DP's who are also directors and writers

[Aaron Covington]

Robert Rodriguez

[Leo Anthony Vale]

Robert Rodriguez

 

Isn't he a director/writer who also DPs in addition to making lunch for the crew?

[Guest]

A director has WAAAAAY too many things to do to actually be DP'ing.

 

I've always done both jobs, there are advantages to this system. I'm also the camera operator on all of my shoots as well. I've also always edited every thing I've worked on, whether it was self generated or client financed.

 

It seems that to survive these days having multiple skills is always an asset.

 

I don't see any inherent issues with the director also being the DOP if he has the skill set to tackle both jobs. I know full-time DOPs just loath the idea of a director also being a DOP, but let's face it at the top levels most directors are only directors so it's not really an issue.

 

When you're a film student or just starting out most directors end up shooting their own work in order to get it made. I often wonder if this is where things are breaking down for women and causing a barrier for them to enter the industry in greater numbers?

 

At my university the women just hated the idea of having to operate "gear." They where always on the hunt for a man to "shoot and edit." They often had very good ideas, and great writing skills, but they where so put off by cameras and editing suites.

 

When group work was being done it was always the men at the edit controller while the women sat back and where happy to just give input and creative direction.

 

Problem is that when school is over if you can't shoot and edit your own work you need to hire some one to do it for you.

 

I dunno, just an observation.

 

R,

[Tom Lowe]

I've always done both jobs, there are advantages to this system. I'm also the camera operator on all of my shoots as well. I've also always edited every thing I've worked on, whether it was self generated or client financed.

 

It seems that to survive these days having multiple skills is always an asset.

 

I don't see any inherent issues with the director also being the DOP if he has the skill set to tackle both jobs. I know full-time DOPs just loath the idea of a director also being a DOP, but let's face it at the top levels most directors are only directors so it's not really an issue.

 

When you're a film student or just starting out most directors end up shooting their own work in order to get it made. I often wonder if this is where things are breaking down for women and causing a barrier for them to enter the industry in greater numbers?

 

At my university the women just hated the idea of having to operate "gear." They where always on the hunt for a man to "shoot and edit." They often had very good ideas, and great writing skills, but they where so put off by cameras and editing suites.

 

When group work was being done it was always the men at the edit controller while the women sat back and where happy to just give input and creative direction.

 

Problem is that when school is over if you can't shoot and edit your own work you need to hire some one to do it for you.

 

I dunno, just an observation.

 

R,

 

Richard, I hear you. But for me, with my directorial endeavors, I am also producing and editing, writing, dealing with the actors, location scouting, and often finding the music, etc, so having a skilled and awesome DP to help me is a luxury I am happy to have. Plus being able to watch monitor, I think, is very valuable - at least for me.

Edited March 28, 2008 by Tom Lowe

[Brad Grimmett]

Isn't he a director/writer who also DPs in addition to making lunch for the crew?

And he drives all the trucks, and books all the flights, and loads mags, and builds sets....

 

Barry Sonnenfeld is a DP turned director. I don't think he writes though.

[Guest]

Richard, I hear you. But for me, with my directorial endeavors, I am also producing and editing, writing, dealing with the actors, location scouting, and often finding the music, etc, so having a skilled and awesome DP to help me is a luxury I am happy to have. Plus being able to watch monitor, I think, is very valuable - at least for me.

 

And I hear you too! Except I would also add catering manager, production manager, art director, costume designer, VFX supervisor, props builder, set builder.......

 

Let's hope that one day we both have budgets big enough so that some one else can share the load :D

 

R,

[Tom Lowe]

And I hear you too! Except I would also add catering manager, production manager, art director, costume designer, VFX supervisor, props builder, set builder.......

 

Let's hope that one day we both have budgets big enough so that some one else can share the load :D

 

R,

 

haha, yeah.

[John Brawley]

Some directors like Kubrick and Malick are accomplished still photographers and have advanced knowledge of cinematography. They don't DP themselves, but they probably could.

 

 

Kubrick DP'd his first two films and few docos before that, which he also directed.

 

There's also Luc Besson, who sometimes DP's, does underwater operating (!) and often does his own operating when he's directing.

 

jb

[Brad Grimmett]

And I hear you too! Except I would also add catering manager, production manager, art director, costume designer, VFX supervisor, props builder, set builder.......

R,

Another Rodriguez I guess...

[Alex Lindblom]

The great Jan Troell.

 

I would even argue that he is too good of a cinematographer, leaving his direction, a bit lacking sometimes.

 

Personal favorite -- Eng title: The Flight of the Eagle.

 

A fantastic film on every level.

 

 

[Brandon Rubesh]

Stephen Soderberg directed and DP'd most of his films didn't he?

