Understanding the day-to-day tasks of a film director requires more than a brief definition. And of course, their tasks are altered a bit if they are working in theatre or TV (on a series, many major decisions that inform theme and style are already in place). For a complete guide to the major roles in film production, check out our ultimate guide to film crew positions. A film directormanages the creative aspects of the production. They direct the making of a film by visualizing the script while guiding the actors and technical crew to capture the vision for the screen. They control the film’s dramatic and artistic aspects.
Although the film director is involved in all stages of filmmaking, sometimes their role in each of those stages can be misconstrued. The development stage, for instance, is often confused with the pre-production stage. Typically, development is taken care of by the writers and producers, and directors enter the picture in pre-production. This isn’t always true (especially when the director also happens to have written the script). The director usually makes comments, tweaks, or changes to the script during development. Still, it’s really in pre-production where the film director plays a major role.
