Ego Maniac Over the Top Directors

[Insiston]

In the movies directors are shown as ego maniac over the top people. I've done some cg-vfx for one director and movie posters for three others and so far they've all been pleasant and great to work with. Which is closer to reality? I'm thinking my impression might just be based on creative license, especially in comedy skits and such.

I have mostly worked for low - no budget films, so posters designs are like dirt cheap. I get the scary feeling this is the norm for all but the household name films. This might be the reason the directors are so nice at this level. Maybe they can't afford to run off the help.

Anyways, just trying to become more familiar with the industry, but so far I've found it enjoyable. Should I brace myself?

 

[harmonica44]

I read that James Cameron is a very abusive man to work for, from crew members, for example. I wouldn't know myself, but a film crew from L.A. came to shoot a movie where I live, and a producer, here, got me on board to help the crew to gain experience, back when I was a teen. Some other teens and young people in their 20s also wanted to learn.

The director has us doing duties along with the crew, that we were not trained at all on, and the crew probably should have been doing themselves, but he says there were not enough people. Understandable, but we are not trained either, and are just mostly observers, happy to help.

The director got furious and threatened us with violence, and even sexually threatened the young women who have come to help. I was told later by the local producer who brought us on, that he is sorry we had to go through that and that some people from L.A. can be real pigheaded sometimes. So if that's just one director from L.A. who happen to came here, and the producer seems to know that, I imagine a lot more who have gotten to the top, could be bad too.

I understand wanting to be a perfectionist and pushing your cast and crew hard, but doing things, like threatening observers with sexual violence does not help anything, and there is a difference between wanting to create perfection, and wanting to create anger.

 

[trueindie]

Most directors are nice pleasant people, just like most people are. Some are unpleasant, just like some people. Same can be said about people who post on forums too.

Watch at 29:50 where Peter Weir is asked if he loses his temper. Or watch the whole thing to know how these people think, since you're trying to find out more about the industry.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49oZmT6Pif4

 

[film_autre]

Michael Bay seems to be very blunt and direct, but very laid back at the same time, if he doesnt see the shot he wants he shouts at the nearest guy then sets it up again.. BAYHEM

 

[sfoster]

In the movies directors are shown as ego maniac over the top people. I've done some cg-vfx for one director and movie posters for three others and so far they've all been pleasant and great to work with. Which is closer to reality?

Let me get this straight you have

A) A dramatic film intended to entertain
B) Real life experience in reality

And want to know which is closer to reality?

… I would have to say that reality is closest to reality. So I choose B

 

[samwagner1000]

haha sfoster, well said

I read that James Cameron is a very abusive man to work for, from crew members, for example.

i think some of this is part of being a competitive professional, see Kobe's recent rant: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qKtUXeqv3g

this is the level of competitiveness expected in the pros, he's the star begging for the same effort from those around him...

The director got furious and threatened us with violence, and even sexually threatened the young women who have come to help.

...of course there's a line, what directors are known to cross it, i don't know, i don't have experience with any household names. most of my experience has been positive, but i've had directors push me to weeks of 16, 17 hour days. the good ones thank and pay you, keep morale up, but still expect that level of effort and excellence. the rest depends on your attitude, i think

 

[harmonica44]

I can understand pushing for that kind of time. I tried pushing actors to a 16 hour day, but they were working for free of course . Perhaps if I were paying them, they would have stayed. I just did it cause I thought they would be proud if the movie was done right in the end, and I wanted to make a good impression by giving them a deliverable product. But after that I never saw them again, for another shoot, so perhaps I handled it badly. It was nothing personal, I even pushed myself for days that long, that where I worked alone.

 

[sfoster]

I tried pushing actors to a 16 hour day, but they were working for free of course . .

It sure is a wonder how you have trouble getting people to work on projects with you

 

[samwagner1000]

+1 sfoster, that's how you make enemies...

i expect overtime for that kind of day. sometimes ya get it sometimes ya don't, but for FREE?

umm, how would i put this... c'mon man!

 

[Sweetie]

+1 sfoster, that's how you make enemies...

