Am I not bossy enough as director?

H

harmonica44

For my first real short film, I don't have a real pro crew, so I use my friends to step in. Sometimes they get a little overcreative though. My one friend does things with the camera, that she shouldn't. Such as zooming, but that can cause change in exposure while shooting. Or the camera will shake too much in the takes. If I tell her that we should redo it she will sometimes get defensive saying I worry to much, and that sometimes things like exposure changing and shaky cam, can come off as stylistic. The mic is also shown in some takes, and the no one behind the camera said anything. Maybe it's just not noticeable on the DSLR screen. So now I will have to do some photoshopping.

Sometimes the friends listening in on the sound, will not tell me if they hear anything unwanted either, and by the time I play it back, and find out, it's too late and we have to redub with the actors now. Should I just get bossier like some say on here, to try to get them to not get overzealous with it? They are working for food only, so I don't want to drive anyone either. But how do I get them to do what I say, and not change any setting, and actually monitor what's being recorded?
 
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All you can really do I guess is just ask them nicely. If there's something that you think needs to be redone, redo it. Do this enough times and they're gonna get practice, and also want to do it right the first time so that they don't have to do it over and over.

The thing is that you're not working with a pro crew, or from what it sound like, a crew that even wants to be making movies in the same way that you do. It seems like you want to make the best movie that you can, where as they just want to have fun making a movie.

This isn't entirely your place though as a director, or are you the producer as well?
 
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srbclarke said:
All you can really do I guess is just ask them nicely. If there's something that you think needs to be redone, redo it. Do this enough times and they're gonna get practice, and also want to do it right the first time so that they don't have to do it over and over.

The thing is that you're not working with a pro crew, or from what it sound like, a crew that even wants to be making movies in the same way that you do. It seems like you want to make the best movie that you can, where as they just want to have fun making a movie.

This isn't entirely your place though as a director, or are you the producer as well?
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The thing is though I don't realize this till it's too late. I only have the locations for a limited amount of time, and I can't go over to the camera, and play back, every take to check it over. I just have to do a bunch from the storyboards, and get it all done first. Then afterwords, there's not enough time left. I will have to do a lot of work in post, not knowing if I can fix everything, cause I haven't done much post work so far.

Yes I am the producer as well. And yeah, I think they are just having too much fun, and I'll talk to them about it.
 
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NOBODY should be second guessing you in that manner in these decisions. If you've someone else who can run the camera, FIRE the current person. Currently she's useless. All her errors are yours to live with forever.

Good luck.
 
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Well I have to look for a new person first who can do a better job than her first, which is too late during production now. She is better with lighting than others I know, which is cannot be fixed so much in post, compared to some of the other errors.
 
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they do mistake once - talk to them nicely and clear what YOU want. If the do it again-get rid of them. Not yelling and cussing but nicely..Line "My other friend want to try it out" will put you in a safe zone.
 
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Yeah I already told her that. But I wish she had asked before, instead of just deciding that doing things like that was okay. I hope she won't do it again, and I'll keep an eye on her. I'm acting in the film too, so it's hard to pay attention to everything the crew does. When I am not required to be on screen, then I can watch the monitor. I think the ISO was also changed at some point too. So can I tone down the aperture change, and ISO change through coloring it differently in post, and make the takes in a scene, all look at the same level of brightness through color?
 
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As the director you should be watching the monitor/viewfinder as well. When you don't have an external monitor it's a little harder, but stand over the camera op's shoulder.

Remember, you're not directing how it looks live to your eyes, but rather how it looks on screen.

As far as leadership, you'll come into it with practice. Letting everyone know at the top of the shoot that "I have a specific vision in mind and a lot of shots to pull off for it in a tight schedule" helps later asking the volunteer camera op not to zoom, etc.

These are all normal things every director has to learn to do, usually only by experience. That's why most people recommend very short films to start off with, 1-3 minutes or something. That get's you the experience and if it's not award-winning caliber that's ok. It's only a minute long short. Your next minute long short will be better.
 
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As far as people being in the shot, are you at least doing a dry run of the scene so your camera person can scope for just that? Once you're rolling, it's enough of a challenge to keep everything in focus and framed properly. You just don't see it many times until after.

Let me guess, a boom operator with a one size fits all boom is wondering all over the place from take to take?
 
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I tell them how I want it shot and what angles, and we got a storyboard. I also check the camera and audio recorder settings beforehand. But you think that changing the exposure during the shoot is obvious, which is why I didn't think to mention it. I mean these friends, have seen movies before, and that's just not accepted.

Well I will have a talk and try not to be too bossy. But if they don't listen they are going to ruin this short! Either that or I will fix it all in post hopefully.
 
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That's the difference between amateur and pro. You can't really discount these people for newbie mistakes when it's their first day (or close to it) running equipment. You've spent months on these boards and reading articles and what not, they haven't. They may not know film 101 stuff because they haven't had the film 101 course.
 
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Well maybe next time but it's too late to find anyone now. I'll try again, and see if one can make it before the next shoot. I already tried to get a DP student before, and then another, but they both backed out. Friends are more reliable to stay committed, which is the upside, than students. I can try again for my next one, but will also have to have my friends on standby, just in case.

And I know they haven't done near as much research as I have, but I what I need is for them to ask before doing something, or just leave the settings as is. For some reason they don't understand that all the time. I know I can't blame them for making mistakes, but it seems that by choosing to fiddle, without asking, they are making them deliberately.
 
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If this girl is being such a hassle, if you can't get a new camera op and you know what you want. Do the role yourself. Hey it mightn't look as good as someone who knows about lighting, but you won't have to deal with the rubbish quality.

Also, YOU are in charge and you only. You have the final say. If you don't like it. Do it again. But if you don't want to be mean and if she still wants to do her zoom thing and be all pretentious, let her. But do another take without it.
 
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GuerrillaAngel said:
NOBODY should be second guessing you in that manner in these decisions. If you've someone else who can run the camera, FIRE the current person. Currently she's useless. All her errors are yours to live with forever.

Good luck.
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exactly!! Like i say before i film to all my crew "What happens on set stays on set" there will always frustration and friction. your friends should stay in there department no one else's! Other wise i call them a DCF department crossing feen!
 
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Also keep in mind that this is all part of a team building process.
You're essentially interviewing people for future gigs.
It's unlikely most will stick with you project after project any more than when any employer posts a position available, crack heads come out of the woodwork, few will be invited for an interview, even fewer will get the position and often many of those quit within a few days or weeks.
Same thing.

You're developing your core group.
It'll take a few projects to weed 'em out.
You'll likely meet others in your area after you have a product or two to show around.
You'll help them out. They'll help you out.
It's reciprocal.

Right now the biggest carrot you have to waggle in front of your donkeys is simply being invited back for the next project.
If that doesn't motivate people then you don't want them.
It's dating.
 
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Okay. Well I will have the sit down and talk about it and see if that helps. So can I fix these exposure changes in post then? I was told the Adobe package comes with a color program that should fix it.
 
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