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A film director is a person who directs the making of a film. Generally, a film director controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects, and visualizes the script while guiding the technical crew and actors in the fulfillment of that vision.^[1]

Professional organizations

In the United States, directors usually belong to the Directors Guild of America. The Canadian equivalent is the Directors Guild of Canada. In the UK, directors usually belong to Directors UK or the Directors Guild of Great Britain.

In Europe, FERA, the Federation of European Film Directors, represents 37 national directors' guilds in 30 countries.

Notable film directors

References

^ "Princeton review". Retrieved March 3, 2013.

Bibliography

Spencer Moon: Reel Black Talk: A Sourcebook of 50 American Filmmakers, Greenwoood Press 1997
The St. James Women Filmmakers Encyclopedia: Women on the Other Side of the Camera, Visible Ink Press, 1999
International dictionary of films and filmmakers, ed. by Tom Pendergast, 4 volumes, Detroit [etc.]: St. James Press, 4th edition 2000, vol. 2: Directors
Contemporary North American Film Directors: A Wallflower Critical Guide (Wallflower Critical Guides to Contemporary Directors), ed. by Yoram Allon Del Cullen and Hannah Patterson, Second Edition, Columbia Univ Press 2002
Alexander Jacoby, Donald Richie: A Critical Handbook of Japanese Film Directors: From the Silent Era to the Present Day, Stone Bridge Press, 2008, ISBN 1-933330-53-8
Rebecca Hillauer: Encyclopedia of Arab Women Filmmakers, American University in Cairo Press, 2005, ISBN 977-424-943-7
Roy Armes: Dictionary of African Filmmakers, Indiana University Press, 2008, ISBN 0-253-35116-2
Philippe Rege: Encyclopedia of French Film Directors, Scarecrow Press, 2009

External links

[Princeton-1] "Princeton review". Retrieved March 3, 2013.

[1]

