How to Direct A Movie?

Scripts are maps the producers, directors, and actors use to create the movie, but there are phases the script needs to go through to become the outcome we see on screen. Here are the steps the director needs to take once he chooses a script to shoot.

• Don’t waste your time – Before you start reading a new script, you need to make sure that the script is written in the correct format and read the synopsis and treatment to see if the script uses the three-act structure and a sharp conflict. You can read about all these things in the scriptwriting course. You don’t want to waste your time on a script that is not following the essential story tools.
• Do you like the script? Now, you have to make sure it is good enough to go through the all filmmaking journey. Start by reading the first ten pages and seeing if it’s dawning on you. Can you guess how the story is going to continue? Does it interest you? The next step is to read the script without your professional glasses and read it for fun as if you were reading a novel. Does the script make you tingle? Do you feel the passion for putting it on screen? If so, you are ready to move to your next step.
• Meeting the screenwriter – The purpose here is to see if the screenwriter is someone you can work with and understand his vision. Your mission here is to create a creative dialogue between you and the screenwriter and exchange ideas about how the film should look.
• Test The Script on others – Let friends you trust read it (they don’t have to be professionals from the industry. It’s even better if they won’t be), and try to understand from them the weak and strong points of the script. You can also try it with actors. If you have actors you know you will work in this film, use them; if not, hire some just for this reading exercise. Do a read-through with them, and let the screenwriter be there too.
• Improve the script – After the reading, sit with the screenwriter and try to understand what needs to be improved. You can also ask the actors if there were any parts in the script that felt unnatural. Remember that the screenwriter is the one in charge of the script. Please don’t go into extreme arguments with them. On the other hand, every screenwriter needs to be open to changes that will take through all production, and rewrites are always needed. It would help if you found a balance between the directorial ideas, production needs, and the writer’s vision. I recommend involving the screenwriter as much as possible during the film production, especially at the beginning. Getting the screenwriter involved will help build a respectful relationship between you, which might come in handy later on. Now it’s time to start working on the script development.

Tips for developing a script

By now, you should have a new understanding of the film’s concept. Is it something you can deliver efficiently through the film, and is it worth sharing? Reread the script, and think about the importance of each scene. How does it contribute to the story and the film’s concept? If a scene does not develop the story or the character, why is it there? Make sure every scene has a beginning, middle, and end, and break the scenes into beats. Pay attention to each one of the characters. Are they helping the story? Are their motivations clear (especially the hero)? Are they multidimensional, and are they developing and changing through the film?

Now, reread the script and pay attention to any images or ideas that pop into your head. Don’t judge them. Just write them down (in the script or a different notebook). This type of reading should be slow, and you need to think about things like:

• props
• lights
• costumes
• or any idea that comes into your head

After you finish, go through all of your notes and start writing your director’s vision. We have a particular lesson in this film direction course, so if you haven’t read it yet, please do so before moving on to the following lessons.