Directing for the Screen

Directing for the Screen

by Anna Weinstein
Released February 2017
Publisher(s): Routledge
ISBN: 9781317370680

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Book description

Directing for the Screen is a collection of essays and interviews exploring the business of directing. This highly accessible guide to working in film and television includes perspectives from industry insiders on topics such as breaking in; developing and nurturing business relationships; the director’s responsibilities on set and in the field; and more. Directing for the Screen is an ideal companion to filmmaking classes, demystifying the industry and the role of the director with real-world narratives and little-known truths about the business. With insight from working professionals, you’ll be armed with the information you need to pursue your career as a director.

  • Contains essays by and interviews with television directors, feature directors, documentary filmmakers, commercial directors, producers, and professors.

  • Offers expert opinions on how to get started, including landing and succeeding in an internship and getting your first gig.

  • Reveals details about working with actors, overseeing the work of often hundreds of crewmembers, writing last-minute on set, and developing a working relationship with producers and screenwriters.

  • Explores strategies for doing creative work under pressure, finding your directorial voice, financing shorts and independent films, breaking down barriers and overcoming discrimination, shooting in less-than-ideal situations, and recovering from bad reviews or box office results.

  • Illuminates the business of directing in the United States (New York and Los Angeles) as compared to other countries around the globe, including England, Ireland, Spain, Australia, Denmark, Pakistan, Belgium, and Canada.

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Half Title
  3. Title Page
  4. Copyright Page
  5. Dedication
  6. Table of Contents
  7. Acknowledgments
  8. Introduction
  9. Chapter 1: Getting Started
    1. Taking Risks and Finding Mentors: Beginning With School
    2. Short ‘N Sweet: The Short Film as a Calling Card
    3. Getting a Seat at the Table: Interning, Script Supervising, and Approaching a Producer With a Project
    4. You and Your Director of Photography (DP): Finding and Working With Your DP
    5. Breaking in to Features: Working With Comedic Actors and Developing New Projects
  10. Chapter 2: Sticking It Out
    1. What’s An Assistant Director Anyway?: Roles and Responsibilities
    2. Film Festivals and Development Programs: The Basics
    3. Getting Fiscal Sponsorship
    4. Developing Business Acumen
    5. Directing for Television: A Global Perspective
    6. Directing the One-Hour Television Drama: How It Works in Los Angeles and New York
  11. Chapter 3: Finding Success
    1. Pursuing Truth in Storytelling: A Lifelong Career in Documentaries and Features
    2. Documentary Filmmaking in Pakistan: When Directing Can Be Dangerous
    3. Directing the Personal Documentary: An Intersex Adventure
    4. Directing for Studios vs. Independent Filmmaking: Reflections on Thirty Years in the Film Industry
    5. Becoming Independent: Distribution After the Multiplex
  12. Chapter 4: Getting Ahead
    1. Independent Film Distribution
    2. Independent Filmmaking
    3. The Evolution of A Directing Career: From Australia to Hollywood and Back Again
    4. Rolling with the Punches and Discoveries: Filmmaker David Gordon Green’s Journey
    5. Directing Television Commercials: Guidelines for a Fruitful Career
    6. Directing Documentaries: Notes From the Field
  13. Chapter 5: Starting Again
    1. Transmedia Storytelling: The Next Step in Directing
    2. Navigating The Creative Process: Insights on Gender and the Business of Directing
    3. Processing Box Office Results: Building a Career in Unconventional Storytelling
    4. Bouncing Back after a Setback: The Determination to Begin Again
    5. Directing Sitcoms and Theater: From Stage to Screen
  14. Index

Product information

  • Title: Directing for the Screen
  • Author(s): Anna Weinstein
  • Release date: February 2017
  • Publisher(s): Routledge
  • ISBN: 9781317370680