It can depend on the quality of your leadership (which usually comes hand in parcel with working conditions and mutual respect). With good leadership, people don't mind putting in the extra hours to get the job done. Now I'm not saying each and every day, that's just dangerous, but the occasional "going beyond the call of duty".

I've had sets where I refused to go beyond the 8 hours, and others where I was still happy to continue past the 20 hour mark.

 

[samwagner1000]

very true, good point. i did almost a week of 16-18 hour days once for a short, and with that same crew, i'd do it again in a heartbeat. in other, similar cases (read: almost every other time) i just cash the check and immediately delete any contact info from that person/crew

 

[directorik]

In the movies directors are shown as ego maniac over the top people. I've done some cg-vfx for one director and movie posters for three others and so far they've all been pleasant and great to work with. Which is closer to reality? I'm thinking my impression might just be based on creative license, especially in comedy skits and such.

I agree with sfoster; for entertainment purposes (comedy skits and such) the
ego maniac, over-the-top director is more entertaining.

Directors are no different than any other human. They can have huge
egos just like anyone. They can be loud and angry and demanding just
like anyone. They can be kind and supportive just like anyone.

Anyways, just trying to become more familiar with the industry, but so far I've found it enjoyable. Should I brace myself?

Absolutely you should brace yourself. Creative people are volatile. Creative
people under pressure can be just as human and flawed as any working
professional. Creative people under both financial and creative pressure
can snap and treat others badly. The bigger the budget, the more pressure
directors are under.

Creative people can also be kind, supportive and understand. Creative
people very often have a lot of resect for other creative people and
their work.

I've never had a non-entertainment job so I have no personal experience
in any other business. I assume that in all jobs the "boss" can be an
over-the-top ego maniac.

 

[gorillaonabike]

Most directors are nice pleasant people, just like most people are. Some are unpleasant, just like some people. Same can be said about people who post on forums too.

Watch at 29:50 where Peter Weir is asked if he loses his temper. Or watch the whole thing to know how these people think, since you're trying to find out more about the industry.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49oZmT6Pif4

I went to school for 6 years with one of the directors in this vid. What set him apart is he is very, very intelligent and focused. Before Tom went to a posh school, he was simply one of the smartest kids in the class - way brighter than I was.

I think that's what set him apart.

 

[harmonica44]

+1 sfoster, that's how you make enemies...

i expect overtime for that kind of day. sometimes ya get it sometimes ya don't, but for FREE?

umm, how would i put this... c'mon man!

I know, I was bad. I really wanted to get the movie done, and I kept listening what some others were telling which is that filmmakers don't make excuses, they make movies, and I knew that if I did not follow that philosophy, the project would not get done, on that last day, if I ended it earlier.

But in the future, I will not do that, and felt bad about it for sure.

 

[trueindie]

I went to school for 6 years with one of the directors in this vid. What set him apart is he is very, very intelligent and focused. Before Tom went to a posh school, he was simply one of the smartest kids in the class - way brighter than I was.

I think that's what set him apart.

6 years! Call the guy up. Facebook him. Seems like a nice enough guy.

 

[WalterB]

It can depend on the quality of your leadership (which usually comes hand in parcel with working conditions and mutual respect). With good leadership, people don't mind putting in the extra hours to get the job done. Now I'm not saying each and every day, that's just dangerous, but the occasional "going beyond the call of duty".

I've had sets where I refused to go beyond the 8 hours, and others where I was still happy to continue past the 20 hour mark.

Indeed!
In H44's case it was probably messy and unorganised, because it was his first project.
I had people work with me for free from 9:00 to 23:00 and the next time they were ready to join in happily again.
I have helped others on long days as well (but never more than 2 days in a row: that would be too much for my health and safety). I went back and forth to Paris for a 30 second scene that we shot in 2 hours. The driving took 10 hours
It was all fun

Direktorik sums it up nicely.

I even have to admit that I can become a little grumpy if the time is ticking and there is still a lot to do...
Time pressure and a lack of sleep can do that... but I usually get it back together without flipping