Can you direct and DP at the same time? ( for a indie feature)

A

asingfield

Active member
Hi guys, we have just made a trailer for a feature film idea,

http://vimeo.com/38529501


Now, I was the director, DP, editor and writer for the trailer, I shot it using two GH2s and I had a sound recordists plus a grip. I know shooting a trailer opposed to shooting a full feature film is massively different. But I believe that the crew we have (possibly with more crew ie 1st AD/ AC) we could make this movie. But I have "industry" people telling me that if I want some funding or a "famous" name attached to the film, I can't do everything; I have to choose. I was told to that the director can't do DP because he/she has to focus on the story. Is this true? I guess if you look at successful directors in Hollywood, they don't DP on thier own movies. I know we're not on that level, but I keep going back to the guy who made monsters and how he made his first feature....

Can I have my cake and eat it too?

Cheers
 
You can, and you may even be competent enough doing both, however odds are that something is going to end up suffering in the end, the vision/cohesiveness of the story, acting, or the visuals (maybe even more than one).
 
You at least need a camera op who is competent enough to not require supervision. You still get final call on how the shots end up, but filming and directing are very different things. If your actors have to wait for you to get back behind the camera after instructing them you're going to end up with a very frustrated team of people who can see the different areas becoming weak because you didn't want help. Don't get in that situation, especially not when you're starting out.
 
Cassius said:
You at least need a camera op who is competent enough to not require supervision. You still get final call on how the shots end up, but filming and directing are very different things. If your actors have to wait for you to get back behind the camera after instructing them you're going to end up with a very frustrated team of people who can see the different areas becoming weak because you didn't want help. Don't get in that situation, especially not when you're starting out.
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second this, but more because I find it almost impossible to keep an eye on your frame and mise-en-scene while also minding the actors' performance. So many times I've focused on keeping everything in frame properly, then when I yell cut and the actors ask for any suggestions, I realize I have no idea if they'd done what I wanted. Similarly, if I focus on the performance, I find there's things in the frame I should've caught-- halfway through the edge of a lamp is protruding oddly, or someone left a water bottle on the counter.

Not to mention trying to be a director while also running your lighting and camera department... almost impossible and the stress is awful. "Move that light more to the left... no Jim, you stand over there... Becky, I need your best "I never loved you" face and, wait I meant move that light CAMERA left... Jim, why were you just standing in the back the whole time? Oh right I never told you what you should be doing during the scene... maybe we should try this on a 30mm..."
 
asingfield said:
Can I have my cake and eat it too?
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Yes - but it may get you a lot of stains on your shirt. In my country this was tried often in a certain phase and time. And it may work under circumstances where you shoot a narrative, don't care for what your actors really do as long as they deliver their lines and don't run into the furniture while they are talking AND walking. Sunday evening TV period pieces for mummy and granny with horses and landscape.

From your clip it seems you have a clear optical concept as a director. Get yourself a DP who can live with that and work towards you while you concentrate on working with the actors, the psychological warfare on the set, producers getting hysterical. Assumed that you come from the shooter side more than from the director side of the business, you should concentrate more on what may be the more unaccustomed part becasue here you may commit the more serious mistakes.

Apart from that: Loved the clip.
 
Yes you can. But you have to be talented. Also your actors have to be people you've already perfectly cast so that they know how it should go down. So you don't even have to direct them that much. Some actors need a lot of nudging. Some don't. Pick those who don't.

Films are a very visual medium anyway and a lot of experienced directors really like to be behind the camera anyway. An experienced commercial director just told me that having a DoP is occasionally very bothering to him because he could just put the camera where he wants it anyway without someone in between. Depends on the DoP too. Different strokes.
 
maarek said:
So you don't even have to direct them that much.
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Tell me where you get those wonder-creatures ... and: The moment you go for a longer piece or even full-feature length, everything (everything!) changes and directing becomes a 14 to 16 hours a day job. And usually even this time is too short.... ;-) The experience of a director who shoots commercials is a completely different thing.
 
Ryan Patrick O'Hara said:
Australia is ripe with good cinematographers. Get one.
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or do it yourself. I'm having fun doing both. Does my work suffer as a result? Is it's impact less than what it could have been? Honestly, maybe? Who is to say? Maybe I've got domestic issues clouding up my mind and I can't stay on task. Is my acting going to suck as a result of my trying to have a family and a career? It could. Should I get a divorce? Should I stop trying to make films? Do I wish there was more drama in my movie and less at home?

multitask and get over it. Women are better at multi-tasking than men and make great partners.

my dime.
 
I never knew my directing could be as good or as much fun as it could be until I stepped back from the camera and let someone else handle cinematography. I consider myself a cinematographer, but never knew how hard it really is to do both until I tried doing just one and the results came out so much better.
 
dont shoot and direct. thats like drinking and driving. only if you *have* to.
real friends dont let friends shoot and direct.
 
Lots of people will tell you they can do it.

And lots of people will tell you they can text and drive at the same time. And maybe they can -- but certainly not well!
 
If we run a small vessel, we can - and may be must - be captain, chief engineer and sailor at once.

The bigger the vessel is the more distinct and differentiated the functions must be.

Meaning: Size matters.
 
Aaron give me a call 0408 455 374. I can get you sorted. If I dont answer - Ill call you back as Im on pre pro with a client today - shooting a TVCM Friday and rushes Saturday.
 
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