How to Become a Movie Director

Directing movies is exciting and artistically fulfilling--and it can be a big headache. You direct every step of a movie: auditioning and rehearsing actors, supervising the crew and having the final say on scenery and music. You have to stay on schedule, stay within your budget and stay sane when the cast and crew are melting down. If you can handle temper tantrums and typhoons, you may be the next George Lucas or Steven Spielberg.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Go to college and major in filmmaking (see 149 Decide Which College Is Right for You). According to the Filmmaking Web site (see Resources), the most respected U.S. film schools include the University of California at Los Angeles, the University of Southern California, the American Film Institute and New York University.

2. Move to Los Angeles or New York to get close to the action.

3. Get your foot in the door as an intern or assistant producer on a movie set (see 161 Set Up an Internship). You may not get paid, but you'll gain valuable skills, experience and contacts.

4. Develop your craft, gain as much experience as possible, learn like crazy and work your way up to film editor. When you have some clips to your name and start pulling down a salary, you can begin showing your work to people in the industry.

5. Enroll in a training program for assistant directors, run by the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers and the Directors Guild of America. (Click on "Training Program" at the Directors Guild Web site, see Resources). You'll get experience handling extras, transporting equipment and making arrangements for food and accommodations. Some companies allow you to shadow a director, which gives you valuable on-the-job training as well.

6. Think small at first. Directing music videos, educational films or commercials is a good way to get experience.

7. Raise money to make an independent film. It's much cheaper than it used to be, thanks to advances in digital technology. Enter your film in festivals and pray you get discovered.

8. Become a well-known actor and step behind the camera to direct your own movies.

9. Become a stage director and make the movie version of your latest hit.

Tips & Warnings

• Study other people's styles but don't copy them. You have to make your own name.
• Deal with people respectfully and fairly. People will remember your reputation far longer than they'll remember some of your films.
• The job is so multifaceted that directors have to delegate. Hire the most talented, dependable people you can.
• Directors' salaries vary widely according to how many jobs they get each year and how successful their work is. You can always dream about Peter Jackson's $20 million plus a percentage of the gross for a single film.
• Don't go into directing for the big bucks--or even for a consistent income. You might strike it rich one year but then barely make ends meet the next.

[cmorelomone518]

on 10/9/2009 you should also try: http://www.bukisa.com/articles/161509_how-to-become-a director

[jasonwelch]

on 8/30/2009 My question was, is schooling really necessary or can one get into the industry with a lot of self study and sample projects? I'm not anti college but if I can get straight to the punch...

[jasonwelch]

on 8/30/2009 A few years ago, a few friends and I went to Megacon (a large anime convention in Orlando Florida) and while there, we interviewed many of the merchants, special guests and a good amount of the best dressed cosplayers. By the end of the event, we had met a "Cloud" and "Sephiroth" cosplayer. What started as a joke, actually worked out quite nicely. The staffers allowed us to borrow the PA (for battle music) and a section to put on a performance. To make a long story short, we managed to get a Tifa and several other FF7 characters together for the show and by the time we started, there were at least 1000 people gathered around. We had a one time go at it and for the most part, it went extremely well. Cloud and Sephiroth could have made it a little more realistic...but we still had a pretty nice response from the audience. My role: Camera guy, "producer", Co-Director and helped edit the...

[vanessc]

on 8/25/2009 any advice on becoming an animation director? Animation director/producer/screenwriter/animator like Hayao Miyazaki?

[cassiethedevil]

on 8/5/2009 I've been doing some research and a good place to start is to go to school that has the program you need to be educated on filming development. This saturday i'm going to an art institute and checking out the program they are offering. IF you are really serious about it i suggest you start there.