Always been interested in when Directors got their first break...Some had a history with Directing Shorts, Music Video's or Commericals, and very few, had little Directing Experience, but maybe some writing etc before they got the chance to Direct their first film.....Might be a 'how long is a piece of string question', but for anyone who has directed a Full feature, how did you know you were ready???
When do you know 'your ready'
- Thread starter derek smith
- Start date
Coming from someone who has asked this question of themselves a lot lately, I don't think I'll feel "ready" to direct a feature until I have worked with a large crew more than once on multiple shorts. Shorts anywhere from 5-25 minutes, with around 20-30 people who all have well-defined positions among the departments. The same goes for experiencing a well-oiled production machine, or as well oiled as it can be on an independent short.
Furthermore, I won't feel ready to direct a feature until I have come to understand the process of pacing on a feature length scale, and have written, or read a few (purchasable/adaptable) scripts that me and other colleagues think are ready for the screen. Because it isn't just one's confidence that matters, I think it's also incredibly important to be able to wrap one's head around the process, and to know what to do at almost every turn.
Shorts are one thing, but creating something that's 1.5 - 2 hours long is another, and it requires a much broader and larger sense of pacing, storytelling clarity, story focus and character arcs, and mood and atmosphere building: because every one of these concepts has to be lengthened greatly from the short-film scale.
There are a few other things I would need before I'm ready. But of course, the opportunity wouldn't necessarily come anyway until I had some amount of recognition among other filmmaking peers, in order to gather up the crew I would need; and until I had either a producer who wanted to make a film with me and could get the money needed to do it, or until I could gather up the budget myself.
Furthermore, I won't feel ready to direct a feature until I have come to understand the process of pacing on a feature length scale, and have written, or read a few (purchasable/adaptable) scripts that me and other colleagues think are ready for the screen. Because it isn't just one's confidence that matters, I think it's also incredibly important to be able to wrap one's head around the process, and to know what to do at almost every turn.
Shorts are one thing, but creating something that's 1.5 - 2 hours long is another, and it requires a much broader and larger sense of pacing, storytelling clarity, story focus and character arcs, and mood and atmosphere building: because every one of these concepts has to be lengthened greatly from the short-film scale.
There are a few other things I would need before I'm ready. But of course, the opportunity wouldn't necessarily come anyway until I had some amount of recognition among other filmmaking peers, in order to gather up the crew I would need; and until I had either a producer who wanted to make a film with me and could get the money needed to do it, or until I could gather up the budget myself.
Last edited:
When you spell "you're" when you mean your are, and 'your' when you own it 
I know I'm not ready now.
One factor is money to be able to take the time to do it: but that is about funding.
Another factor is time: I've got too much things going on to even consider it.
3rd factor: some more experience with bigger sets and larger teams would be nice.
4: I have no script yet that I MUST bring to life.
It doesn't really anwser the question, but it might give some insight in how I look at it.
I know I'm not ready now.
One factor is money to be able to take the time to do it: but that is about funding.
Another factor is time: I've got too much things going on to even consider it.
3rd factor: some more experience with bigger sets and larger teams would be nice.
4: I have no script yet that I MUST bring to life.
It doesn't really anwser the question, but it might give some insight in how I look at it.
This is how I experienced writing a successful script, which I would argue is the exact same thing. It was picked up and praised exactly how I knew it would be.
You know you're ready when you know what elements makes a successful movie. Others say you're crazy, you're arrogant and your project will bomb, but you say "no, no this will work" and then you go and do it. You stick to what you know and the movie turns out exactly how you knew it would - and is a success. Then you know.
You know you're ready when you know what elements makes a successful movie. Others say you're crazy, you're arrogant and your project will bomb, but you say "no, no this will work" and then you go and do it. You stick to what you know and the movie turns out exactly how you knew it would - and is a success. Then you know.
I went straight into directing a feature without doing a single short.
Here's a list of things that helped me become "ready":
I got on-set experience by working as an extra on film sets. Hundreds of them. Watched the crew, learned what it was like to actually make a film from the production side.
Went on hundreds of auditions as an actor, studied the casting side.
Watched literally 1 movie per day for 3 straight years in a row. Studied acting and filmmaking. Analyzed what made a film bad vs. good.
Then I started shooting and editing video for bands when they played live shows. Doing music videography for 3 years taught me how to frame a shot, how to edit for continuity, how to color correct, etc.
I used this forum and other online sources to ask as many questions I could until it started to feel like I was answering other people's questions more often than asking my own.
Used the internet to learn as much as I could about every crew position and piece of film equipment in each department. I wanted to make sure I had at least a basic understanding of every aspect of filmmaking.
Eventually I knew I had the artistic sensibilities to get the visuals I wanted, and I knew I'd be able to get the acting performances I wanted. I decided that was a big enough chunk of what it takes to get a good film made, so I went for it. Did the final touches on my script, sold my car, drained my bank account, and stopped having a social life.
I did all the preproduction myself, which I had no experience in, but luckily I am very organized and detail oriented, so despite being incredibly stressful, this process came naturally to me.
Next thing I knew (2 years later) I had a finished film and was ready to play it at film festivals!
