listen to you. Or maybe not. You wish a profession, power, and glory. The large query is: DO YOU SEE PICTURES IN YOUR HEAD. If the answer is no then you might want to forget about being a director or a cinematographer. 

You you need to understand that a thriving director and cinematographer is capable of putting pictures together in their minds which is more or less the same with the composer’s ability to hear music even before it was recorded. Now some musicians tinker about on an instrument until they work out a tune: this is not being a real music performer. Real Musicians hear music in their minds, then jot it down, or play it. Most of us are just hanging about and there is no denying that it is exciting to do. For several people, directing is like a vocation or a calling like that of being a Priest or a Medical doctor. The work is not really the same with that of a Priest or a Doctor but rather the commitment it needs because for one to become a successful Film Director he or she has to go through hell, literally. The work description of these film directors do not center solely on visualizing scenes in their heads, but it also involves dealing with demanding and very varied group of actors and actresses. Sometimes someone  the likes of Karasawa or Hitchcock arrives into play. People like them are so amazing that they clearly don’t live in the same world as us mere mortals. How to guard and preserve these individuals known as the Brilliant Ones, well it is up to us. Long ago the society looks up to these Brilliant Ones. At present most movie directors get the same kind of treatment but they are not regarded as the Brilliant Ones because they are just those people who wants to get in front of the limelight and make a  good movie. 

There are 2 things that you have remember if you intend to become a director one is that bad behavior is not necessary and another is that you do not have to load yourself with technical information. It is really not a big deal for him or her to focus on the script and the actors and actresses in the film. Because that is what we do - the Crew: we provide the technical expertise. The DP, Operator (maybe the same person) and the Script Supervisor can work out how to take the film with the director. Nasty directors that do nothing but state everything can be very boring to work alongside with. Individuals can forgive them if they are part of those Brilliant Ones, but if they are not people find it hard to forgive them.