Filmmaking / Directing

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During my 50-year career in the film business... (Yes-it has been that long!)... I’ve been blessed to have worked on dozens of wonderful productions, traveled the world and spent quality time with hundreds of very talented and compassionate filmmakers. I’ve also learned many valuable lessons! And the most important lesson I learned is to never, ever, ever (I mean NEVER) lose your PASSION!

Passion is what sustains you through long hours, creative doubts, and the weight of responsibility that comes with directing. It fuels your determination when things go wrong and reminds you why you started this journey in the first place. Without passion, talent and technique can only take you so far.

Remember: Passion is perhaps the most important desire you need to have for a long and fulfilling career in this business. To be a great artist, you must have great passion. Without passion, you will end up thinking about your career as just a job - not as an art.

As a creative person, you need to support others in your never-ending quest to help create “visually compelling stories with believable characters who make us feel something.” That is your job!

Please believe me when I say, that to succeed in this business you must have complete confidence in yourself! You must have faith in your talent and ability! You must have the courage and tenacity to stick it out no matter what the world throws at you.

I also want to make sure you realize what kind of career you have chosen to spend your life in. The film business is not just a job or a career - it is an Artistic Lifestyle which means you need to live and breathe your art every day from now on.

Working in the entertainment business will determine which city or country you will live in. It will determine who you work with; which friends you hang around with; and which lovers you will live with. It will shape your daily rhythm, your lifestyle, and how you measure success. This industry will become a major part of your identity, influencing your values, choices, and long-term goals.

You also need to get used to the fact that, as storytellers and artists, you will never have a “normal job.” (It's also the reason why you will rarely be home on the weekend to have dinner with your family!) Your schedule will constantly shift, your income will fluctuate, and your work will demand emotional and creative investment at every stage.

And finally, this creative path you have chosen requires sacrifice both personal and professional, but it also offers freedom, meaning, and the chance to leave something lasting behind. It reminds you to protect your curiosity so your work continues to grow with every project while guiding you toward a deeper understanding of "why YOU create" so your choices shape a story that reflects your unique place in the world. :)

Amazon says it will encompass “a team of creatives, business professionals and technologists to empower creators to responsibly integrate GenAI into content production through proprietary tools and services”.

https://deadline.com/2025/11/amazon-ai-studios-matt-newman-1236603477/

Hi everyone,

I’m Serhat Boylu — filmmaker based in Turkey. I recently completed my short documentary “Koçer”, which focuses on the life of Kurdish nomadic families who migrate with their flocks across rural Anatolia.

The film explores:

• their deep bond with nature

• their struggle to maintain ancient traditions

• the challenges of modern life

• resilience, identity and belonging

I would love feedback, insights or collaboration from other documentary directors and cinematographers in this community.

Anyone interested in distribution, festivals, or cultural anthropology-related cinema — I’d be happy to connect.

Thank you!

What’s one film, series, book, or piece of art that has influenced your creative work the most this year?

I’d love to know what made it resonate for you, whether it shifted your perspective, sparked a new idea, or reminded you why you love telling stories.

Share your pick and your “why” below. Let’s inspire each other.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DQfN1aBEoBN/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&...

To be a good film director, you need to know what is expected of you when you begin pre-production; when you step on the set; and when you are in the editing room and to do this successfully, you must:

1. Have confidence in yourself and faith in your talent and ability. Trust that your unique perspective and skills are valuable and can make a significant impact. This self-belief is the foundation upon which you build your career and navigate its challenges.

2. Have the courage and tenacity to stick it out "no matter what." Persevere through challenges and setbacks, knowing that persistence is key to success. Embrace obstacles as learning experiences that strengthen your resolve and drive.

3. Always focus on what is possible rather than what is not possible. Cultivate a positive mindset that seeks opportunities and solutions, even in difficult situations. This optimistic approach fuels creativity and innovation.

4. Never stop searching for your unique voice, style, and expression. Keep exploring and refining your creative identity to distinguish yourself in the industry. Continual self-discovery keeps your work fresh and authentic.

5. Develop a strong work ethic and dedication to your craft. Consistently put in the effort to improve your skills and knowledge, demonstrating commitment to your career. Hard work and perseverance are essential for achieving excellence.

6. Embrace collaboration and build strong relationships. Work well with others, valuing diverse perspectives and encouraging a cooperative environment. Successful filmmaking relies on effective teamwork and mutual respect.

7. Be adaptable and open to change. Stay flexible and willing to adjust your approach as new challenges and opportunities arise. Adaptability ensures you can navigate the dynamic nature of the film industry.

8. Keep learning and stay informed about industry trends. Continuously seek out education and information to remain current and competitive in the film industry. Staying updated helps you anticipate shifts and leverage new opportunities.

9. Maintain resilience and manage stress effectively. Develop strategies to cope with the pressures of filmmaking to ensure you can sustain your passion and productivity over the long term. A resilient mindset helps you bounce back from setbacks.