[Tomas Koolhaas]

Hi,

I am a DP, but wrote a short film recently, initially I wanted someone else to direct it and for me to DP it, but I couldnt find anyone who's style I thought would fit. Then I decided to direct it, so I wanted someone else to DP so I could concentrate on directing (since it would be the first time for me). The DP I wanted pulled out at the last minute due to getting a big feature, so I ended up doing both myself. I am actually REALLY happy I did both myself, it turned out really well. There are definately drawbacks (time being the biggest one, actors tend to feel neglected when you have to go and light something while they are preparing for the scene). I found that this was negated by a MASSIVE level of pre-production! I had EVERY shot figured out about a month before the shoot and did a video storyboard, which I exported stills from so that every shot on the shotlist corresponded to a still frame using stand-ins that exactly depicted the staging/angle and positioning of the shot, this helped immensly as it cut down time I would have spent explaining the shots to Operators/gaffers etc... giving me more time to spend with the actors. Also having very simple/naturalistic lighting helped, if I had had to be more styalised it may have been a bit harder to juggle both roles.

[monday sunnlinn]

i'm about to direct/DP a music video i wrote a treatment for. i think pre-pro is going to be the only thing making this possible. it's not a band on stage video either, there's locations in times square, salt lake city and a number of technically challenging VFX shots. i plan on doing a full CGI pre-vis, and i'm fairly certain i can wear both hats. while it's not as long as a feature it has all the elements. I am also the Editor, VFX Super, Lead CG artist, Lead Compositor, Lead Colorist and i can sleep after it's done....

 

maybe i can get Robert Rodriguez to cater...

 

 

i think as long as you aren't super-rushed, anything is possible.

[Adrian Patmore]

Samuel Bauer is a director who also does camera op. He did the Green Day videos such as Holiday, Boulevard, and Amercian Idiot plus others...

[frederico parreira]

i believe the concept to have in mind here is 'specialization'. i think is perfectly possible for a director to also DP and also write. but i cannot say i believe the work will be done as good as if there is a specialist for each role. final product will never be as good. making films is a group activity, and i think one director as only to gain by being suported by a talented DP, or vice-versa.

[Tomas Koolhaas]

i believe the concept to have in mind here is 'specialization'. i think is perfectly possible for a director to also DP and also write. but i cannot say i believe the work will be done as good as if there is a specialist for each role. final product will never be as good. making films is a group activity, and i think one director as only to gain by being suported by a talented DP, or vice-versa.

 

I tend to agree in principal, for example if I edit my own film its not going to be edited as well as if I got an actual Editor, who's been editing for years, to do it! Having said that, when I directed an DP'd my short it went exceptionally smoothly (was the fastest and smoothest shoot I ever worked on) and I think the imagery compliments the story/emotions PERFECTLY...this is obviously because I created the story and the imagery in the same mind (my own). If I had had a DP (which I wanted at first) I dont believe that human language is even capable of giving him the insite into exactly what I wanted, as doing it myself (and If it is Possible it probably would have taken longer explaining on set which would have detracted from my directing!). Being the DP and director is like having a DP that is psychic and knows EXACTLY what you want immediately without having to spend ANY time explaining it, unless all DP's develop ESP there is a definite case to be made at least for DPing and Directing.

[frederico parreira]

hmhm. i understand and agree with the idea you are defending, however, there are 2 or 3 points i want to clarify. first, and picking up what you said about the editing yourself versus having that work made by an excelent editor, i think this was a bad example :P u being the director and the editor have no logistic disadvantages ( where i live, portugal, a country in southern europe, directors always edit, or most of the times). you being director and DP, on the contrary, has. you cant be an excelent director and also a great DP and perhaps a great actor's director if u are making all these things at the same time. first of all, because you ll miss all the details. second, maybe u can be the director and the DP, but then u ll need a great crew helping you with this. either way, i think making films is about teamwork (not only, but u know what i mean).

 

on another direction, dont you think it is interesting to work with people that are not in your mind, and therefore bring fresh ideas, ideas that u havent think of, different angles, different aproaches ? i think the clash of ideas is allways a good element in the creative process.

Edited April 8, 2008 by frederico parreira

[Thomas James]

Of course Stanley Kubrick has excellent photography skills, director skills, and screen play writing skills. I believe he did some of his own camera work for 2001. Although he did not write the novel 2001 he helped Arthur C.Clark write the screenplay.

 

I have written a novel that I would like to see made into a movie but I have never written a screenplay. I have operated cameras but I have never DP'd. Still I would like to have control over the framerate and once I adjust the cameras I could then turn the work over to the specialists. Not only can I write but I can also draw and construct as well as invent. I like a more comprehensive aproach rather than a specialist aproach.