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 A '''film director''' is a person who directs the making of a film. Generally, a film director controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects, and visualizes the script while guiding the technical crew and actors in the fulfillment of that vision.<ref name="Princeton">{{cite web |title=Princeton review|url=http://www.princetonreview.com/careers.aspx?cid=65|accessdate = March 3, 2013}}</ref>
-==Responsibilities==
-[[Image:LondonSmog.jpg|thumb|The film director, on the right, gives last minute direction to the cast and crew, while filming a [[costume drama]] on location in [[London]].]]
-Film directors create an overall vision through which a film eventually becomes realized.<ref name="Film schools">{{cite web |title=Career Profile Film Director|url=http://filmschools.com/resources/los-angeles-career-profile-film-directorl|accessdate = March 3, 2013}}</ref> Realizing this vision includes overseeing the artistic and technical elements of film production, as well as directing the shooting timetable and meeting deadlines.<ref name="Media College">{{cite web |title=Employment Film Director|url=http://www.mediacollege.com/employment/film/director.html|accessdate = March 3, 2013}}</ref> This entails organizing the [[film crew]] in such a way as to achieve his or her vision of the film.<ref name="Studentpulse">{{cite web |title=Career snapshot|url=http://www.studentpulse.com/articles/196/career-snapshot-the-film-director-a-human-lens|accessdate = March 3, 2013}}</ref> <ref>{{cite web |title=They must work with producers, writers, cast members, crew members, designers and other professionals in order to implement that vision|url=http://www.academicinvest.com/arts-careers/film-studies-careers/film-director-career-guide|accessdate = March 3, 2013}}</ref> This requires skills of group leadership, as well as the ability to maintain a singular focus even in the stressful environment of a film set.<ref name="Career Centre">{{cite web|title=A film director needs...|url=http://www.careercentre.dtwd.wa.gov.au/occupations/Pages/director-film-television-radio-or-stage.aspx|accessdate = March 3, 2013}}</ref> Moreover it is necessary to have an artistic eye to frame shots and to give precise feedback to cast and crew,<ref name="Diploma Guide">{{cite web |title=Film Director Career|url=http://diplomaguide.com/articles/Film_Director_Career_Summary.html|accessdate = March 3, 2013}}</ref> thus, excellent communication skills are a must.<ref name="National Career Service">{{cite web|title=Job Profile|url=https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/advice/planning/jobprofiles/Pages/tvorfilmdirector.aspx|accessdate = March 3, 2013}}</ref>  Since the film director depends on the successful cooperation of many different creative individuals with possibly strongly contradicting artistic ideals and visions, he or she also needs to possess conflict resolution skills in order to mediate whenever necessary.  <ref>{{cite web |title=You have to be a diplomat. You have to marshal a whole load of creative people, who often don't get on with each other, and your job is to stop things turning into a bun-fight. |url=httpwww.independent.co.uk/student/career-planning/getting-job/i-want-your-job-film-director-480500.html|accessdate = March 3, 2013}}</ref> Thus the director ensures that all individuals involved in the film production are working towards an identical vision for the completed film.<ref name="Studentpulse"/> The set of varying challenges he or she has to tackle has been described as "a multi-dimensional jigsaw puzzle with egos and weather thrown in for good measure".<ref name="Directors UK">{{cite web |title=What is a Director?|url=http://www.directors.uk.com/about-us/what-director|accessdate = March 3, 2013}}</ref>  It adds to the pressure that the success of a film can influence when and how they will work again.  <ref>{{cite web|title=directors work under a lot of pressure, and most are under constant stress to find their next job.|url=http://www.bls.gov/ooh/entertainment-and-sports/producers-and-directors.htm|accessdate = March 3, 2013}}</ref> Omnipresent are the boundaries of the films budget.<ref>{{cite web |title=The director is bound by financial conditions, which however should not hinder him from developing his own artistic s.|url=http://www.filmschule.de/en/seiten/fdjobprofile.aspx|accessdate = March 3, 2013}}</ref> Additionally, the director may also have to ensure an intended [[Motion picture rating system|age rating]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Realizing that an NC-17 rating could hurt business (some theaters and newspapers won't show or advertise NC-17 movies), Mr. Verhoeven cut 47 seconds of the most graphic sex and violence|url=http://www.nytimes.com/1993/05/16/arts/film-now-starring-on-video-the-director-s-cut.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm|accessdate = May 16, 1993}}</ref>  Theoretically the sole superior of a director is the studio that is financing the film, <ref name="Education Portal">{{cite web|title=Career as a film director|url=http://education-portal.com/career_as_a_film_director.html|accessdate = March 3, 2013}}</ref> <ref name="Film schools"/> however a poor working relationship between a film director and an actor could possibly result in the director being replaced if the actor is a major [[film star]].<ref>{{cite web|title=The Fight Over 'Broadway Brawler'|url=http://articles.latimes.com/1997-03-13/entertainment/ca-37642_1_broadway-brawler|accessdate = March 13, 1997}}</ref> Even so, it is arguable that the director spends more time on a project than anyone else, considering that the director is one of the few positions that requires intimate involvement during every stage of film production. Thus, the position of film director is widely considered to be a highly stressful and demanding one.<ref name="Princeton"/> It has been said that "20-hour days are not unusual".<ref name="Film schools"/
-==Becoming a film director==
-Some film directors started as [[screenwriter]]s, [[film editor]]s or actors.<ref>{{cite web|title=Many are experienced actors, editors or writers|url=http://alis.alberta.ca/occinfo/Content/RequestAction.asp?aspAction=GetHTMLProfile&format=html&OCCPRO_ID=71011104|accessdate = March 3, 2013}}</ref> Other film directors have visited a [[film school]] to "get formal training and education in their craft". <ref>{{cite web|title=Many directors get formal training and education in their craft at a film school.|url=http://education-portal.com/career_as_a_film_director.html|accessdate = March 3, 2013}}</ref>  Film students generally study the basic skills utilized in making a film. <ref>{{cite web|title=In the Fiction Film bachelor studio students learn the basic principles, techniques and procedures of film direction and production|url=http://www.sintlukas.be/cms/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=258&Itemid=1108|accessdate = March 3, 2013}}</ref> This includes, for example, preparation, shot lists and storyboards, blocking, protocols of dealing with professional actors, and reading scripts.<ref>{{cite web |title=Classes supporting this area discuss and rehearse: preparation, shot lists and storyboards, blocking, protocols of dealing with professional actors, reading scripts, the construction of film sequence|url=http://www.lfs.org.uk/courses/ma_film_making/directing.php|accessdate = March 3, 2013}}</ref> Some film schools are equipped with sound stages and post-production facilities<ref>{{cite web |title=We operate from a purpose-built studio facility in Harrow, with two sound stages, a set construction workshop, and extensive post-production facilities.|url=http://www.westminster.ac.uk/courses/subjects/television-film-and-moving-image/undergraduate-courses/full-time/u09fuftp-ba-honours-film-and-television-production|accessdate = March 3, 2013}}</ref> Besides basic technical and logistical skills, students also receive education on the nature of professional relationships that occur during film production.<ref>{{cite web|title=An intrinsic element of the education, alongside the transfer of organizational and technical skills, is to provide the students with insights into social contexts and relationships|url=http://www.filmschule.de/en/seiten/fdprogram.aspx|accessdate = March 3, 2013}}</ref> A full degree course can be designed for up to five years of studying.<ref>{{cite web|title= The directing studies 5 years of study : a first cycle of 3 years and a second cycle of 2 years.|url=http://www.iad-arts.be/EN/m2e3b1-realisation.html|accessdate = March 3, 2013}}</ref> Future directors usually complete short films during their enrolment.<ref name="Princeton"/> [[The National Film School of Denmark]] has the student's final projects presented on national TV. <ref>{{cite web
-|title= The students' final project is a film produced on a professional level and presented to the public on national TV.|url=http://www.filmskolen.dk/english/english-fortsat/|accessdate = March 15, 2013}}</ref> Some film schools retain the rights for their students' works.<ref>{{cite web|title= If you're a student and making your film within a film school then you should be aware that some film schools will retain the copyright in the films that you make during your enrolment |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/filmnetwork/filmmaking/guide/before-you-start/copyright|accessdate = March 3, 2013}}</ref> Many directors successfully prepared for making feature films by working in television.<ref>{{cite web|title= Many successful film directors, including Oscar Winning Best Director of 'The King’s Speech', Tom Hooper, began their careers in television, which provided the platform to progress through the industry.|url=http://centralfilmschool.com/film_directing_diploma/|accessdate = March 3, 2013}}</ref> The [[Deutsche Film- und Fernsehakademie Berlin|German Film and Television Academy Berlin]] consequently cooperates with the Berlin/Brandenburg TV station [[Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg|RBB (Berlin-Brandenburg Broadcasting)]] and [[ARTE]].<ref>{{cite web|title= The DFFB cooperates with the Berlin/Brandenburg TV station RBB and ARTE and produces 3 short films of 30minutes lengths for RBB and 10 short films of 5 minutes lengths for ARTE|url=http://www.dffb.de/html/en/akademie/die_dffb|accessdate = March 3, 2013}}</ref> <br>
 ==Professional organizations==
 In the United States, directors usually belong to the [[Directors Guild of America]]. The Canadian equivalent is the [[Directors Guild of Canada]]. In the UK, directors usually belong to [[Directors UK]] or the [[Directors Guild of Great Britain]].