17 Tips for Becoming a Film Director

You want to be a director? Go out and direct. Buy a camera, or rent one, go shoot something. Anything, can be a 30 second commercial or a 5 second film. Congrats, you’re a director.

Are you a professional Director? Doubtful, but you are still a director. Keep working at it. Directing is just like any other craft and skill, you don’t just magically become good at it. The more you do it, the better you get. The better you get, the more popular you become and the more likely you are get hired to do something.

1. Work on commercials, shorts, shoot music videos for friends bands, or actively seek out a band you like and offer to do their video for free.

2. Any shmuck can pick up a camera and shoot something, then edit it with final cut or iMovie. But learn pacing, learn cinematography (not just lighting, but how to composite a shot), learn to move the camera and learn how certain moves effect you emotionally as an audience member.

3. Watch tons of films, review them, pick them apart. Find your favorite films and rip it to shreds, watch it over and over again. Watch how the production design and color grade make it look and feel, try to figure out why they decided to cut, or stay on a shot…