Filmmaking / Directing : Should You Direct AND DP Your Project? NO! And here's WHY! by Jim Ross

Without watching the video (but I will) I concur. There are few credible auteurs in the business and even the most successful still churn out the odd turkey.

As an unproduced writer, I know my place. I WRITE the story, the director TELLS the story.

Since watched. Naied it. Great video.

Find talented people who make your job easier and make you look better - simple.

Thanks for posting. Nice info to know.

GREAT topic! Is there something that inspired this video?

Absolutely agree with you.

It's really interesting because I think that in the beginning every filmmaker has to wear may hats and do a lot of things by yourself. And I don't think this is a bad thing because the more you know about other jobs the more you can judge the time it takes to do something and value the job. So I think it takes some time for a person to find there niche.

But I do agree. I've been lucky to have a great team around me, my DP actually being my girlfriend and I really do see the benefits of being able to focus on less things than on everything.

Anything is possible. Same as Actor-Director-Writer like Tyler Perry, Woody Allen. As a former technician, I didn't care who directs or DP, or does multiple jobs. All I care about is finishing on time, on-set.

Dan, my mantra was in the can, on time and under budget when I was a Field Producer. And nobody ask me how as long as I got it done.

It's good advice. He didn't say anything about collaboration, though. As a director, I have two people who are my main collaborators in any scene. One is the talent, and the other is the DP. I require them both to have their own ideas and I hire them both because they each bring something unique and artistic to their function. This does mean that it is harder to find a DP than otherwise - most are technically competent, but fewer have a perceptible artistic voice.

Some directors love having creative input from team members. Others don’t. Some team members are very supportive of directors, sadly others aren’t. This is a situation that varies personality to personality. Ive not figured out a guideline to use as a rule of thumb for the willingness to accept input. Pre-production meetings and discussions, generally getting to know the individual, helps to form a relationship and set guidelines for what that relationship might be. But a lot of deciding upon how much input also comes from working on the set. If suggestions are listened to and considered in light of telling the story and the current situation you are in, then it is a good indication that the person is open to input that might make the project better. If input is dismissed out of hand with no explanation, that is different. A few such dismissals of ideas would likely put a stop to almost any input within a short time. Ideally the team creative process results in a lot of heads are better than one, with the director sorting the ideas and deciding which to use and how to proceed with their picture. Less than ideally, the process can resemble a family fight. Seems to me the only common element is that working together is far easier in situations of professional respect, mutual support and friendship. Always recognizing that the director has the responsibility of making the final decisions.

Creative input can come from anywhere. My humbling revelatory moment was a discussion, in the craft services area, with the director and assistant director of various ideas as to how to proceed with a scene. The best came from one of the craft-services people who interjected a great idea as an aside when putting out more snacks. We were all astounded that we missed this solution on our own. A reminder came a few weeks later when the editor asked about the name after a scene number on the slate. The name was crafty’s noting that this was their idea and we were all thankful because it made the picture better. Good creative input is far from distracting. Creativity can be a wonderful replacement for throwing money at problems. Whether a huge production or only a couple of people, creative discussion is helpful. On a small production everyone that wants to can have some input which cannot happen on large productions. Anyone that cannot explain their reasons for an idea might wish to revisit that idea.

Trying to get a handle on the creativity of people during the hiring process is tricky but really important in any creative industry. I know the questions I ask when interviewing, and look for the questions about creativity I should be asked when being interviewed. Interviews reveal much about the competence on both sides of the table.

In theory this is solid advice. In practice, as a working pro of some decades, fast schedule virtually always dictated that as DP, I also operate; and I'm good. But I seldom opped Steadicam, I had someone for that. Same with jib, drone, etc. I can direct and operate simultaneously just as well because an excellent and trusted AC and dolly grip need almost nothing from me, so I can shoot fast, and almost blindfolded... as it were. But if directing, I use my gaffer as more of a lighting director at that point, because to truly DP and direct is indeed going to take you away from the actors, and they need, want and deserve the present and in-tune director, not the light-tweaking, LUT analyzing DP who will be back to direct in a few minutes. Lots of experience and a well established shorthand among a regular long term crew are required to deviate reliably from the great advice in the video.