How does a filmmaker decide which aspect ratio to shoot in?

[Josh Bass]

See, but I still don’t think you’re ready for this feature, or all of these decisions would come to you more naturally. I think you should do more shorts and experiment...try different things, see what you like, what works and what doesnt, etc., precisely BECAUSE there’s money at stake and its better to fail when there isnt anything at stake than to get in over your head which I think would you if do a funded feature. Do a buttload of shorts, learn grow. I think you’ll know when youre ready for that feature. The other option is to proceed as you are and probably have everything be an unsellable trainwreck that wastes a lot of your own money and God forbid other people’s.

[Ryan Elder]

Well it's just I've been helping a lot of other filmmakers on their projects, trying to get as much experience as I can as well as making my own for quite a while now, and I am in my mid 30s and would like to get some kind of career started in directing. I feel like if I'm not ready by my age now, than I won't be, and it's time to just bite the bullet for once I feel.

I think it's probably just my state of my mind and I need to make myself believe I am ready, rather than always not feeling so, unless I'm wrong. But I've talked to other filmmakers I've worked for who have made their first features and they said they were terrified in the process, and that being scared is normal, if they are right?

[Brian Drysdale]

Having a good producer/production manager on board will reduce the pressures, You don't want to be doing that and directing at the same time.

[Ryan Elder]

Yeah true, I am usually wearing most of the hats, accept operating the camera, but including booming the mic while directing usually.

[Brian Drysdale]

You can't really see what's going on with the actors if you're booming the mic. It works with documentaries, but not drama, some well known directors operate the camera, at least then you can see the actors faces.

[Ryan Elder]

Oh okay, well there are more camera operators I know than boom operators who are available so that is why I chose to operate the boom. How do some directors do a good job without looking through the camera though? For example, when Orson Welles or Mel Gibson directed themselves, as they acted and not behind the camera, how do they do it, if you are in a position, where you cannot be looking through the camera?

Just make sure to get a really good DP?

[Chris Hurd]

As the Director, you're a director of acting. Not photography.

During pre-production, you will have reviewed the shot list that the DP had prepared, and the two of you will have already discussed the framing, the look and feel of the camera work, all of these issues relating to imaging, you and your DP will have discussed all of this in advance well before shooting ever begins. Your relationship with your DP should be built on mutual trust and familiarity. Your job on the set is to look after your actors and make sure you're getting the performances that you want. Anything camera-related at that point really isn't your concern. That's what the DP is for. You don't need to be looking through the camera. If you have a video village, watch the monitors. If not, watch the actors themselves.

[Ryan Elder]

Oh okay, but I should be doing the storyboards myself, shouldn't I, or at least a lot of directors decide on their own shots in the past. For example, when you watch movies done by certain directors, you know they picked those shots.

Plus I was told to do my shots in Frameforge before as it might help, unless the DP should be doing that?

[Chris Hurd]

You create the storyboard and give it to the DP.

From that, the DP creates the shot list and gives it to you.

For more info, see the entire presentation at Storyboards and Shot Lists.

[Paul R Johnson]

Ryan - if you have the money, and the drive, then in all honesty, you have one real choice. trust your instincts and go for it - IF, and only if, you have the thing planned out.

You do need to get a few things straight.
You are the boss. Other people work FOR you.
The actors need to believe (because they're all terribly indecisive people in the main). that you're direction is right and appropriate. When they ask questions, you give immediate responses, and when you direct them, do NOT put up with them changing the vision. You can make it clear you are receptive to input, but at the end of the day - it's your movie and they will do what they are told.
The DoP will offer you shots. You can accept them, or reject them. Your sound people might suggest things, and again - are they just lazy and hoping you go for the easy way, or are their suggestions valid ones you should follow.

The advice to shoot 16:9 makes huge sense, giving you the ability to see how cropping will work (or not).

LAST THING - Stop responding to "I was told" from all these people. Learn to reject information and advice, and do what you want. Why bother learning to use a piece of software designed to help you visualise? You'll end up formulaic and boring. Can you draw? a pile of printed 16:9 boxes does perfectly well if you can draw.

Have you ever been told to use say, photoshop when you've never used to before and tore your hair out. I know I have, when somebody tells me I MUST use X, Y or Z.

I don't know if you have actually settled on your role and the parameters. You should leave the photography as Chris says, to the DoP/cameraman - IF - you trust them to carry out your vision. I'm not sure you trust any of your team. Equally - they need to trust you and again, do they? They seem to continually disagree with you and tell you how to do things.

I really wish you luck with this - but it's not a cooperative, is a hierarchical pyramid with you at the top.

[Brian Drysdale]

When I said operate the camera, I didn't mean be the DP, Ridley Scott used to operate the camera initially on his features because he'd done so on commercials. Doing DP as well as directing means having an excellent gaffer (head electrician) to work with you, which has been done by a few directors, but it's a big workload and you may compromise both jobs on a tight schedule.

However, you do need to be comfortable with these roles, otherwise it won't work.

Mel Gibson would've had the option of watching a recording of the video assist from the film camera. Orson Welles, apart from getting a sense of the scene while acting, probably also got feedback from the camera operator and DP. Today, with digital cameras, you got playback, so it's a lot easier.

Since you don't have a storyboard artist, you should do this. Depending on your skill set, you can either use pencil and paper to draw it or use a suitable program. They're allowed to be pretty rough if drawing them yourself (some feature directors aren't great at drawing), although, with one storyboard artist I know you could tell the focal length of the lens from the drawings..

[Ryan Elder]

Okay thanks, I'll try to be my own boss and do what I want then. What's the difference between a story board list and a shot list? The way I do it so far is I draw in a book of storyboard boxes and each box is a shot, so it's both the storyboard list and the shot list, but is there a better way to do it?

As for playing back the takes after, I would like to do that but find myself crunched for time, so usually I didn't have time to play them back, and had to rely on the DP/camera operator.

[Paul R Johnson]

Well the way I work is that the storyboard tells the story, but the shot list is used to avoid resets - so repeated shots with similar our identical placement can be identified and it lets you set shooting order, so you do the 13,49, 52 and 57 shots in that sequence, then you go back to 12,19 and 23. The story boards do a different job. If the paperwork says Shot 57: Interior of submarine torpedo room, it sets the broad brush, but the story board shows the camera is central looking down the centre line, tube doors at the end, with the cast gathered around them. "Interior of torpedo room" gives no clues as to angles and content, but in a lost is easy to find.

For years, people viewed the rushes in the screening room, but only when the director called a print. With video, and a sensible scene length - if I had time to watch what I'd shot, I'd do it. When I work cameras, it's far too easy to mark a take as a good one, when you actually know it could have been better - the director rarely looks at what the camera people consider is the best. If they get to the end, and spot no technical issues, they'll pay no attention to the actors expressions, or stray movements of extras. If you can watch it, you can do it again.

[Brian Drysdale]

In the days of film, without video assist, good camera operators would've noticed timing errors etc and informed the director, especially if it affected the shot. The focus puller would say if they're not happy, while the director sat or stood close to the camera watching the performances.

The shot list is used for scheduling purposes, 1st ADs like having these, so they can plan the day's work.

[Chris Hurd]

Originally Posted by Ryan Elder

What's the difference between a story board list and a shot list?

Once again, see the entire presentation at Storyboards and Shot Lists.