[Tomas Koolhaas]

hmhm. i understand and agree with the idea you are defending, however, there are 2 or 3 points i want to clarify. first, and picking up what you said about the editing yourself versus having that work made by an excelent editor, i think this was a bad example :P u being the director and the editor have no logistic disadvantages ( where i live, portugal, a country in southern europe, directors always edit, or most of the times). you being director and DP, on the contrary, has. you cant be an excelent director and also a great DP and perhaps a great actor's director if u are making all these things at the same time. first of all, because you ll miss all the details. second, maybe u can be the director and the DP, but then u ll need a great crew helping you with this. either way, i think making films is about teamwork (not only, but u know what i mean).

 

on another direction, dont you think it is interesting to work with people that are not in your mind, and therefore bring fresh ideas, ideas that u havent think of, different angles, different aproaches ? i think the clash of ideas is always a good element in the creative process.

 

 

I know what you mean, a good DP always brings something to the table that the director hasnt thought of! Also in general two minds are better than one, its just a fact that between two people more 'angles' can be covered (figurativley speaking) than just by one. But this is assuming that the director and DP are EXACTLY on the same page, about everything! which as we all know (unfortunately) is not always the case. In the reality of a 16 hour night shoot (for example) on the 16th hour even a good DP might start to cut corner's or get frustrated and the cohessiveness of the relationship could suffer, whereas if you DP and Direct, the two elements will always remain cohesive. On your other point I agree, a great crew is essential!!, especially a gaffer who knows your work/style well and can predict what you will want/need before you even say it, and I didnt operate on my short because I felt if I was practising camera moves etc.. as well as checking lighting and rehearsing actors, my directing really would have suffered! My operator was great and really understood what I was going for as well and this helped a lot too! I think we may have got our wires crossed, I was actually saying that there is no benefit editing AND directing, whereas DPing and Directing there are, although there are many drawbacks too, and depends heavily on the project and person involved. I agree with what you are saying in theory, but in practise I am glad the DP I was going to use dropped out, I dont think he would have grasped and implemented my vision as exactly as I could, of course he would have added some new elements too, but given the fact that he would hardly have had time to prep much I think I might just have gotten a piece that looked more like all his other projects rather than what I wanted mine to look like.

[frederico parreira]

understood. from my experience, i can say that i also like to direct and DP and also write, etc, and the final result ends up being more 'mine' than when working with a big crew, but generally i havent unlimited resources/time, so i think it's a mistake to direct and also DP. of course, sometimes to do everything only brings beneficts, other times not really. happily i work with some great friends/partners, so i prefer goupwork.

[Lars Zemskih]

Steven Soderbergh comes into my mind. I think beside Ocean 11 he did a twofolded job on Traffic, too.

 

I'm kind of skeptical of Soderbergh calling himself a D.P, I'm sure he had a lot of input into the look, but he most likely works with the best gaffers, that don't really need D.P's to light most of the scene.

[Matt Hingstman]

Kees van Oostrum, ASC has directed a small number of things.

"Dial 9 for Love" was a great film and, though he didn't shoot it, it looked great, too.

[Jesse Cairnie]

I do know that Quentin Tarantino wrote directed and DP'd Death Proof..

 

I have personally done it.. I had great fun.. kinda felt like a true film maker.. I had control over EVERYTHING!!! the downside is it is inefficient.. but when it turns out good.. oh so rewarding!!

 

I write all the time.. I have 20ish screenplays stuffed in the depths of the comp.. It makes total sense to me.. I know what words strike beautiful images in me and therefore I write them.. So I guess my screenplays are very Cinematographycentric.. very little dialog, tons of pretty pictures... the ultimate film!!!

[Henry Weidemann]

I read that german DP Michael Ballhaus thinks about directing a movie but I don't know any details.

[Mitch Perkins]

I'm kind of skeptical of Soderbergh calling himself a D.P,

 

Soderbergh quoted on IMDb -

 

"I'm not a world-class cinematographer, but the momentum and the closeness to the actors ... I'm so close to them that I can just whisper to them while we're in the middle of a take."

 

Interesting in terms of this discussion...

 

I'm sure he had a lot of input into the look, but he most likely works with the best gaffers, that don't really need D.P's to light most of the scene.

 

Soderbergh DP/Cinematographer credits -

 

The Argentine

Ocean's Thirteen

The Good German

Bubble

Ocean's Twelve

Solaris

Full Frontal

Ocean's Eleven

Traffic

Schizopolis

 

Even with the best gaffers, what else would one call a fellow with that many shooting credits?

 

Mitch