How To Find The Right Film Director?

Egotism – the main characteristic that dominates any industry full of young creatives who are accustomed to the idea of quick success in the cheapest way possible. But what they don’t seem to realize is that consumers are smart. Consumers know when a product is poorly planned, rushed, and created purely for the purpose of profit instead of their entertainment. It’s all about let’s just create something, put it on YouTube, let’s see if we can go viral and get a lot of subscribers.. (Hence, why all of the sponsors I reached out to rejected me.) 

Now, do I believe going viral can happen on a filmmaker’s first film? Yes. But, in my opinion, it’s rare now more than ever because anyone can rent/purchase film equipment, create a social media channel, edit footage, and post that they made a film online. And this increases competition by over 2000x. So, I always ask myself and each veteran filmmaker that I meet, “How can I be different?” And it was because of my intense drive to be different, go the long route, and be extremely methodical that led to the removal of my initial Director and Assistant Director (AD) in a very harsh way. 

The most important thing I’ve learned about the success of any independent film is the film crew. A filmmaker must have a group of talented individuals who are more dedicated to the process of producing a quality film versus just creating a film. I thought I’d found that in my original Director and AC because I’d worked with them on my very first film gig and I saw how hardworking, dedicated, and knowledgeable they both were. But, as things progressed, I realized that having them on my project was a huge mistake and if they had stayed, my whole project probably would’ve been a huge failure. 

Why? 

I didn’t set “clear boundaries” with them from the beginning. I noticed that they felt that I had something to prove to them even though I was providing them with an opportunity. Every little chance they could, they would rush to go and update their IMDB profiles. They were ignoring my ideas/opinions, they were bringing ideas to the table and expecting me to do all the heavy work to bring their ideas to fruition. What really took the cake was when I came to them about a question regarding camera specs and they blew me off and told me to just go look on the internet.

Their egotism and lack of patience had fully come to the surface. When I made it clear this was my project and that clear boundaries were going to be set moving forward, they both decided to leave the project in which I instantly agreed and expressed that their departure was the best decision. 

It felt like a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders. 

In their minds, I knew nothing. Now, although I didn’t know as much as they did I, however, had a community full of veteran filmmakers/film personnel who I could turn to at any moment to answer any question that I had (the power of networking). 

Luckily, I had put up a director’s bulletin on the Virginia Film Office Hotline a month earlier and I had an inbox full of submissions and reels to look through for an immediate replacement and I was going to be extra strict. Out of all the submissions only 2 caught my interest. The first interview was with a talented director who placed and won in multiple competitions such as Cannes and the London Shorts Film Festival.

 So, when I interviewed her, it was like a breath of fresh air, and I asked her repeatedly if she was comfortable with taking on a “dark” film. When she said, “yes” on all occasions I made sure to send her my synopsis immediately after our interview. 

Two days later I was disappointed when I received an email back from her saying, “unfortunately my story was a bit too dark” for her to take on. What?! That makes absolutely no sense. I’m fuming at this point. This made me learn another lesson: send the synopsis to the director interviewee before the interview to ensure your time is not wasted.

Now, I’m even more agitated and even thought about cancelling the next interview because she had the same exterior characteristics as the previous – she was young, talented, and won awards (Emmy, BET). But I didn’t care. I didn’t want to waste my time again. 

After talking it over with a few mentors I was encouraged to move forward with the interview and respect her time. Two days before the interview I send her the synopsis and awaited her response. Quite honestly, I was not enthusiastic at all. However, I was in complete shock when she responded with her deep compassion and sincere connection with the story as she had also passed through similar traumatic events in her own life. 

Wow. Once again, I was wrong – not all young directors are the same. After a long, tough, 48-minute interview and a lot of serious thought I decided to bring her on board.

Another lesson learned – make sure to bring on crew members who can relate to your story so they can bring forth more creative ideas and drive to make your project even better.

 And the journey continues.

Have you ever experienced a mistake in judgement? Let me know in the comments!

Another post you may be interested in:

• Why A Film Treatment Is Important?

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Disclaimer: 

The author is not liable for any losses or damages related to actions of failure to act related to the content in this article. If you need specific legal advice, consult with an attorney who specializes in your subject matter and jurisdiction.