What do you learn in a film school directing class?

[Matt W.]

Just curious.

Not in an editing class, a cinematography class, a film history class, a film aesthetics class, a film theory class, a Hitchcock class, a vfx class, or any of those kinds of classes.

Intro to directing.

Advanced directing.

What is it?

Blocking?

Acting?

Coverage?

The X-factor?

And to what extent each?

 

[Lliam Worthington]

Really depends on the teacher and the course. I studied directing at University and have done many courses over the years since from only a few hours or days to very immersive weeks. Primarily, they have focused on working with actors. Second, would be script analysis. Some have focused on the basics of understanding all departments and roles including everything from scheduling, budgets and breaking scripts down to on set protocols. Also plenty of scene analysis and studies of visual language.Covered some basics, but not a lot of blocking work in those I have experienced. The Hollywood camera works series is a great boon in this regard i think.

 

[Gary Paul Walker]

My experiance of film school (heavily concentrating on Directing) was very mixed.
The 'craft' of directing was largely ignored in favour of the practicals of budgeting, planning, script breakdown, staffing, editing etc...

What I would say is this, I learnt far more by putting myself on film sets than I did in a classroom. Theory is great, but remember that every class is taught from a book, and books can be obtained from amazon

to the latter part of my degree, my decisions were based on WHO was teaching the class, and what I could learn from that person (rather than what they would repeat parrot fashion from a book).


My experiences in film school largely taught me that people are the best teachers- not the books... so find and surround yourself with good people

 

[Scott Crawley]

I know Directing classes exist but I can't imagine how you could possibly cover enough in one class to scratch the surface, even over two semesters. Directing is all of the classes you listed and more. It is a course of study, not a class.

 

[Emanuel A.]

Well said Scott. I gave four years of my life only for the graduation. Plus even more years to prepare myself to be admitted in the film school with success. Impossible to even dare to resume it in a forum post, I'm sorry.

 

[Matt W.]

That Hollywood Camerawork stuff I've seen is very good, but it's also pretty basic blocking, I'd imagine?

And there are no decent books on coverage I know of. The directing books I've read have been mediocre.

What do you mean by script break down? Do you mean like a producer would to plan and budget for everything or like breaking down the beats and figuring out how best to communicate each one?

 

[Lliam Worthington]

That Hollywood Camerawork stuff I've seen is very good, but it's also pretty basic blocking, I'd imagine?

And there are no decent books on coverage I know of. The directing books I've read have been mediocre.

What do you mean by script break down? Do you mean like a producer would to plan and budget for everything or like breaking down the beats and figuring out how best to communicate each one?

Been a few years, but from memory I actually thought the Hollywood camera work went pretty in depth. But perhaps would feel differently if I revisited now.

On books on coverage, I think they all tend to be broader in scope, but I thought Steven Katz's works were pretty good. But I do have a couple of pretty lack lustre books on coverage in my library.

On script breakdown, yes sorry, I meant as done by a producer (or line producer/production manager in my hemisphere) When I mentioned Script "analysis" was when I was talking about identifying subtext and breaking down scenes/lines into beats etc.

 

[Marc Wielage]

One up-and-coming director I worked with not long ago told me that she spent about six months taking actor's classes, just to get an idea on how actors deal with lines, blocking, props, and so on. If nothing else, it makes you aware of how vulnerable and insecure many actors are, which helps you prepare when you have to deal with them as a director. Even if you never intend to act, I think there's a good lesson there.

I think any good director understands the value of rehearsals prior to the shoot, storyboards to get a handle on camera position and character movement, editing to grasp the fundamentals of coverage, cinematography to understand the basics of what kind of looks can be achieved and what it takes to get there, and sound, just to get the dialogue right on set whenever possible.

One class they don't emphasize enough for directors is one on the business side, particularly logistics, scheduling, budgeting, contracts, finding an agent, and so on. Having said that, a friend of mine told me that the most valuable lessons he ever got was being allowed to "shadow" a TV director for about a month, just seeing how the director handled the myriad of decisions and stress over a period of several episodes. Just developing the instincts to know exactly what you want, understand when to compromise (and when not to), and how to physically and emotionally prepared to make it through each day are all very challenging. No book or class can teach you that.

 

[Chris Luker]

Around here, the Directing class starts with casting then goes through blocking, script breakdown and working with actors. There are a lot of hands on projects (the best way to learn!).

 

[paulherrin]

you learn one persons opinions of some other persons opinions about directing.

now, if you want to learn how (if) you want to direct... do it. and if you have any sense at all you'll never do it again. directors don't want to direct, they have to.