Film Directing Fundamentals

This work offers the novice director a set of specific techniques for developing the fundamental elements of this craft in realizing a screenplay for the screen, along with an introduction to the narrative/dramatic elements of film. Scene-by-scene analysis of three feature films is included.

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Film Directing Fundamentals gives the novice director a set of specific techniques for developing the fundamental elements of this craft in realizing a screenplay for the screen, along with an introduction to the narrative/dramatic elements of film. In Part One, Nicholas Proferes provides a short screenplay to take the student step-by-step through the "detective" work necessary to uncover disparate dramatic elements such as character, circumstance, wants, and actions. This initial investigation identifies the dramatic essence of each moment, organizes them into a dramatic unit, and leads to an overall design for rendering the script on the screen. This section includes work with actors, staging, and use of the camera as an active narrator. Students are encouraged to use floor plans and storyboards to aid in the previsualization of the film. Part Two features a scene-by-scene analysis of three feature films by master directors. These are designed to be used in conjunction with the viewing of the films and allows the student to fully understand how the dramatic and narrative categories of film language are used by master directors.
In addition, nine other films are analyzed for their distinctive styles and differing dramatic construction. An appendix contains the grammatical rules of film language, the cinematic categories of time and space, and essential questions directors should ask concerning their screenplays.