Crossing the line, a choice for DP/Director?

[Brad Grimmett]

Did you say many directors are indecisive?

Yes.

Aren't they storyboarding?

Most are not. It's reasonable to think that if they had storyboarded they wouldn't be so indecisive since they would have already made a decision about what shots they need.

I ask because pre-planning is what keeps me up at night. I know there are unforeseen issues that demand I remain flexible, but for the most part I don't want us to lose time because of my lack of preparation.

I think many newer directors are overwhelmed by the amount of work that it takes to direct a movie. You're right, an unprepared director will end up wasting a lot of time on set.

[Tracy Martin]

Most are not. It's reasonable to think that if they had storyboarded they wouldn't be so indecisive since they would have already made a decision about what shots they need.

 

Interesting.

 

I'm the executive director for The Woman's Angle: We educate, mentor and promote women directors. When I was planning the curriculum for our director's program with my managing director, I had to lobby hard for a workshop exclusively dedicated for storyboarding and creating shot lists. She kept saying not all directors storyboard, and I kept saying I don't care, they need to know how to storyboard and be able to prepare a shot list. It's that simple.

[Brad Grimmett]

Interesting.

 

I'm the executive director for The Woman's Angle: We educate, mentor and promote women directors. When I was planning the curriculum for our director's program with my managing director, I had to lobby hard for a workshop exclusively dedicated for storyboarding and creating shot lists. She kept saying not all directors storyboard, and I kept saying I don't care, they need to know how to storyboard and be able to prepare a shot list. It's that simple.

Well, I don't think storyboards are always necessary. I've worked with some great directors who didn't storyboard. But those directors knew what they wanted. Some directors really need storyboards just to remind themselves of what they want and need for a scene.

[Serge Teulon]

I think I would hate to be a director. I certainly do hate it when I have to do it for an indecisive one.........I like storyboards because it helps my communication with all depts and allows for any last minute changes to occur without the most disruption.

 

 

S

[Tracy Martin]

Well, I don't think storyboards are always necessary. I've worked with some great directors who didn't storyboard. But those directors knew what they wanted. Some directors really need storyboards just to remind themselves of what they want and need for a scene.

 

 

I can see that, but I wonder if those directors you speak of didn't begin their careers by storyboarding. Make sense?

 

I sat in on a Q&A with director James Ivory once and he said he never storyboards. I remember thinking how nice it would be to be able to get away with that.

[Brad Grimmett]

I can see that, but I wonder if those directors you speak of didn't begin their careers by storyboarding. Make sense?

 

I sat in on a Q&A with director James Ivory once and he said he never storyboards. I remember thinking how nice it would be to be able to get away with that.

Like I said before, some directors just don't need storyboards. They have it all in their head. But some do need them either because they don't know what they want or because they're not good at conveying their ideas to the crew.

Whether they began their careers storyboarding or not, I don't know.

[John Sprung]

Whether they need storyboards or not may depend on how creative they're being with the coverage. If it's really generic, master, two shot, pair of over the shoulders, no boards needed.

 

 

 

 

-- J.S.

[Mike Williamson]

I'm the executive director for The Woman's Angle: We educate, mentor and promote women directors. When I was planning the curriculum for our director's program with my managing director, I had to lobby hard for a workshop exclusively dedicated for storyboarding and creating shot lists. She kept saying not all directors storyboard, and I kept saying I don't care, they need to know how to storyboard and be able to prepare a shot list. It's that simple.

 

I think it's very important for anyone learning the craft of directing to learn to storyboard, if I was teaching an entry level class it would be mandatory. It would be like teaching screenwriting and not teaching the students how to do step outlines. Not all working writers use them, but it's certainly a skill that they should know.

 

When I was studying cinematography at AFI, I had to turn in camera notes and lighting diagrams for every single shot that I did during my first year. I don't do lighting diagrams for everything I shoot, but I do for some setups. I'm glad I know how to construct them, it's part of the skill of previsualizing.

[Oleg Kalyan]

Please let me know if the rule of line crossing apply here, my recent documentary.

http://o-k.smugmug.com/gallery/7468327_vqA...6_RpTh3#000000_

[Bob Hayes]

The concept of “crossing the Line” is a useful construct but it sort of comes from a time when people would go to the theater, see a train coming at them and think they were going to get hit. Times have changed and the audiences are much savvier with regards to film making. They know that if a guy on one side of a desk talking to a guy on the other side of the desk they are still talking to each other even if the camera moves around.