Film Directing Course Reviews

“My mentor taught me to direct emotions, not just actions — that changed everything.”

“I didn’t realize how much tone depends on pacing until I was in the edit room.”

“I learned that great directing starts with listening.”

“We actually just finished a short film, last week. I was producing with Sam (mentor) we had just competed a feature film script. We had an audition with actors and actresses and we are ready to start our project (Titled: ‘Live Free OR Die’ to be partially shot in Egypt.). We also have some projects on April, May and June of this year. A short film and another feature film, Sam will be directing and I will be assisting. This will start shooting in May, and in June I will be directing another short film (Titled: ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’)”

“I thought pre-production was paperwork — now I see it’s where the film is born.”

“Watching dailies with my mentor taught me to see the difference between what I imagined and what we shot.”

“The lesson was about the higher-arch of film production. What roles there are in the crew. I found the lesson very educational. It gave me an idea about what jobs might become available to me and what position I may assume as I progress in my career. I never realized that so much responsibility could fall on just one member of a film crew, like the 1st assistant director. It is a role I look forward to one day challenging myself with.”

“I finally understood coverage after seeing my footage in the edit room.”

“I realized the camera isn’t neutral — it’s a character too.”

“Of the different sets that I have been on it has been very interesting to note the environment that is created. It seems to me that the environment that has been created on set comes down from on top. That the tone of the set is set by the people in charge, mostly the director. And there is a trickle-down effect from how the director approaches the movie that they are working on. If they take it very seriously the people that are working on their film will take it seriously. If the people in power are willing to listen and work with the crew that creates a whole new environment. It is one thing to see it from the sidelines, and how it influences the different aspects of a film set, but it is another challenge to notice it while you are the one in the position of power. It makes me wonder what kind of tone and environment that I will set when I get to direct my own projects.”

“Getting comfortable with silence taught me how to let scenes breathe.”

“I stopped trying to control everything and started directing energy instead.”