Directing for the Screen (PDF)

Directing for the Screen: Succeeding as a Creative Professional is a collection of essays and interviews exploring the art and business of directing. This highly accessible guide to working in film and television includes perspectives and advice from industry insiders on topics such as breaking in; developing and nurturing business relationships; the director's responsibilities on set and in the field; strategies for contending with the emotional highs and lows of a directing career; and more. Directing for the Screen is an ideal companion to filmmaking classes, bringing the expertise of working directors into the classroom. This book demystifies the film and television 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 how to land a top internship, how to succeed in that internship, and how to make yourself invaluable to a producer or director and land your first gig.
• Reveals details about working with actors, overseeing the creative and technical 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 voice as a director, 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.