We all hear about him, but not everyone is necessarily able to describe his role in cinema accurately. In this article, you will discover the responsibility of the Director in the cinema, its attributions, and its differences from the producer.

The Director

In short, the Director is the boss, the team leader, the creator, the technician, and the manager. Always accompanied by his faithful assistant, he is the captain of the film set.

However, his work begins long before holding a camera and filming the actors. Indeed, he is responsible for taking charge of the scenario, storyboard, style, and movie’s look. While reading the script, he cuts the scenario into shots while taking care to note every detail of the composition of shooting and framing.

After all this, the Director takes care of the cast, equipment, and the technical team. It must be specified that the Director must think about the creative limitations and the financial limitations of the project’s production.

Concretely, as a team leader, the Director leads both the actors and the team of technicians whose work he coordinates. He ensures that deadlines are respected, which may defuse conflict between actors. He has to do everything so that the filming takes place in the best conditions.

Unlike actors, the Director’s task does not end with the shooting. From there, his assignments may vary from contract to contract. According to the latter’s terms, he can ensure the editing or, in most cases, entrust it to a professional editor.

In any case, for every activity he participates in, the Director will always cooperate closely with specialists. This is especially the case for technicians, the chief operator, the sound engineer, the cameraman, the Director of photography, etc. This is why the Director must have a developed sense of communication.

Why is the role of the Director crucial?

In short, we can say that the Director brings his artistic eye while playing his role as a chef. All participants in a session have a specific function, and all carry the film to life. It is clear that the Director has a central role so that without him, the film would never see the light of day. Here are four reasons to convince you:

• He understands the scenario.

The Director must read the script at least five times. He has to repeat his lectures first to understand the story and the script of a film. Indeed, it is this understanding that will allow the Director to faithfully interpret the script and make coherent artistic choices concerning the story and the themes being addressed.

In other words, the role of the Director is crucial. Like the captain of a ship, he knows the destination and knows how to get there. The actors and the technical team before, during, and after the shooting will help him achieve his goal. A project without a director is comparable to a boat without a captain.

• He organizes the filming.

In addition to his artist’s cap, the Director also wears the manager’s cap. You should know that the shooting must be planned and organized, so everything goes as planned. It is not surprising that it is the Director of the work who takes care of this organization to optimize the result of his team.

For example, the Director, assisted by his assistant, is responsible for choosing the location where the shooting takes place. He also fixes the dates so the film stays on schedule. If necessary, and if his contract dictates it, he can even supervise the work of the post-production team.

• The Captain

If the Director is often compared to a captain, it is not by chance. Like the maestro, the professional of the seventh art sets the right tone. This means that he dictates what can and cannot be done on set. The whole team must follow his recommendations: the actors and the technicians.

He is the boss of the shooting. It is his vision that must be transcribed on the screen. On the other hand, some directors are so pushy that the story’s writer might feel embarrassed. This is why many writers are disappointed with the film adaptation of their written work, not finding it true to their vision.

• He refines the work

The fourth reason why the role of the Director is crucial is his quality of supervision. It must be recognized that his artistic eye is essential to creating a masterpiece. That said, without his ability to oversee the work on set, the Director is worthless. At the very least, filming is likely to have problems.

This is what makes the film perfect. Why? Quite simply because the Director will make sure to optimize the work of sound engineers, directors of photography, and video editors. After all, a good shot or a good angle is not enough to win an Oscar. The colors, the sound effects, the soundtrack, the editing, etc., all contribute to making the viewer’s experience unforgettable.

Director and Producer: What’s the Difference?

If we talk about cinema, many do not make the difference between the work of a director and a producer. There are even some people who say it is the same thing. However, this is not the case.

If they both bathe in the world of the seventh, the Director is an artist while the producer is more of a businessman. A businessman, because he focuses more on the commercial aspect of making the film. His role is to ensure that the latter enjoys commercial success.

Nevertheless, he must have an artistic vision and a great culture. This enables him to identify what may or may not resonate with the public. In any case, the Director and the producer always work together, from conception to the film’s release.