Director

A director is a senior role responsible for the creative direction of a production. They set its look and feel, so every scene, performance and sound choice fits one clear vision.

Leading the vision

The director's vision guides the work of other roles and crew. Because the director is a senior role, they provide leadership across the whole production. Actors, camera operators and the video editor all follow the director's plan, which keeps the finished product consistent rather than a collection of unrelated ideas.

Working across all three phases

In pre-production, the director may revise the script with the script writer, decide which scenes and shots are needed, and audition and select actors. During production, they guide performances and work with the audio technician so dialogue and effects are captured as intended. In post-production, they work with the video editor, choosing which takes to use and how scenes are put together. A director who only turned up on filming days would lose control of the final result.

An example

Imagine you are directing a five-minute science-fiction short about a robot lost in a school. You might ask the script writer to make the ending quieter, choose high, wide shots to make the robot seem small, cast a nervous actor for the lead, and tell the video editor to hold the final shot for three seconds. Each decision supports the same lonely, curious mood.