10. Stay true to yourself: it will guide you to the right people and choices. Authenticity attracts genuine connections and aligns you with opportunities that resonate with your values. Staying true to your principles fosters long-term success and fulfillment.

I believe that if you follow my 7-Step Film Directing Formula, you will see how any director, even someone with very little experience, has a chance of creating a “visually, compelling movie with believable characters.”

We must remember that filmmaking is a universal language and no matter where we live, we have our own stories to tell. So if you have a compelling story built upon Universal Themes, you should be able to tell this story, in your own language, and audiences around the world will watch it.

By Cinematics, I mean EVERYTHING ELSE it takes to make a movie! (Sound, Editing, Stunts, Cinematography, Set Dressing, Props, Visual FX, Costumes, Makeup, Hair, etc. etc. etc.)

Yes, I know I’m putting the majority of the filmmaking process into one category, but without understanding the first 6 steps of this formula, you are setting yourself up for “filmmaker mediocrity” which is writing unimaginative scripts with unbelievable characters that create dull and unimaginative films that contain…

1. Clichéd character arcs: Character journeys that follow predictable paths without surprise, struggle, or meaningful transformation. When arcs feel recycled or unearned, characters lose credibility and impact. A compelling arc should reveal internal conflict, challenge belief systems, and result in genuine change.

2. Flat, one-dimensional characters: Characters that lack depth, motivation, or complexity, making it hard for audiences to care about their journey. Their actions often feel arbitrary, disconnected from any believable inner life. Without contradictions or vulnerabilities, they fail to reflect human behavior in a meaningful way.

3. Inconsistent tone and pacing: Films that feel disjointed due to poor rhythm, jarring shifts in mood, or scenes that drag without purpose. Sudden tonal changes can confuse the audience or undercut key dramatic moments. Uneven pacing disrupts story flow and weakens overall engagement.

4. Lack of dramatic escalation: Stories that fail to build tension or raise stakes as they progress, resulting in flat momentum. When conflict remains static or unresolved, the narrative loses urgency. Escalation creates the structure needed to maintain interest and emotional investment.

5. Lack of visual storytelling: Failing to use composition, color, lighting, or editing to enhance story meaning, resulting in visually bland filmmaking. When images are not used intentionally, the film misses opportunities to convey mood, perspective, or theme. The story then becomes overly reliant on dialogue to communicate key ideas.

6. Overreliance on exposition: Telling the audience everything through dialogue instead of showing it through action, subtext, or visual storytelling. Excessive explanation slows momentum and leaves little room for discovery. It also undercuts the audience’s role in interpreting character behavior or narrative development.

7. Overused camera setups: Relying entirely on shot–reverse shot or static wide shots without using the camera to tell the story visually. This limits emotional range, tension, and perspective within a scene. Without dynamic or purposeful framing, the visual language becomes repetitive and uninspired.

8. Poor sound design: Neglecting audio quality, ambient detail, or sound transitions, which breaks immersion and weakens the impact of scenes. Inconsistent levels or missing atmosphere can make a scene feel artificial or incomplete. Sound choices should reinforce environment, tension, or character experience.

9. Predictable plotting: Stories that follow cliché beats without surprise, tension, or originality, resulting in disengaged viewers. Audiences can often guess what will happen next, reducing their investment in the outcome. Original twists, withheld information, or moral complexity can add needed unpredictability.

10. Sloppy continuity: Mismatched cuts, misplaced props, or inconsistent lighting that distract from the flow of the scene. These errors break the illusion of the world and can reduce viewer confidence in the storytelling. Continuity requires detailed planning across departments to maintain coherence.

11. Unmotivated blocking: Actors move without purpose or connection to the emotional beats of the scene, making performances feel staged and artificial. Movement should be tied to objectives, tension, or discovery, not just coverage. Blocking that lacks meaning creates visual clutter rather than dramatic clarity.

12. Weak scene transitions: Scenes that start and end abruptly, with no visual or emotional connection from one moment to the next. This can make the film feel fragmented and directionless. Thoughtful transitions help carry momentum, mood, or theme across sequences.

Remember, making a film isn’t just about grabbing a camera, pulling in a few friends, and rushing into an idea that hasn’t been fully developed. “Foundational filmmaking" is about making thousands of interconnected creative decisions that come together on screen with purpose. Every choice you make, whether it’s framing, costume, pacing, or sound will shape the way the audience experiences the story and without that consistency, even the strongest concept can fall apart.

That’s why skipping any part of the "basic filmmaking foundation" is a serious risk. No level of visual polish can rescue a story built on weak fundamentals. Master the core principles first, and everything else becomes a powerful extension of your vision. Great films are the result of intentional decisions, sharp instincts, tireless refinement, disciplined collaboration, and sometimes, even lucky accidents!

Director Joachim Trier and stars Elle Fanning, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, Renate Reinsve, and Stellan Skarsgård of SENTIMENTAL VALUE in conversation with TIFF after the CANADIAN PREMIERE of the film at the Toronto International Film Festival.

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8HSn4vDqVo)