Filmmaking Interview Questions

Crimson

Crimson

Member
My teacher assigned a research paper on the career we want to pursue a while ago, and one of the requirements is a 10 question interview for information with someone who currently is working in that field.

So, because I chose filmmaking and I don't know any other directors around here, I thought you guys would be perfect to ask. So, your answers don't have to be very long and serious at all, and any help at all is greatly appreciated! So I don't care if you just answer one of the questions, I'm just going to take the different responses and mold them into one interview.

1. At what age or time in life did filmmaking cross from a hobby to something more serious?

2. What and when was your first action of pursuing a filmmaking career after high school?

3. How did you finance your first feature/short film?

4. How would you define the actual role that a director is supposed to fill?

5. What kind of salary would a director expect to make in the independent scene, or is it completely dependent on the success of the movies?

6. What limitations does a movie director have, in example can he also work as an editor or cinematographer as well as a director on a film?

7. Are college courses necessary, and if so, where did you go?

8. Relatively how hard is it to "make it" in Hollywood, and what skills help this?

9.What are some qualities in yourself and others that make one suitable for film directing?

10. What's the best advice you could give someone new to filmmaking?

Thanks!
 
1. At what age or time in life did filmmaking cross from a hobby to something more serious?

My senior year of highschool, I began to heavily consider it as a career.


2. What and when was your first action of pursuing a filmmaking career after high school?

When I chose to double major in communication and film at my university. Several months later, I bought my dvx.


3. How did you finance your first feature/short film?

I saved up money from my job at a movie theater, and also pulled some favors from friends.


4. How would you define the actual role that a director is supposed to fill?

A director's role is to manage his team who in turn, manage their own teams based off of what the director says.


5. What kind of salary would a director expect to make in the independent scene, or is it completely dependent on the success of the movies?

The salary is non-existent on the independent scene, unless the right person sees it or you've got a killer marketing strategy. Some production houses will hire directors outside of their firm, but you'd have to be an experienced veteran, or partial owner of the film being made in order to get on their payroll as a director.


6. What limitations does a movie director have, in example can he also work as an editor or cinematographer as well as a director on a film?

I'm the type of guy who tries to do as much of the work as possible, so I strongly believe that the director can assume other rolls as well.


7. Are college courses necessary, and if so, where did you go?

I don't believe they're necessary at all. You can teach yourself the craft without ever dropping a dime on education. There are enough resources online to get the basics down. If you've got a video camera, that's really all you need.


8. Relatively how hard is it to "make it" in Hollywood, and what skills help this?

It is incredibly hard if you were to just move out there without first making contacts. I hear the phrase "the only way to make it is to know people" and I have slowly come to the realization that this is true. Once you get your foot in the door, you should be aware that you're going to start at the bottom of the food chain, and you must be willing to work your way up.


9.What are some qualities in yourself and others that make one suitable for film directing?

Organizational and interpersonal skills are key. I also strongly believe that surrounding yourself with a competent crew will help a lot.


10. What's the best advice you could give someone new to filmmaking?

Go out and make movies, show it to people and learn from your mistakes.
 
I play primarily as an Art Director/Set Designer/Illustrator, but I've directed some of my own shorts...take it FWIW.

1. At what age or time in life did filmmaking cross from a hobby to something more serious?

Senior year of High School. Instead of taking my second semester in the form of regular classes I interned in production at a local TV station.

2. What and when was your first action of pursuing a filmmaking career after high school?

A short spell doing illustration work for a local science-fiction/horror independent producer-director, then on to film school (art media, really).

3. How did you finance your first feature/short film?

Worked as a projectionist, a security guard, and as a freelance illustrator.

4. How would you define the actual role that a director is supposed to fill?

Providing the unifying vision that assembles the work of the various departments and performances of the cast into a coherent whole based upon the screenplay.

5. What kind of salary would a director expect to make in the independent scene, or is it completely dependent on the success of the movies?

Anything from millions, to finishing in abject poverty.

6. What limitations does a movie director have, in example can he also work as an editor or cinematographer as well as a director on a film?
Any given director's limitations are internal and personal, to that director. Tell you this much: any director who really truly doesn't know about (and isn't interested in) *any* aspect of production outside directing itself, is already a director I'm worried about.

7. Are college courses necessary, and if so, where did you go?

Education is vital and irreplaceable; there is no possible substitute. Whether any given director obtained that education in a classroom, or elsewhere, is a non-issue.

8. Relatively how hard is it to "make it" in Hollywood, and what skills help this?

It's hard. The competition is intense. Your inter-personal and political skills are as important as your technical/creative abilities, if you want to progress past a certain point.

9.What are some qualities in yourself and others that make one suitable for film directing?

Well-organized thinking. The ability to plan. The ability to improvise. Artistic literacy. The ability to previsualize (both in your imagination, and on paper). Good people skills. Discipline. Courage.

10. What's the best advice you could give someone new to filmmaking?

Find something else to do. Unless, for you, that is impossible. Unless it's impossible for you to be doing something else, anything else, this is not the field for you.
 
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