Here's a list of things that helped me become "ready":
I got on-set experience by working as an extra on film sets. Hundreds of them. Watched the crew, learned what it was like to actually make a film from the production side.
Went on hundreds of auditions as an actor, studied the casting side.
Watched literally 1 movie per day for 3 straight years in a row. Studied acting and filmmaking. Analyzed what made a film bad vs. good.
Then I started shooting and editing video for bands when they played live shows. Doing music videography for 3 years taught me how to frame a shot, how to edit for continuity, how to color correct, etc.
I used this forum and other online sources to ask as many questions I could until it started to feel like I was answering other people's questions more often than asking my own.
Used the internet to learn as much as I could about every crew position and piece of film equipment in each department. I wanted to make sure I had at least a basic understanding of every aspect of filmmaking.
Eventually I knew I had the artistic sensibilities to get the visuals I wanted, and I knew I'd be able to get the acting performances I wanted. I decided that was a big enough chunk of what it takes to get a good film made, so I went for it. Did the final touches on my script, sold my car, drained my bank account, and stopped having a social life.
I did all the preproduction myself, which I had no experience in, but luckily I am very organized and detail oriented, so despite being incredibly stressful, this process came naturally to me.
Next thing I knew (2 years later) I had a finished film and was ready to play it at film festivals!
Last edited:
Yep, it kind of is a how long is a piece of string question. It depends on the person and the resources available to that person.
I find that people fall into a bunch of categories.
1). They already do it. They're able to do it.
2). They already do it. They don't have a clue on what they're doing.
3). They think they're ready and they have no chance.
4). They think they're ready and they are.
5). They're not sure they can do it and they can.
6). They're not sure they can and cannot.
7). They're sure they're not ready and they are ready.
8). They're sure they're not ready and they're right.
You never really know until you're at #1. It's those false positives the cause the most problems, especially those at #2 and #3. Those people who do it/think they can do it and absolutely cannot do it.
Without a network of experienced peers, the only real way you're going to find out if you're ready is to try and see if you succeed.
There are indicators that'll tell the more experienced whether you are ready. If you have a network of experienced peers, they'll be in the best position to tell you and/or help you with what you'll need to make it all work.
I saw a joke the other day. There's only 2 entry level jobs in filmmaking: PA and Director. A useless director can still successfully make a film if they surround themselves with the correct people AND give them the authority to do the required job.
Well said.
Points 2 and 3 remind me of this quote by John Cleese about having skills and knowing your abilities:
https://youtu.be/DMpdPrm6Ul4?t=542
Points 2 and 3 remind me of this quote by John Cleese about having skills and knowing your abilities:
https://youtu.be/DMpdPrm6Ul4?t=542
just go out and do it, most people are like I did this and this and this and this and im still not ready, others went out with little experience and did it anyway...
you will only know when you know, you know?
you will only know when you know, you know?
When you spell "you're" when you mean your are, and 'your' when you own it
Immutable law of the Internet #73: If you correct someone's spelling/punctuation/grammar in a forum post, you are guaranteed to make an error while doing os
You will never be 100% ready you just got to go out and do it.
I am in pre production of my directorial feature film debut. For me, I knew I was ready after directing my last short film. I've acted in plays, t.v shows, and films so I've been able to work with a few directors and have seen some good ones and some not so good ones. My learning curve has been rather quick from my first short film to my third short. I watch movies, and t.v shows as much as I can. I study my craft (acting, writing, directing, composition, use of color, music, sound, blocking, motifs, etc). I felt that short films were not going to challenge me anymore. So it was time to move up.
Check out this audiobook called Mastery by Robert Greene https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tURu0y_sLfI
I am in pre production of my directorial feature film debut. For me, I knew I was ready after directing my last short film. I've acted in plays, t.v shows, and films so I've been able to work with a few directors and have seen some good ones and some not so good ones. My learning curve has been rather quick from my first short film to my third short. I watch movies, and t.v shows as much as I can. I study my craft (acting, writing, directing, composition, use of color, music, sound, blocking, motifs, etc). I felt that short films were not going to challenge me anymore. So it was time to move up.
Check out this audiobook called Mastery by Robert Greene https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tURu0y_sLfI
I'm not ready but I'm going to direct my first feature this year. I know it's going to be terrible but I don't know what mistakes to make until I make them.
That's what the first feature is there for. To be terrible.
That's what the first feature is there for. To be terrible.
god no. thats what shorts are for.
Shorts can't teach you all the hurdles of filmmaking. A hundred shorts and you'll never run into the same challenges as you will on your first feature.
I never said otherwise.. I said it's not supposed to be terrible.
Was reservoir dogs terrible? After all that's what first features are for..
Little known fact, that was actually not Quentin Tarantino's first film: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Best_Friend's_Birthday
Most of the film was burned in a fire. But this was his first film and I heard it sucked.
Though there are plenty of directors who got it right out on their first try, Jason Reitman, Steven Spielberg, Spike Lee, Spike Jonze, The Coen brothers, Sam Ramini, Steve McQueen, Ang Lee, etc, etc, etc. The ones that stick around tend to at least show that they have talent right out of the door.
So I do agree that it isn't supposed to be terrible.