Do you do hardcore meticulous prepping or do u just throw elements together directing

john threat

john threat

Carbonite Member
Which side of directing do you like?

The meticulous anal-retentive planning from frame 1 to frame end with every detail covered in a control freakish way? Or do you rather gather elements together and hope the gel relying on a quick mind to massage disparate talents and set pieces into something great or nearly usable.

Oh and we'll fix that in post.
 
I find it depends on what you're shooting. For any kind of documentary work, the amount of planning you can put into things is hugely limited by comparison to creative production.

I for one like detailed shot lists, detailed storyboards, and someone on set writing notes on each take as we shoot (to assist with post). I've never understood why people get so stressed out on set. Being on set is the fun part, being on set is the easy part. It's organising the logistics, manpower, equipment, locations, shots lists etc. which is difficult. But once those things are done (and done properly), by the time you get on set, the rest is just gravy.

I suppose that does make me a 'planner', rather than a 'play it by ear' type. But I've always found that being organised enough to run things on-time or ahead of schedule is what frees up time to experiment with more creative ideas - so long as you have the necessary shots in the can, the rest you can play with (without needing to worry about whether you'll adequately cover each scene - because you've already covered them before you start playing around).

Call it 'practical creativity' if you need to put a label on it, but I find it a far more liberating way to work - first you work, and then you play.

The one thing I am anally retentive about is ALWAYS getting my masters first. So long as I have my master, everything else can screw up and I'll still have the scene.
 
The meticulous anal-retentive planning from frame 1 to frame end with every detail covered in a control freakish way?
^ This

I only wish I had more time and resources to have everything be more meticulously planned. I'd have what time the Key grip was going to take a crap on day 3 on the schedule if I could.

 
I find that good improvising and on-set re-activeness is only really possible if you do the prep beforehand. If I walk into a a day of shooting knowing exactly what I need for the edit and what needs to happen during the day to get us there, then I can safely deviate from those plans and vibe off of what I'm getting on set while still knowing that I'm covered in post. If you walk on to set unprepared with the hopes of making it work as the day progresses, then you're setting yourself up for failure at least some of the time. You're much more likely to forget things or walk away without a crucial piece of your film.

Just because you storyboard or shotlist every moment of your film doesn't mean that you can't stray from those lists. It just means that you can devote all of your mental energy on set to the end result without having to try and make mental checklists or worry about technicalities. Why make it harder on yourself? I usually end up straying pretty far from the initial vision created during prep, but all of that previz work makes principal much smoother (for me and the crew).
 
I usually make meticulous overhead diagrams of camera blocking, convert that to a shot list with the AD, then hand that off to the DP. That usually doesn't get changed much.

Working with talent is a different story. With each take you'll never know what you're going to get, so you can never really plan on what to give.
 
Well, like in all things in life, I think you need to find a happy medium. However it is my opinion (based on experience and what i've been told by others) that it is better to sway more towards the intense preparation side of things. Perhaps the most important aspect of being a director is having an answer for absolutely everything, and honestly I doubt anyone is smart enough to arrive at all of those answers on the spot.

So for me, you need to have a very good, detailed plan, but remain open to change if you feel inspired on set.
 
I prepare as much as possible while planning for that plan to fall apart at any stage. As with the above, it requires something in between the two extremes. Most of my work is event and documentary oriented, which makes planning very difficult. By event I don't mean weddings; I mean things that I can't reliable lay our a schedule for. So for those I have a basic outline with a lot of variables and accept that things may have to be moved at any point. For more controlled work I write shot lists, schedules and so forth and know that I can change any of it as needed. But by having a schedule written out and well planned I know that by adding an hour to one section I have to take an hour from another. So it's both.
 
Preparation is the springboard to creativity. It gives you something to jump off from, something to develop, something to discard. The more preparation you do, the more creative you can be.
 
David Jimerson said:
This is completely foolish laziness.
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Well i have two tangents from that simplistic statement

1) some people have made a fantasic living and career directing this way , even read about it here on this site. Of course, some people may direct this way and not even realize they are doing it.

2) you absolutely can direct this way on several different genres of film , narrative, documentary, etc. if your team is sharp enough to can create magic that is genius. Its not my personal perferred method, but i think that are working examples of success this way and there are some that thrive on this kind of film making,
 
john threat said:
Well i have two tangents from that simplistic statement

1) some people have made a fantasic living and career directing this way , even read about it here on this site. Of course, some people may direct this way and not even realize they are doing it.
Click to expand...

Who? Who has made a "fantastic living" just slapping together elements on set with no pre-planning? Names, and documentation.

And even if "some people" have, some people have also won $200 million lotteries.

There's nothing "simplistic" about the statement at all. The mindset you describe is foolish.


2) you absolutely can direct this way on several different genres of film , narrative, documentary, etc. if your team is sharp enough to can create magic that is genius. Its not my personal perferred method, but i think that are working examples of success this way and there are some that thrive on this kind of film making,
Click to expand...

See above.

At best, you'll be salvaging a mess rather than making what you really want. True, at times, it can inspire brilliance. Maybe it'll end up fantastic. It likely won't.
 
gonzo_entertainment said:
The meticulous anal-retentive planning from frame 1 to frame end with every detail covered in a control freakish way?
^ This

I only wish I had more time and resources to have everything be more meticulously planned. I'd have what time the Key grip was going to take a crap on day 3 on the schedule if I could.
Click to expand...


lol :grin:
 
Also I think there are different levels of Meticulous planning - What is meticulous to one - is way under prepared to another.

How far do you go - besides the script and storyboards?
 
Look, if you don't want it to suck, you need to be prepared. How anyone thinks purposely ignoring preparation in the hopes that something "genius" might happen is a good idea is well beyond me. It's lazy, wishful thinking.
 
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