THE FILM DIRECTOR Page 8

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Reviews from Critics

Many directors take what critics have to say very personally, and therefore find it better not to read reviews of their films. There will be some critics that dislike a film very much, while others find the exact same film very enduring and delightful. From a critical standpoint a film may not possess all the qualities of an Oscar-caliber picture, although the film will still bring in millions of dollars at the box office due to audience appeal. It is important for the director to take constructive criticism well but with a grain of salt.

The director cannot allow one bad remark about their film to alter their thoughts and beliefs about that film. If a director truly believes in the quality of their work than reviews should account very little to them. As Paul Mazursky once stated, "I don't take most of the critics seriously. I don't see how you can see ten pictures a week and do a legitimate job day to day." Robert Altman has mentioned that the only thing that he has really learned from critics is that there are people that look at film from a different point of view then his own.

An example of how reviews do not necessarily reflect the impact a movie may have is seen in a 1980 review in Variety magazine of the film Raging Bull. Directed by Martin Scorsese, Raging bull was given mixed reviews for both its so-called "lack of quieter, introspective moments" along with "audience alienation." Scorsese was also criticized for DeNiro's character being a "turn-off" in that same article. Despite these criticisms, Raging Bull went on to be nominated for several Academy awards including those for best actor and Best Director, and is today considered on the of the American Film Institutes 100 best films of all time.

Directors are in charge of both the technical and artistic aspects of the film. They conduct the auditions, supervise the rehearsals, and approve locations, scenery, costumes, and even the music.

"If a movie gets spectacular reviews but doesn't do business, the director is off the hook," Michael Crichton (Westworld) explains, "If a picture gets hideous reviews and does a lot of business, everybody is content. A picture that gets bad reviews and does no business is probably going to be laid at the feet of the director. That's the style of the times."

Directors are the individuals who "translate" the script from the written page into a film. To do this a typical director may supervise hundreds of people at a time, including (but not limited to) the scriptwriters, cameramen, costume and set designers, etc. Directors are in charge of both the technical and artistic aspects of the film. They conduct the auditions, supervise the rehearsals, and approve locations, scenery, costumes, and even the music. In short, they direct the entire cast and crew during shooting. Frequently they will have several assistant directors helping them with details such as handling extras, transporting equipment, and arranging for food and accommodations when needed.

Usually, individuals who want to become directors start in another phase of filmmaking (like assisting or acting) and use their experience and varied job opportunities to eventually advance to directing. It is rare that even those who attend film school specifically for directing will graduate and immediately become a leading director on a film. There are exceptions (as mentioned), like Quentin Tarantino.

Ultimately, the screenwriter's concern is with the situational flow and the vocal sound of the film. The cameraman must attend to the particularities of each shot. The actors must concentrate on specific gestures and movements. The editor will be confronted with the piecing together raw materials that either make implicit an already finished artistic vision, or evidence so little unity that his work becomes one of reconstruction, of attempting to produce some coherence, although his contribution in such a case will have been obstructed at the level of professionalism rather than art.

Successful directors are involved in every phase of production, from the very beginning to the very end. Some directors will assume multiple roles in their films, such as director-producer, writer-director, or even writer-director-actor-producer. Whatever the role they take on, as the director, they must know how to hire the right people, fire the wrong people, and how to handle people so that they work as effectively as possible in a team atmosphere.

FilmMakers recommendations

ACTION CUT - This is the most unique series of learning tools in the film industry that provides an in-depth look inside the directing craft on a step-by-step, shot-by-shot professional level of production from the written page through the moviemaking process to the final film.

The Director's Journey : The Creative Collaboration Between Directors, Writers and Actors by Mark W. Travis

Directing Actors : Creating Memorable Performances for Film and Television by Judith Weston

Directing 101 by Ernest Pintoff

On Directing Film by David Mamet

The Directors--Take One : In Their Own Words by Robert J. Emery, Leonard Maltin

Directing Your Directing Career, Support Book & Agent Guide for Directors: 2nd Edition by K. Callan

From Script to Screen : The Collaborative Art of Filmmaking by Linda Seger, Edward Jay Whetmore

Interpreting the Moving Image (Cambridge Studies in Film) by Noel Carroll

The Cinema of Oliver Stone by Norman Kagan

Breaking into Film : Making Your Career Search a Blockbuster by Kenna McHugh

Scorsese on Scorsese by David Thompson, Ian Christie, Michael Powell

The Film Producer : A Handbook for Producing by Paul N. Lazarus